Swing Blocking/Advanced Strategy

[VBSmiles]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some information (technique, footwork, speed, etc.) of swing blocking. Maybe someone knows of a website or would be able to point me in the right direction? I'm also looking for good websites that describe advanced
volleyball strategy. Maybe if you even have the information please post it here.

Thank you...
VBSmiles

[Glenn]

Originally Posted by VBSmiles

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some information (technique, footwork, speed, etc.) of swing blocking. Maybe someone knows of a website or would be able to point me in the right direction? I'm also looking for good websites that describe advanced
volleyball strategy. Maybe if you even have the information please post it here.

Thank you...
VBSmiles

"The outside blocker uses a cross-over step to get to the antenna. For the rightside blocker, that means he leads with his left (inside) foot,"

That part can't be reinforced enough. The first step by the rightside blocker moving to his right has to be with their left foot. If they step with the outside foot first, it'll be a very short step (and will make them take an extra step to get outside), it will leave their left foot exposed to being stepped on by the middle blocker and lastly force the middle blocker to wait for them to move their foot.

Blockers need to carry their hands no lower than waist height while moving along the net. Blockers need to drive back with the elbows on their plant with hands up (and not extending your elbows and swinging up as though you were spiking).

[SETMENOW]

A few additional points about swing blocking:

1) During the opponents' pass/dig, the outside blockers (both right and left) should be positioned 8'-10' from their respective sidelines. This is so they can help with any quick attack in or near their zones. As the opposing setter contacts the ball and sends it outside, the outside blocker uses a cross-over step to get to the antenna. For the rightside blocker, that means he leads with his left (inside) foot, driving it to the antenna where he will plant and jump. The leftside blocker does a mirror image of this, crossing-over by driving his right (inside) foot toward the antenna. (Teaching cue: Instead of talking about feet, tell the blocker to drive his inside knee to the antenna. This will do a better job conveying the proper mechanics and help him cover the 6'-8' needed to get in front of the hitter without taking any extra steps.)

2) During the cross-over, both arms drop and drift back so the blocker will be able use a double-arm swing when he jumps . . . hence the term "swing blocking."

3) The blocker should plant to jump with both feet pointed 45 degrees out-of-bounds, with his hips and shoulders at the same angle. This angle makes it easy to square up to the net quickly as the blocker leaves the ground. (Too many swing blockers plant with their feet, hips and shoulders pointed 80 or 90 degrees out-of-bounds, which makes it virtually impossible to square up to the net after jumping . . . and makes it exceedingly easy for the hitter to tool the outside hand.)

4) As the blocker swings his arms and hands up while jumping, both hands should be within two or three inches of the net during the entire swing. This helps enormously with penetration and sealing the tape, especially with the outside hand.

5) One of the main problems with swing blocking -- and the reason some coaches refuse to teach it -- is the amount of lateral drifting that some blockers have when using this technique. To limit lateral drifting, stress keeping the hips behind the feet as the blocker plants to jump. This will help convert horizontal speed into vertical speed (which helps the blocker jump higher) *AND* it limits the amount of lateral drift during the block.

6) Middle blockers using swing blocking mechanics will do exactly the same things described above, with the addition of a long lead step with the onside foot when they start toward the antenna.

Hope some of this helps.

[Lemiwinks]

The blockers should turn their hands inside the court forcing the ball to the middle of the court. Your blockers should be penetrating the plane of the net with both hands. NO floating! Remember the block is not supposed to block every ball, it is supposed to take as much space away from the hitter allowing your defense to make the easy dig.

[James]

Also try and penetrate as much as you can over the opponents side of the court as this will give you a better chance of putting the ball on the opponents side if contact is made

[Pancake]

Does anyone have pictures of this? I've looked and found nothing....

[OmniSpiker]

Swing blocking = swinging block.

I know of a guy who loves doing just that. He usually get's his hand on the ball, but the deflection is so poor there's no saving it.

[NewEnglandRT]

Originally Posted by OmniSpiker

Swing blocking = swinging block.

I know of a guy who loves doing just that. He usually get's his hand on the ball, but the deflection is so poor there's no saving it.

Obviously the person you play with executes it poorly. The US is the last country to be a hold out against the swing block. When well done allows for greater leap and thus greater penetration and improved kill block percentages.

Some good info can be found here:
TW's Volleyball Files

[OmniSpiker]

That's part of the misnomer (in the head), about people seeing one thing and believing they can reproduce it. Without the actual correct instructions and everything else that makes it effective, the imitators often do it poorly. As so far the majority of people whom I've seen swing block often are late on their block.

[coachmanzi]

Originally Posted by Pancake

Does anyone have pictures of this? I've looked and found nothing....

check out this video. It's all about Hitting/Swing blocking from National Team.