OUR FAVORITE BEACH VOLLEYBALL DRILLS 

Here are some volleyball drills that you can do with or without a partner anytime, anywhere.

These 19 drills are a few of our favorites but you can also download our FREE Online Drill Book with 36 of our BEST drills to round out your practices and keep you getting better. 

Grab Your FREE Drill Book with 36 of our BEST Drills Today!

Solo Volleyball Drill 1 - Pass, Tomahawk, Pass

This is a great solo drill to help with your ball control as well as incorporating different passing techniques.  Try to complete as many as you can in a row.  Keep track of your completion number and try to beat it the next time!  Still confused on how to Tomahawk Pass?

Watch as Mark explains how to do this below:

Solo Volleyball Drill 2 - Pass, Pokey, Pass

Get those knuckles strong and ready to make some incredible passes.  How many do you think you can get in a row?  When should you use a pokey? How to you perform a pokey perfectly?

Brandon explains how you should use a pokey and what situations call for them in Beach Volleyball Tips | When and How to Use the Pokey. 

Solo Volleyball Drill 3 - Serve and High Line Chase Down

In this drill, you will complete a serve to the other side of the net and then chase down the "imaginary" high line shot.  This is a great drill to boost your endurance and speed for chasing down those tricky shots that come back over after the serve.  If you are struggling with serving power or accuracy, our Serving Master Class in our Complete Player Program will give you the best competitive edge.

Check out this lesson from that course:

Solo Volleyball Drill 4 - Pass, Set, Hit into the Net (Self Pepper)

Using your platform pass the volleyball to yourself, then hand set for you to follow through with a hit into the net.  Dig the hit out of the net and repeat this drill. 

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Solo Volleyball Drill 5 - High Line and Cut Shot Accuracy

We all know that perfecting the high line and cut shots is crucial to any game.  You can find a great resource on how to better those shots in our previous blog, Volleyball Tips - Secrets to Hitting Better Cut Shots and High Lines in Beach Volleyball. 

Solo Volleyball Drill 6 - High Line and Cut Shot Accuracy (using Vision)

You have practiced placing those high line and cut shots but this drill starts to incorporate using vision to help give you the edge over the defense.  You can carve out squares in the sand, for the intended shots on the receiving court side, and then try to land 10 balls in each square.  How many did you get?

Solo Volleyball Drill 7 - Pass, Set, Over Line Shuffle

Starting at the back of one of the side lines on the court, pass the volleyball to yourself and hand set while shuffling over the line in between the set and pass.  Continue moving forward towards the net while doing this drill.  Challenge yourself and go backwards once you've reached the net.    

Grab Your FREE Drill Book with 36 of our BEST Drills Today!

Solo Volleyball Drill 8 - Setting Footwork (Hand and Bump)

Setting is a pivotal part of the beach volleyball game.  This video will help you get your sets to a higher level and really walk you through how to set properly.  

Solo Volleyball Drill 9 - High Ball Control

Do you ever get nervous when a free ball comes over the net and it is super high in the air? Do you start to panic and create more chaos in movement than is really necessary? This drill is great to help bring that control back.  Pass a ball high into the air to mimic this scenario, and try to receive the ball with one arm, with your platform, with your non-dominant arm, or if you like to show off, with your chest or head.  Let us know how much better your ball control gets after doing these. Still want to get more coaching on ball control?

Watch this video as Brandon walks you through how to perform at your highest level in Beach Volleyball Drills for Better Ball Control:

Solo Volleyball Drill 10 - Bounce and Chase

Do you get beat on defense and find yourself chasing down the ball just to miss it by a split second? Use this drill and find yourself getting those digs at every game.  After passing the volleyball into the air, let the ball bounce and then chase it down and perform a dig or emergency touch depending on how the ball bounces. 

Check out these

3 SECRETS for Defense if You're Struggling to Make Great Digs on the Move:

Solo Volleyball Drill 11 - Wall Setting

If you have ever played volleyball indoors or even outdoors, you probably have seen someone hand setting the volleyball on a wall.  This is a great way to pass time while watching your favorite TV series or while binge watching all the Better At Beach blogs and videos.  Challenge yourself by doing 100 hand sets a day against the wall with both hands and then another 50 with one hand, each side.  

Solo Volleyball Drill 12 - Self Toss - Four Step Approach and Attack

Time to practice the Four Step Approach that will lead to those SICK SPIKES! Grab a volleyball to start and then take your first step of your approach.  On your second step toss the ball into the air while finishing with your step close and follow through with a high contact attack on the ball.  Need a quick refresher on the Four Step Approach? Watch this video as Brandon gives you all the details. 

Solo Volleyball Drill 13 - Shuffle, Block, Penetrate

Time to get those BIG BLOCKS in! Blocking can be a game changer.  Get these drills in by taking a volleyball in your hands, begin with a lateral shuffle step, exploding at the net in your blocking stance and dunk the ball on the other side of the net.  Repeat all the way down the length of the net and back.  Want to be a better Blocker?

Dive into this video for all the information to help you be the best! 

Solo Volleyball Drill 14 - Self Toss to Short Pass

Getting beat on defense with those cut shots or shorties right over the net? This drill is similar to the Bounce and Chase Drill above but is working on getting you to the right place for digging those short passes. 

Master these short passes as Mark walks you through exactly how to do that in SECRETS to Passing the Short & Deep Serve (and what NOT to do!):

Solo Volleyball Drill 15 - One-Arm Ball Control with Plank

How low can you go? Get into your plank position for this drill and use one arm extended out in front of you as you use small movements to pass the ball to yourself with one arm. How many can you get in a row?  Train BOTH SIDES!!! 

Solo Volleyball Drill 16 - Hand Set to Toe Touch

Everyone loves a great setting drill.  This one takes a different approach and has you starting out on your back and keeping your core engaged.  Knocking out those ab exercises all in one, too.  After you hand set the ball into the air, pike up (get those shoulders off the ground) and touch your toes and then recieve the ball and repeat. 

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Solo Volleyball Drill 17 - Hand Set Alternating Around Each Leg

This is Mark's favorite take on the drill above. Can you alternate your sets around each leg? How about behind both legs as you lie there in an engaged dead bug position? Give us your favorite title for this Drill.  Who knows, we may choose your suggestion!

Solo Volleyball Drill 18 - Hand Set, Bounce, Hand Set

This drill is great for those that cannot make it to the beach or court.  You can do this drill on the street or sidewalk in your neighborhood.  As the drill name indicates, you will hand set the volleyball into the air, let it bounce in front of you on the sidewalk/street, and then get under the ball and hand set again.  Keep this drill going in a continuous loop.  How long do you predict you can go before stopping?

Solo Volleyball Drill 19 - Pepper with Wall

We all run into the situation where we do not have someone to pepper with but still need to get those touches in.  This drill is perfect for those moments.  Find a study wall, preferably outside (weather and safety permitting) and bump, set, spike into the wall.  See how long you can keep this drill going. 

Come back and let us know what is your favorite drill.

Can't choose just one?

We understand!

Grab Your FREE Drill Book with 36 of our BEST Drills Today!