Block is most difficult technique in volleyball for teaching and for doing, because it is very demanding in evaluating the setter and attacker, making correct decision and executing the decision in these elements: who is attacker? What is good movement? (how to go?), where is the best place to jump? (where to jump?), what is correct time to jump? (when to jump?), and correct positioning of hands press to opponent court. So block needs focus, team discipline and harmony.
Tactically, block is first line of defense and if it works in discipline and coordination court defender, and like wall (doesn’t matter how high is it, discipline and technique matter, although if the wall is higher it can be more protective), back court defenders will be more efficient in quantity and quality.
Technical key points for block:
- Stay focused and ready in starting position; little more than elbow distance off the net, hands head height, knee little bent, back straight and chest little toward court, weight equally on big toes, feet shoulder width apart.
- Visual tracking of first ball in opponent court (focal vision) and attackers (peripheral vision)
- After opponent setter sets the ball, evaluate the set and look at attacker in order to find the best place to jump according to tactical plan. Move with appropriate footwork (side step, shuffle step, cross over step, running, side and after cross over step)
- According to attacker ability and type of set, jump in correct time.
- Jump balanced vertically (without flying) with relax muscles (hand explode as legs push off, shoulders and hips square back to net)
- Contract core and all upper body muscles and push hands over the net (angel hands to deflect ball into the court).
- Land balanced on both feet and continue the game (pull hands off the net in the way down).
We can categorize our goals in block as below:
- Kill block
- Slow down the speed of the ball
- Channeling the attacker to attack in the direction that we want (close his/her strength direction, and or open the direction that he/she has more error and less efficiency)
- Rebound the ball to opponent court (don’t let attacker to pass the ball).