Well to make your serves and spikes harder try a sturdy hand. Your hand could be loose so they dont go as hard. Also you could swing harder.

I say, take the ball and first try throwing it over the net like you would throw a soft ball (i say soft ball, cause it is heavier and bigger) to strengthen your arm and muscles.

Abby, hard hitting takes good technique. First make sure you are making proper contact with the ball. If you are hearing a slap that's the palm of your hand hitting the ball and dissipating energy. The ball should be struck with the heel of your hand with your wrist straight. As your heel makes contact snap your wrist so that the rest of your hand comes over top of the ball. You should hear a dull thud.

Next make sure the ball is out in front of you. The most common mistake I see in young players is to let the ball get straight over head before making contact. It should be about 12 to 18 inches in front of you. Stand with your toes 12 inches from a wall. Reach out and touch the wall as high as you can without leaning. That is where your hand should be when you make contact with the ball.

As with any athletic skill you need to practice over and over to get the technique not just right but right every time.

Hi Abby,
Find a flat wall and tape a 2' square on it about 18" off the ground. Stand back from the wall about 15' and practice hitting the ball into the square, much like pitchers and tennis players do. Start your armswing with your hitting elbow back and rotate it quickly forward as your hitting hand reaches high for the ball. Follow through with a wrist snap all the way down into your opposite pocket. Repeat about 50x daily.

I say for severs harder move your hips. And for spikes try to get a nice aproch

well for the serve first u kind of like just whack it to the ground with your palm then hold it straight out infront of u and also stand sideways so u can use all your strength to hit it and a good technique is to put your hitting hand flat on your head with the back of your hand on your head and time it perfectly then step forward and use your hips and the palm of your hand, never try to hard or u will just miss cuz that is what happens to me atleast.

Well 4 underhand tuck ur butt hit it hard and step 4 overhand get the throw correct and hit it hard.4 ur spikes think of ur footing if u r left handed right left right then jump, if u r right handed left right left jump and hit and get a nice jump and approach.

Bend your knees and push off as hard as you can that will give you more momentum!!!:)

i had the same question.. so i asked my coach and he told me that if you use ur hips more with the overhand approach then it works better.. u also need to make sure you have ur toss right... to practice that have (if ur right handed then ur right, left handed then left) out in front of you for ur stance then throw up the ball and step as if ur following through. if the ball lands right above your toe (of the foot you stepped with) then that is a good toss if not practice it.. but dont lean or through it to far in front.

to practice when to hit the ball on an over hand serve go up to a flat wall and throw the ball up the step and hit it at the top of your reach without leaning.. practice that and make sure its at the top of your reach every time.

to practice aiming for ur over hand serve point the hand that is holding the ball toward the side of the court you want to hit.... then focus on hitting the back line (out of bounce line) for the volleyball court. you dont have to hit the back (because i rarely do) but if it is in the area you were going for then you have succeded what ur were trying to accomplish. that exercise will also help you with your hitting because u have to build your strength to get the ball where you want it...

to warm up try the bump set spike drill. get with your partner and one of you bump the ball to the other, the next one sets it to the partner then the person who gets the ball set to them spikes it to her/his partner. it helps alot.. imagine as if its a real game situation so you do your best. remember what u do in practice is what u will do in a game.

also dont forget to warm up your arms.. and to strengthen your fingers try getting in a push up position and getting on your fingertips.. dont push yourself just build up your time that you do that every other day.. dont do it before a game for the risk of jamming or breaking a finger (that is why u shouldnt push yourself but it does help. just know your limit.) however if your coach recogmends you not to do this then listen... it just helped me last year...

good luck!

you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

dont let anyone look down on you because ur young, but set an example for the believers in truth, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

PRACTICE

i'm a volleyball player myself. make sure you speed up your swing and follow through on your serves and spikes. keep practicing.

Make sure you snap your rist and follow through the whole way. Not half. I had this problem myselff... pretend your throwing a baseball or swinging a tennis racket. good luck!(: