Swing block: 3-step crossover

The swing block is what a blocker does when he has to get from the middle out to the pin and there is no time to shuffle. Three steps, one hip turn, and the arms swinging along the way they do in an approach. That last part feels wrong to a young player, because he has been taught that his hands have to stay high.

1 player 7 phases ± 12 min Half court with a net, no balls From U17 upwards

Phase 1 of 7Ready in the middle, hands at chest height

Blocker 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

Modern swing block technique: directional step, big crossover with hip turn, close step and a maximum jump.

The directional step: the first step sets the direction, not the speed.
Opening the hips so the second step becomes a real running step instead of a big sideways step.
The closing step that squares the shoulders back up to the net in time.

Coaching points

The first step is small and points your toes at your target.

A big first step costs time and puts you off balance. That step does not have to do anything other than lock in the direction.

Open your hip all the way on the crossover.

If you stay chest-on to the net, your crossover is nothing more than a big sideways step and you will never reach the pin in the time the set gives you.

The last step closes: shoulders square to the net before you take off.

If you take off still angled, your block drifts out over the sideline and the hitter swings past you on the inside.

Swing your arms up with the jump and get them over the top of the net right away at the peak.

With this technique the arms are allowed to start low — that is where the extra jumping power comes from. It goes wrong when the hands only clear the net at the very top of the jump; by then the ball is already past.

Variations

Easier: Have the player run the pattern at half speed without a jump first, with a cone on the spot where the closing step has to land.
Harder: Start half turned away from the net, as after a transition. The player has to open back up to the net first and only then take the three steps.
With six players: Two lines on either side of the middle, two players at a time: one to the left, one to the right. Whoever gets back joins the end of the line.
As a game: On your signal they swing to the side you call. Whoever gets both hands above the top of the net first scores; first to five.

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: blocking technique from feet to hands · what is asked of a middle blocker · training jumping power and speed