Spiking
The volleyball skill of jumping and striking the ball forcefully down into the opponent’s court.
Overview
Spiking, also called attacking or hitting, is the offensive skill in volleyball where a player jumps and strikes the ball sharply downward over the net. It is the most common way to win a point directly.
A good spike combines a timed approach, a strong jump and a clean arm swing so the ball is hit at the top of the reach and angled down past the defence.
Key points
- The spike is usually the third contact, following a dig and a set.
- Timing the approach to the setter’s ball is what makes the hit clean.
- Contacting the ball at the top of the jump maximises the downward angle.
- Aiming into gaps or off the block is often smarter than hitting straight at a defender.
- A well-executed spike is one of the quickest ways to end a rally.
Where it’s used
Sports that use spiking:
How it connects
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Progresses to
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Frequently learned together
Taught side by side in the same stage of a learning path.
- ServingBoth are taught in the “Learn the core skills” stage of the Volleyball learning path.
- JumpingBoth are taught in the “Learn the core skills” stage of the Volleyball learning path.
- DiggingBoth are taught in the “Learn the core skills” stage of the Volleyball learning path.
- SettingBoth are taught in the “Learn the core skills” stage of the Volleyball learning path.
- BlockingBoth are taught in the “Learn the core skills” stage of the Volleyball learning path.
Part of
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Skills Academy
- Coordination & timing skillsSkills that depend on doing the right thing at the right instant — jumping, spiking, heading and rebounding.
- Object-control skillsHandling a ball or implement — controlling, receiving, passing and moving it with intent.
- Endurance-sport skillsThe skills of going the distance — pacing, breathing and efficient technique in running, cycling and swimming.
- Team-play skillsThe skills that make a team work — combining, covering and communicating through the ball.
- Ball-sport skillsThe skills that recur across ball games — control, passing, dribbling, shooting and defending.
Movement patterns
- StrikeA ballistic, whole-body hitting action that channels ground-generated force through a proximal-to-distal kinetic chain to deliver momentum to a target via the hand, an implement or a body part at the moment of contact.
- ThrowPropelling an object by releasing it from the hand, driven by a proximal-to-distal kinetic-chain sequence that summates speed from the legs through the trunk and arm to the release point.
- JumpThe plyometric pattern of projecting the body off the ground through explosive triple extension and controlling the landing — the core expression of lower-body power.
Techniques
- Volleyball SpikeA powerful attacking hit that drives the ball sharply downward over the net into the opponent's court, usually after an approach and jump.
- Badminton SmashA powerful, steeply downward overhead stroke that drives the shuttlecock sharply into the opponent's court to win the rally.
- HeaderA technique for controlling or striking the ball with the forehead in football, used to pass, shoot or clear the ball in the air.
- Badminton ClearAn overhead stroke that sends the shuttlecock high and deep to the opponent's back court, resetting the rally or buying time.
- Volleyball DigA defensive contact that keeps a hard-driven ball in play by passing it up off the forearms, usually from a low position.
Positions
- Outside hitterThe outside hitter attacks from the left side of the net and is often a volleyball team’s main scoring option.
- Middle blockerThe middle blocker plays in the centre of the net, leading the team’s blocking and attacking with fast, quick sets.
- OppositeThe opposite is a volleyball attacker who plays on the right side of the net, opposite the setter in the rotation, and is often a key scorer.
- Wing attackThe wing attack is a netball playmaker who feeds the ball into the shooting circle, moving through the centre and attacking thirds but not entering the goal circle.
- HookerThe hooker is a front-row forward in rugby who wins the ball in the scrum and typically throws the ball into the line-out.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Skill
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-07-09
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