Friends playing sand volleyball

Easy Beach Volleyball Drills for Beginners

Sand volleyball is fun, it keeps you active and engaged, and it is a great way to get a workout. If you are new to sand volleyball, there are some great drills to help you practice your basic skills and work on your technique.

In this blog, Volleyball Beach gives some tips on easy beach volleyball drills for basic skills like passing, setting, serving, and hitting.

Related Post: What to Wear When Playing Sand Volleyball

Passing Drills

In volleyball, “passing” refers to hitting the ball with both forearms to get it to another player or to move it back across the net. It takes some practice and skill to consistently pass the ball exactly where you want it to go every time.

A good way to practice your passing is with another teammate by following these steps:

  1. Stand facing one another
  2. One person tosses the ball to the other to start
  3. Pass back and forth to work on your form
  4. Occasionally take a step or two backward to add distance
  5. Try passing the ball over the net for added difficulty

If a partner is unavailable, you can practice by passing the ball against a wall. Aim at different spots on the wall to force yourself to move when the ball comes back.

Setting Drills

A set usually comes after a pass and is used to position the ball above the net so another player can make a hit to the other side. Depending on how many players you have on your team you may have a designated setter, or everyone may perform the role equally.

A good setting drill is to stand two team members facing one another and pass back and forth. If you have many players looking to practice you can make lines behind the two players facing one another, and after the front person passes they run to the back of the line. The new front person does the next set.

Another good setting drill that can help incorporate several players and skills is to have one team member throw a ball over the net. On the other side, one team member will pass the tossed ball up to the setter, who will practice setting.

Hitting Drills

A hit is often what scores a point for a team, so it is an important skill to practice. If you are completely new to hitting it is important to learn the basic technique, which consists of two quick steps, a jump, and a dominant arm swing.

Once you have the footwork down, a great hitting drill is to have one team member stand to the side of the net and toss the ball into the air. The other team member can practice their approach, jump, and hit. This is much like setting the ball up with a set, but throwing the ball is a bit slower and gives the players more control when practicing.

Related Post: How to Jump Serve in Beach Volleyball

Serving Drills

A serve is what is used by a team to put the ball into play at the beginning of a rally. It can be done underhand or overhand and must be done behind the serving line. The serve must send the ball over into the opposing team’s court.

The best drill to practice serving is to gather up several balls and simply serve them all over the net. Once you have served them all run to the other side, gather up the balls again, and serve them back. Keep repeating until you find a good serving technique and get a feel for how far the ball has to travel over the net.

If you have several team members wanting to practice just stand on opposite sides and serve the ball back and forth to one another.

Beach Volleyball Drills With Volleyball Beach Ozark 

If you are looking for competitive sand volleyball leagues, or just a great place to hang out with friends, come to Volleyball Beach in Ozark, Missouri! We’re open all year round and have both indoor sand volleyball courts. 
For more information about sand volleyball, sponsored or corporate events, leagues, or tournaments, visit us in person,  contact us online or give us a call at 417-771-9330.