Different Types of Serves in Volleyball

Every indoor volleyball team has a server. It’s worth noting that serving has a big impact on the success of your volleyball team’s play. The reality is a good serve is difficult to handle, so oftentimes it becomes a successful attack hit. There is no doubt that a volleyball player with great serving skills can greatly contribute the success of his/her team.

Obviously, if a serve is done properly then the opposite volleyball team will find it difficult to handle it. That means that when a server does a great job then his/her team is likely to win a rally and get a point. On the other hand, a volleyball team is likely to lose a point if a serve is done improperly.

Training a good server is no easy task. You need to know that mastering serving skills requires massive investment, time and dedication. However, if you constantly work on developing the serving technique then your success is inevitable. Sooner or later, you’ll become a great server!

As you’ve probably noticed, this article is going to be all about serving in volleyball. It’s important to know that there are different types of serves in volleyball – float serve, jump serve as well as topspin serve. So, serves in volleyball are done in different ways.

Today, we’ll provide you with the detailed information about each type of volleyball serve and also give you training tips for serving the ball well. Thus, you’ll have an understanding of what it takes to be a good serving player. Above all, we’ll outline the key differences between serves in volleyball. As a result, you’ll be able to figure out what type of serve is best for you and, of course, this will help you develop an effective serving strategy.

Float Serve

Float serve (also known as a floater) is the type of serve in volleyball that doesn’t involve spin. What is great about a float serve is that the ball moves unexpectedly. In fact, the ball can go either to the left or to the right. That’s why it can be challenging for the players of the opposite team to predict the direction of a ball in advance. As a result, the opposite team finds it difficult to pass the ball after a float serve is made.

So, the question is – how to make a good float serve? Obviously, you should try your best to keep your wrist firm before a float serve. Bear in mind that it’s best for a server to avoid touching the ball with fingers. That means that you should do everything you can to contact the ball with the palm of your hand. Another important thing that you need to be aware of is that you shouldn’t snap your wrist when contacting the ball during a float serve.

Jump Serve

Jump serve is another type of serve in volleyball. It’s fair to say that jump serve is not easy to make. Keep in mind that only highly experienced volleyball players can master this difficult serving technique. So, it will certainly take you some time to succeed in jump serve. It’s important to point out that the serve of this type is recommended to taller volleyball players and athletes with a high volleyball jump.

It’s important to note that this type of serve is all about taking advantage of an attack approach. In fact, jump serve is very similar to a back row attack. The job of a server is to toss the ball in the air, jump high and, of course, strike the ball. Plus, the ball should be stricken at the height of a jump.

A server can also try to benefit from an extra motion and this will allow him/her to hit the ball more forcefully. By doing this, a server will be able to make it harder for the opposite team to handle the serve. On the other hand, making an extra motion may also negatively affect your serve and result in some serving errors. When contacting the ball you should do everything you can to snap your wrist. By doing this, you’ll be able to achieve maximum spin and maximum torque. So, you are likely to make your jump serve more effective.

It’s crucial for you to know that the success of a jump serve largely depends on your forward arm motion. That means that you obviously need to work on the arm swing if you would like to have a good jump serve.

As previously mentioned, jump serve is not easy to master. However, if you learn how to make a good jump serve then you’ll be able to provide your team with a very important advantage. The reality is jump serve is not easy to handle for the opposite team. Remember, a player who can make a good jump serve is a good addition to any volleyball team.

If you would like to get the most out of the jump serve and get easy points for your team then you should definitely practise this serving technique regularly over a long period of time. In other words, mastering jump serve has to be a key part of your volleyball training program. When trying to master jump serve you also need to pay a close attention to such important three aspects as tossing the ball, jumping and hitting the ball in the air.

What are key differences between float and jump serves? Actually, it’s one of common questions volleyball coaches get from beginner serving players. We are here to help you find the correct answer to this interesting and important question. It’s important to know that you’ll need to hold the ball longer to make a float serve. However, you’ll obviously need to hold the ball less time while making a jump serve. As it was mentioned above, you need to toss the ball first. As a result, you’ll get some time to approach to the ball, jump and carry out a hit. That’s the biggest difference between two serving techniques.

Topspin Serve

A lot of serving players also choose to make a topspin serve. A topspin serve is best known for its quick speed. Obviously, it is very difficult for the opposite team to handle the serve especially if the ball is served at high speed. It’s important for you to know that a volleyball player has to take several steps to make the perfect topspin serve.

First of all, you need to toss the ball. While tossing your job is to add spin to the ball. You can do this easily by rolling your fingers toward yourself. Keep in mind that if you add spin to the ball then the ball is likely to cross the net and hit the floor. Remember, you should toss the ball with your dominant hand. The next step you need to take is to approach to the ball. After that, you have to bend your back. Now, it’s time to hit the ball. Do your best to contact the ball when it reaches the highest point. It’s best for you to contact the ball with the hand/wrist. As a result, the ball will go quickly in the direction of spin.

There are also volleyball players who choose to make so called standing “spin” serve. When making this type of serve a volleyball player doesn’t have to take off from the ground prior to contacting the ball. Actually, the server doesn’t change his/her position when the ball is served.

And of course, the big question is – what are the differences between float and topspin serves? We are happy to give you the answer right now! You need to know that float serve is flat. When this type of serve is made, no spin is added to the ball. The float serve is difficult to handle if it’s done right. When a serving player makes a spin serve the ball goes much faster. That means that such a ball can reach the target much quicker. So, it can be difficult for the opposite team to handle a topspin serve.

Thank you so much for reading our article. We have just described all the major types of serves in volleyball. As you can see, each type of serve has unique benefits. Obviously, you need to master float serve, jump serve as well as topspin serve if you would like to become a good server. If you learn all of these serves then you’ll have the perfect opportunity to experiment a lot with serving during the game. Practice a serving technique on a regular basis and finally it will become a powerful weapon for your volleyball team. Best of luck!