Let’s be real — serving a volleyball can be tricky at first. I remember my first attempt at an underhand serve during a high school game in Minnesota—it barely cleared the net and rolled off the side, making my teammates chuckle.
But with a bit of practice and guidance from my coach, it became second nature!
If you’re a beginner or want to improve, start by learning the different types of serves. Even as a regular volleyball player who competed in college tournaments, I can tell you that your serves can definitely get better.
Trust me, I’ve spent countless hours perfecting each type, from basic serves to the more advanced ones that helped us win the State Championship.
How to Serve a Volleyball – Complete Guide
This guide covers the essentials: the classic underhand serve (perfect for beginners), the powerful overhand serve (my personal favorite), the jump serve (which took me months to master), and the tricky float serve.
By the end, you’ll know how to serve in volleyball and which serve works best for you. I’ll share the same techniques that helped me develop from a nervous high school player to competing in collegiate championships.
The Basic of Serving in Volleyball
Every volleyball point begins with a serve. So, how to serve a volleyball is the most crucial aspect of the game. As a matter of fact, a team can lose a point if a player fails to serve the ball over the net into the opponent’s court.
But serving also goes deeper than that–this is where fancy serves like the float serve and jump serve come in.
Before we dive into fancy serves, let’s talk about the fundamentals. I know everyone wants to start with a powerful overhand or a mysterious float serve. But trust me, if you don’t have the basics, those fancy serves will make you look like you’re swatting a fly instead of scaring the other team.
Maintain a Balanced Stance
Think of your stance as the foundation of a house. If your feet aren’t firmly planted, everything else—no matter how strong your arm swing is—falls apart.
When I first learned to serve, my coach said, “If you’re off-balance, you’re inviting the ball to land in the net.” Let’s just say I wrote a lot of invitations that season.
To make a proper stance, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your dominant foot slightly forward, and bend your knees a bit. This will give you stability, like a tree rooted in the ground but ready to strike.
Grip and Ball Positioning
Here’s where I often see beginners (and sometimes even seasoned players) stumble. The grip should feel natural but with a purpose. Hold the ball with confidence and control, about waist level in front of you, and keep your fingers relaxed but steady.
Imagine you’re holding a delicate but confident handshake with the ball—no death grips!
Focus on a Smooth Swing
Now, this part can feel intimidating, but with practice, it will start to feel natural. When you swing, don’t think of it as just an arm movement; it is a full-body motion.
Channel your inner volleyball zen and make it a smooth, relaxed motion. When you hit the ball, aim for the center with the heel of your hand—like giving it a firm high-five.
I once made the mistake of winding up like I was pitching a baseball. The result? Let’s just say that the ball had a mind of its own, and it didn’t involve crossing the net.
The key here is to not overthink it—focus on making clean contact and following through.
Next, we’ll look at the various types of serves and how to make them.
4 Types of Volleyball Serves and Tips to Master them
Now that you’ve got the basics down, let’s dive into the different types of volleyball serves. Think of them like tools in your volleyball toolbox—each one offers something different.
Understanding how and when to use each serve can give you a real edge in the game.
The Underhand Serve Volleyball
If you’re new to volleyball, the underhand serve volleyball is your go-to serve. It is straightforward, low-pressure, and requires only consistency.
You won’t see it as much in higher-level games because it’s easier for opponents to return, but don’t underestimate it!
How to do the Underhand Serve
Start by holding the ball in your non-dominant hand at waist height. With your dominant hand, swing from underneath and gently hit the ball forward.
Imagine you’re shoveling the ball over the net—no need for a windup; just a clean, controlled swing.
The Overhand Serve Volleyball
The overhand serve volleyball is what most people picture when they think “volleyball serve.” It’s more powerful than the underhand, with a bit of a learning curve, but once you get it down, you become unstoppable.
With this serve, you can control the ball’s direction, speed, and even placement, making it challenging for the other team to predict.
How to do the Overhand Serve
Toss the ball a few inches above your head, draw your hitting arm back, and strike the ball with the palm of your hand, making contact at the highest point.
Think of it like a high-five to the ball, sending it soaring over the net.
The Float Serve Volleyball
The float serve volleyball is volleyball’s version of a magic trick. When done right, it barely spins and seems to “float” through the air, making it hard to predict and challenging to receive. Picture a knuckleball in baseball—it moves in unexpected ways.
