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Post by vb on Nov 10, 2004 10:46:36 GMT -5
Help me on this one. Blocking needs to be rethought.
After seeing blocking #s go down the last few years, I am wondering why coaches still teach "hands across the net."
Draw a line between the offensive hit point and the 10ft line, then plot the defensive block with both hands straight up/hands across net. The block height is decreased 6-8 inches by using "hands across the net."
Unless the blocker has significant more vertical than the hitter...it would seem that going straight up is more effective.
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Post by VBbeast on Nov 10, 2004 11:09:55 GMT -5
You are correct in saying the block is not as high when it penetrates. Assuming volleyball coachs aren't total idiots they recognize that fact and yet continue to teach the importance of penetrating on the block. So they must have a reason for doing so. Assuming the ball is not set tight to the net blocking is a percentage game. You want to take away the area that the hitter hits into the highest percentage of the time. A decent college block touch is probably somewhere in the 10' 6" and above range. Now ask yourself how high the ball is above the net when it crosses the net. The answer to that is 8'4" - 10' about 80% of the time. So it goes to reason you want your blockers hands in that same range. Based on that who cares about the lost 6-8 inches. Part B is you cut off more of an attackers hitting angles by reaching over than by reaching higher. Keep American volleyball beautiful. Penetrate when you block.  |
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Post by Mr. Pink on Nov 10, 2004 11:51:49 GMT -5
I agree with that Beast. There are few hitters in the college game, or maybe in the world that can hit over and down into the middle of the court. Plus, if you have a solid established block, you make the hitters hit the ball to the defense. Even if they hit over the top. I think the best block is one that gives a freeball to the defense so that they can run an offense. Plus, reaching across like vbBeast said cuts off angles and makes it harder for the hitter to hit through or around.
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Post by vballguy2001 on Nov 10, 2004 12:49:58 GMT -5
I have to agree with Defender. The purpose of the block is not to just block balls. A good block does a lot of things.
1. Make hitter hit balls out of bounds
2. Make hitters hit balls to the defenders.
3 Stuff the ball on the opponents side.
It is hard to say that a block is effective basing your opinion on total number of blocks.
Reach over.
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hud
Freshman
Posts: 87
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Post by hud on Nov 10, 2004 13:01:02 GMT -5
Getting your hand over the net also help create the right angle for the ball to be blocked back into the oppositions court. Also most of the balls that are put away are hit at sharp angles. Those attacks are usually the ones coaches want to take away. A ball that is hit over the block is then the responability of the floor defense.
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Post by vballmom on Nov 10, 2004 15:33:37 GMT -5
Another problem with going straight up is that the ball will "waterfall" down the blocker and land on his side of the net. At college practices I've seen, they put an elastic band from antennae to antennae to force the blockers not to jump too high.
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Post by lalalaluuuke on Nov 10, 2004 17:24:55 GMT -5
Unless the blocker has significant more vertical than the hitter...it would seem that going straight up is more effective. Are you a libero or a spectator? Just curious. One thing that is very effective in blocking is reaching out to the ball. The sooner you block the ball after it is hit the more you can dictate where the ball will go upon being blocked. Hence the tool. Have you heard the expression "go for the high hands?" This is the "tool." Costas was one of the best at this. He could identify the hands that were vertical and hit off of them. They weren't always vertical, but if they were he could find them. When jumping up for a block, if you have an object to reach for such as the ball, you know how far you have to jump and the brain tells your body this is where it needs to get to, and you are able to jump to that object instead of just jumping up to get in the path of where the ball may go. This is what I have learned from my own experience as a MB. If anyone else has anything to add to this please do. |
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Post by IdahoBoy on Nov 10, 2004 18:30:37 GMT -5
If you block "straight up" then with the power that most hitters can generate, you're likely to block the ball back out of the back of the court. This is also an easier ball to "cover" as it takes longer to find the court than a straight down block would have been if the blocker "presses."
If you block "straight up" then with the height an attacker gets combined with the snap can put the ball between your armpits and the nets and dribbling down your body for a point.
If you "press over" it eliminates both as the ball will be forced to go down, rather than WAAAAY back and makes it much more difficult for an attacker to put it between your armpits and the net.
Lastly, if you "press over" you close the space between your hitter's attack and your block giving them a smaller angle to hit the ball with and less area to be effective as an attacker.
But, what do I know?
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