Triple block at the middle

Three players on the middle is a rare sight in a match, but as a drill it forces something: all three blockers have to go up at the same moment and they have very little time to do it, because a middle attack is quick. That leaves only three players in the back court, so they have to know exactly what they are covering.

12 players 9 phases ± 20 min 6 balls, full court with net Advanced, from U19 upwards

Phase 1 of 9B builds the middle attack, the block is at base

Your own team (M = the three blockers, L = libero, D = back-court players) The opposition with setter (S) and hitters 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

Three blockers close on the middle attack while the back players cover the tip and the deep ball.

Closing with three blockers at once on a quick set.
The timing of a middle attack, where the ball arrives far sooner than on an outside attack.
Dividing the coverage with only three players at the back: the tip and the deep ball.

Coaching points

Jump when the middle hitter swings his arms back.

On a quick set the ball is there within half a second. Waiting for the ball to drop, the way you do on an outside attack, is always too late here.

The outside two close in toward the middle, the one in the middle stays put.

The middle blocker is there first and is already in the right place. If he moves as well you have three moving blockers, and therefore two gaps.

Close with the hands, not with the shoulders.

With three blockers the shoulders touch by themselves. The gaps are higher up: the further someone reaches, the further his hands end up from his neighbor's.

Agree before the ball who covers the tip.

A triple block leaves very little room, so the other team tips. Without an agreement all three back-court players watch the same ball drop just behind the block.

Variations

Easier: The coach throws the ball in short to the middle instead of setting it, so the moment is predictable.
Harder: The setter chooses between the middle and a pin. The block is only allowed to close with all three once the ball really goes in quick.
With six players: Two blockers and one defender against a setter and two hitters; swap roles after every series.
As a game: Ten balls. A stuffed block is two points, a covered tip one point, and a ball on the floor is a point for the attack.

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: what a middle blocker does · posture and position behind the block · tracking block points as a statistic