Last Updated: January 16, 2024
As a volleyball player, you should know that it is essential for every player to remained aligned on the ground. The team must play unitedly while making smart team-oriented decisions to bring the entire group to a successful position.
The role of an outside hitter is among the important ones that help to achieve success as a team. Outside hitters are known as power or strong-side hitters, and they are highly responsible for both defence and offence movements during game play.
Read on to get some effective tips to excel as outside hitters in modern volleyball.
How to Excel as an Outside Hitter
Develop Your Whole Game
Excelling in only one skill is not enough to strengthen your overall game play. As an outside hitter you must possess all the skills to receive, serve, play defence, and also score points.
It is essential for you to become a good attacker, but it isn’t the only thing to master to become a great volleyball player.
Stay Behind The Ball
Being aware of the key terms like fast set, high set, non-setter set, and low set is key when deciding on the strategy as an outside hitter.
While attacking, keep an eye on what’s in front of you. Maintain contact with the ball that’s just in front of you each time.
Not everyone can mimic the greatest volleyball players in the world. So, position yourself in such a way that you’re behind the ball to recognize the placement of the set and then get your feet towards it.
Communication With Your Setter is Key
As an adept outside hitter disappointing your setter is a big no. Avoid being rude and instead lay down a proper channel of communication. There are a few questions that you must be able to answer, such as:
- How can your setter benefit you?
- Did you find your ideal set?
- Did you find the set to be good, but your play was a bit off-track, or vice versa?
Getting the right answers to these questions will help you build more trust between you and the setter while paving the way for improvement.
Relax Your Arm, Be Like a Whip
When you are in contact with the ball, you must keep your shoulder completely relaxed. For instance, you are trying to hit the ball with all the strength in your muscles. This will contract the shoulder and you will hit the ball much lower and with low power.
So, the trick is to generate torque and have a strong core. This will give your arm a whip-like sensation. It is hard to read a fast arm swing that enables you to contact the ball higher and hit it more effectively.
Always Be Super High Energy
Outside hitters must act like a human spring. While this may sound funny, you should have the capability to jump high, move side to side, dive down low, and also get back up as quickly as possible.
It implies that this skill is highly beneficial for any outside hitter to improve their explosiveness and flexibility besides their volleyball game play skills. Developing this skill over time will enable you to distinguish yourself from the other athletes on the court.
Develop a Variety of Shots
While on your way to becoming an outside hitter, remember that perfecting your gameplay will be a time-consuming process. Often, strong side positions might witness ugly sets. An adept outside hitter develops a collection of a few open-hand shots. This enables them to create a rough set into the best attacking opportunity.
So, you must develop habits that put side spin and top spin on the ball without the aid of the full swing movement. It will still enable a strong side hitter to attack even when the swing and standard approach isn’t an option.
Spread Your Ball Around
Nothing makes it simpler for an opponent than any outside hitter who hits the identical shot every time. Weak hitters are frequently observed hitting cross-court shots due to a lack of self-confidence in one’scapability to hit anywhere else or down a line on the volleyball court.
Strong side hitters must hit a shot that’s likely to land only on the court. When the opponent remains out of position and offers a chance, the finest outside hitters will take whichever shot is available.
Don’t Be Afraid To Tip The Ball
While it’s generally a good idea to attempt to strike the ball hard, you shouldn’t do it every time. Weak outside hitters have just one weapon in their arsenal. When you just have a hammer, everything appears to be a nail.
Great hitters understand when to spike the ball forcefully and when a well-placed tip-over or around the block will be more successful. You should always approach the ball as if you’re going to spike it, but tipping the ball at the last second is really powerful, especially when your opponent is committed to blocking and goes up a bit too early.
Spend a Lot More Time Passing
All outside hitters do an excellent job at spiking the ball after they reach a certain level of skill in the sport. The ability to pass the ball exceedingly well distinguishes the great from the excellent. How can you improve your passing? The only way to improve your footwork and platform is to pass more balls.
Who do you think would improve at passing faster if everyone else is passing the volleyball 100 times a week and you’re passing it 200 times a week? Find a volleyball-loving buddy, pull them to the court, and compel them to serve at you repeatedly. Maintain good form and attempt to pass every ball correctly.
Recommended read: What Are the Key Attributes of a Standout Outside Hitter?
Final Thoughts
In the front row, the outside hitter is the lead hitter. They are responsible for efficiently working and communicating with the other front-row hitters and setters. When watching a volleyball match, you will observe that the outside hitter gets the most hits since it is easier for the setter to deliver the ball to them.
If you want to become an outside hitter, be sure to train and practise drills as much as possible. It is also a good idea to observe other hitters.