Volleyball Tips - Secrets to Hitting Better Cut Shots and High Lines in Beach Volleyball
Shot Placements in Beach Volleyball -
How to Hit Better Cut Shots and High Lines
Are you wanting the secrets to placing the perfect cut shots and high lines when you are playing beach volleyball? Do your defenders keep reading your position when you attack the ball? Are you finding yourself just a little frustrated and wanting to make some changes to improve your attacking in volleyball?
Look no further! Here are some tips on how to hit those volleyball cut shots and high lines with ease and leave your defenders stunned in the sand.
We will cover :
- Proper Form
- Approach
- Speed of Contact
- Hand Placement
- Troubleshooting
- Practice Drills
What is the proper form and approach?
Possessing the proper form and approach when trying to execute cut shots and high lines in beach volleyball is essential. Knowing hand placements, body positioning, and speed will help elevate your game to a higher level.
When setting up to complete a cut shot or high line in volleyball, it is ideal to finish with hands high and not try to bring the ball down at all. Keep the shoulders facing into that hard angle so that you are able to hold our defender and then shoot high out of that. You want to trick the defender into thinking that you are going to swing hard. Your approach should look the same whether you shoot or swing.
Let’s review the approach in attacking volleyball cut shots and high lines. You want to make sure that you are taking a slow first step that leads into a slightly faster, larger second step and then really getting a nice aggressive last two steps while reaching into the bow-and-arrow hitting position. Making sure to be aware if you drop your elbow during these shot placements. If the defender sees that, it helps them be more relaxed and know what shot you are about to place. You want to make sure that when you are swinging, you are selling the whole thing.
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The top takeaways are to really focus on facing the angle and finishing with your hand high. When going for a volleyball cut shot or high line, you do not need to bring your hand down through the ball. You need to have an arc in the ball’s trajectory because you need the ball to go over a blocker, that is standing at the net, or, if the blocker peels, have enough arc to go over the blocker and into the deep corner. A super flat shot would be easier for the blocker to get an adequate touch or pass on the ball.
Watch as Logan gives a great demonstration about how to do just this!
Speed of Contact and Hand Placement
In women’s beach volleyball and men’s beach volleyball, you will notice different hand placements as well as varying speeds of contact when attacking the ball. If you are going to hit a high line in beach volleyball, you should make contact under the ball and then finish with your hand high in a snapping motion. The speed of your swing should be the same as if you were going to be swinging through the ball. You do not want to start fast and then slow down your arm. It is common when trying to place cut shots and high lines, in beach volleyball, to approach early and then slow down your swing. This can cause missed contacts.
So, REMEMBER, don’t slow down your arm or approach just because you're shooting the ball.
What about the infamous volleyball cut shot? It is the same setup as the high line described above. If you are hitting a cut shot in beach volleyball, your shoulders should stay facing the hard angle, reach high, and finish fast through the ball with your hand high.
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Troubleshooting
Why are they able to dig every hit I send over the volleyball net?
One issue that can arise when trying to shoot a shot is trying to be overly deceptive. If trying to hit a volleyball cut shot, there is no need to try and fake your defender into thinking that you are swinging down the line and then over rotate your body to the angle when finishing. You want to just try and hold your defender in the angle and then use the option to snap a cut shot or shoot a high line.
It should NEVER feel like you are pushing away from your body or outside your shoulder line.
Finish With Hand High
Bow and Arrow Positioning
Drills to Practice Volleyball Cut Shots and High Lines
Drill #1: Beach Volleyball High Line Shots (3+ People)
You will need a tosser/catcher, passer/attacker, and a setter.
The tosser will toss the ball over the net to the passer who will then pass the ball to the setter. The setter will set the ball and the attacker will hit a high line shot. You can repeat this drill for cut shot placements as well.
Drill #2 : Beach Volleyball High Line/Cut Shot Challenge
Make some boxes in the sand in each corner of the receiving side of the volleyball court. You will have two lines of passer/attackers and one permanent setter on the opposite side of the beach volleyball court.. Your tosser will alternate the ball to each passer/attacker. The passer/attacker will then try to place a cut shot or high line into one of the boxes that were made in the sand. The first person to get to the decided point total by landing their chosen shot, wins!
Click this link for a full explanation on this drill
Take the Beach Volleyball High Line Challenge!!
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