Quick middle attack

The whole build-up serves one ball: a low, fast set above position 3 where the middle is already in the air waiting for it. The block is late because the outside hitter runs a fake at the same moment. Without that fake, a first tempo is worth only half as much.

8 players 8 phases ± 20 min 6 balls, a full court with net Advanced, from U19 upwards

Phase 1 of 8Set-up: the opponent has the ball, we are in serve receive and the middle waits behind the three-meter line

Your own team (P = passer, S = setter, M = middle, L = libero) Opponents (M = blocking middle, D = opposite) Ball

This animation comes straight out of the Koach app. In the app you play it at your own pace and the positions carry your players' real names.

Open in the app

How the drill runs

What you are training

Timing the first tempo: the setter delivers a quick ball to the middle blocker, who hits close to the net while the block tries to keep up.

The timing between setter and middle: the arm is up and waiting before the set comes.
The outside hitter's fake as part of the middle's attack.
A pass that is good enough to make a first tempo possible at all.

Coaching points

The middle jumps when the pass is still about two meters from the setter.

That is the only reference point that works in practice. Waiting until the setter touches the ball is by definition too late for a first tempo.

The setter sets the ball against the hand, not towards it.

On a first tempo the arm is already up there. So the ball comes to the hand, which means: short, flat and just in front of the middle's shoulder.

No good pass, no first tempo.

If the pass is not within a meter of the setter, let the middle run through and go outside. Forcing a first tempo on a bad ball mostly produces net violations.

The outside always runs his fake, even when he knows he is not getting the ball.

His job is to tie up one blocker. Hitters who stay put because they are 'not getting a ball anyway' pull the middle's attack down with them.

Variations

Easier: The setter throws the quick ball with two hands instead of setting it, so the middle learns the timing without the set being able to go wrong.
Harder: The pass comes in deliberately mixed: sometimes perfect, sometimes two meters off the setter. Now a decision has to be made on every ball whether the first tempo is on.
With six players: Libero, setter and middle on our side; two blockers and a defender on the other side. Change the middle after five balls.
As a game: The middle gets ten first tempos. Every ball that lands in the court past the block is a point, the block scores on every touch.

Volleyball drills

4 players · 6 phases SafeVolley base round Warm-up 3 players · 5 phases Shoulder activation with band Warm-up 2 players · 6 phases Dynamic movement patterns Warm-up 5 players · 5 phases Core plank with rotation Warm-up

Read on in the knowledge base: attack tempos from high ball to first tempo · the role of the middle blocker · read blocking or commit blocking with your middle