Volleyball Spike
A powerful attacking hit that drives the ball sharply downward over the net into the opponent's court, usually after an approach and jump.
Overview
The spike, or attack hit, is volleyball's main scoring shot. The attacker takes a timed approach, jumps and swings the arm to hit the ball downward over the net with pace and a steep angle.
Coordinating the approach steps with the set and swinging fast through the ball at the top of the jump are what make a spike effective.
How to do it
- 1Start behind the attack line and read the set.
- 2Take your approach steps, planting both feet to jump.
- 3Swing both arms up and drive off the ground.
- 4Swing your hitting arm fast to contact the ball high and in front.
- 5Snap your wrist over the ball to angle it down, then land in balance.
Key points
- Time the approach so you meet the ball at the top of your jump.
- Swing the arm fast and contact the ball above and in front of your hitting shoulder.
- Snap the wrist over the top of the ball to drive it downward.
Where it’s used
Sports that use volleyball spike:
How it connects
The meaning-bearing relationships that place Volleyball Spike in the wider knowledge graph — each one with the reason it exists.
Frequently learned together
Taught side by side in the same stage of a learning path.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Volleyball Spike to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Movement patterns
- 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.
- SquatA knee-dominant pattern: bending the hips, knees and ankles to lower and rise while keeping the torso upright — the foundation of lower-body strength.
- RotationRotating the trunk to generate and transfer power through the body's kinetic chain, plus anti-rotation — resisting unwanted twist to keep the trunk stable.
- LandingThe controlled absorption of force at ground contact that ends an airborne phase, dissipating impact through eccentric triple flexion of the ankle, knee and hip.
- 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.
Skills
- JumpingThe skill of leaping powerfully and with timing to reach or contest the ball in the air.
- SpikingThe volleyball skill of jumping and striking the ball forcefully down into the opponent’s court.
- BlockingThe skill of using the hands or body to stop or slow an opponent’s attack.
- SettingThe volleyball skill of accurately placing the ball for a teammate to attack.
Go deeper with Volleyball Spike
Everywhere else on the platform that covers Volleyball Spike — assembled from what actually references it, so nothing here is a dead end.
Learn it
Structured courses and paths on the platform that cover this directly.
Take it away
Open data and the whole-platform view of this subject.
How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Technique
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-09-12
Evergreen, first-party explanation — it makes no claim that needs an external source. How we handle sources and reviews.