How to do the Float Serve
Set up as you would for an overhand serve. The trick here is to hit the ball with a firm, flat hand without following through too much.
The goal is minimal spin, so the ball has that unpredictable “float” motion.
The Jump Serve Volleyball
The jump serve is high-energy and powerful, giving the ball an extra push with the added momentum of a jump. It’s flashy, it’s intense and challenging but once you nail it, this serve becomes a game-changer.
How to do the Jump Serve
Approach the line with a quick three-step run-up, toss the ball slightly in front of you, jump, and hit the ball at the peak of your jump.
It’s a lot of coordination, but with practice, it becomes a smooth motion. Think of it as a slam dunk in volleyball.
4 Common Serving Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some of the biggest mistakes players make when serving—and how to fix them:
Tossing the Ball Too High or Too Low
One of the biggest serving mistakes is tossing the ball either way too high or way too low. If the toss is off, it throws everything else off, too, from your timing to your power.
How to Fix it
Focus on tossing the ball just a little higher than the point where you plan to hit it. Keep it steady and controlled.
Hitting the Ball off-Center
When you hit the ball anywhere but the center, it won’t go where you want it to. Sometimes, players accidentally hit it with the fingertips or too close to the wrist, which means the ball won’t get the power it needs to cross the net.
How to Fix it
Aim to hit the ball with the center of your palm. Imagine you’re giving the ball a firm high-five! Keep your hand flat and steady and aim right for the center.
Losing Balance During the Serve
Sometimes, players get so focused on hitting the ball hard that they lose their balance and end up stumbling or moving too much. When you lose balance, you lose control, and the ball doesn’t go where you want it.
How to fix it
Keep a stable stance, with one foot slightly in front of the other. Bend your knees just a bit, and make sure you follow through with a steady motion.
Trying to Serve Too Hard
It’s tempting to put all your strength into a serve, especially when you’re feeling competitive. But trying to serve too hard often leads to errors, like hitting the net or sending the ball out of bounds.
How to Fix it
Focus on accuracy as a beginner, and once you get the hang of aiming and controlling the serve, the power will come naturally.
Wrapping Up
Every volleyball play begins with the serve. Mastering the right volleyball serving techniques can make you a game-changer on the court.
Whether you’re a beginner using the underhand or confident enough to try a powerful jump serve, remember that every serve has its place. Keep practicing, stay patient, and don’t be afraid to try new techniques as you build your skills.
Ready to level up your serve? Grab a ball, find a net, and start training! Every serve brings you closer to that ace you’ve been dreaming about.
FAQs on How to Serve a Volleyball
What are the four steps to serving volleyball overhand?
Serving a volleyball overhand involves four steps to ensure accuracy, control, and power. These steps are:
- Stance and positioning
- Tossing the ball
- Swing and contact
- Follow through/hit in the direction you want the ball to go.
How to do a jump float volleyball serve
A jump float volleyball serve is both powerful and unpredictable. It combines the elements of a jump serve and a float serve, thus making it impossible for opponents to predict the ball’s direction.
Here’s how to perform a jump float serve:
- Proper footwork involves standing three steps behind the end-line
- Hold the ball in your non-dominant hand and toss it slightly forward and a few feet in the air.
- Jump towards the ball with both feet while swinging your hitting hand.
- After striking the ball, land both feet behind the end line to stay inbounds.
Which types of volleyball serves are best for competitive play?
The best serve depends on the player’s skill level and game strategy. The jump serve and jump float serve are often preferred in competitive play due to their speed and unpredictability. However, any serve can be effective if well-practiced.
Yes, it is allowed to serve with a fist in volleyball.
However, I will strongly suggest avoiding it unless you are good at it, as it leads to lower accuracy in serving.
The hardest way to serve in volleyball is generally considered to be the Jump Spin Serve (also known as the Jump Topspin Serve).
This type of serve is challenging due to the coordination required to jump, use the hand at the right place on the ball for spin, and also serve it across the court.
Overhand Serve is the most popular serve technique in Volleyball. This is the serve that most people picture when they imagine about Volleyball serve.
Do you need to be strong to serve in volleyball?
There isn’t any specific strength level you need to serve in Volleyball, though you do need enough strength to put the ball across the net.
The reality is that you don’t need to work on your strength. When you play regularly, you develop enough strength for nearly all the positions on the court.