Volleyball Approach: 3 Mistakes That Stop You From Hitting Like a Pro

Do you want to attack like the best players in the world? Then you need a professional-level approach.

Most players make small but costly mistakes that stop them from jumping higher and hitting harder. I played at 3 World Championships, and I have never seen a pro player making approach mistakes. Yet in everyday volleyball, I see the same errors over and over again.

Here are the 3 most common mistakes that hold players back—and how to fix them so you can attack like a pro.

Heel-to-Toe Step (Penultimate Step)

One of the biggest mistakes players make is stomping the right foot into the ground.
❌ Stomping kills momentum, wastes energy, and ruins your jump.
❌ Pointing the right foot toward the sideline twists your body and locks you into attacking only down the line.
❌ And the worst mistake? Right foot ending up in front of the left at takeoff. Almost no pro does this—it will block your long-term progress.

✅ The fix: Plant your right foot heel to toe, toes angled into the long diagonal of the court. This transfers your run-up speed into vertical power and keeps your motion smooth for a pro-level jump.

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The Arm Swing – “The Load”

Your arm load sets up both your vertical and your spike power.

❌ Mistake 1: Crossing your arms in front of your body. No top player does this—it kills rhythm.
❌ Mistake 2: Bent arms and stiff wrists. If you load bent, you’ll spike bent—and bent arms = weak hits.
❌ Mistake 3: Swinging arms up first, then back. It slows you down and adds unnecessary movement.
❌ And please—don’t rotate your arms backward like an “athletic ABC.” That’s not an approach—it’s a guarantee you’ll never hit like a pro.

✅ Instead: Elite players keep their arms loose, long, and dynamic. Their wrists are relaxed, their swing is big, fast, and smooth. Train this full-range, powerful load, and you’ll instantly feel the difference in your hitting.

 The Long Penultimate Step

The last big detail is the long penultimate step.

❌ Many players ruin their rhythm with short, choppy steps before takeoff. That kills timing and makes it impossible to connect well with the set.

✅ The fix: Commit to one explosive, long penultimate step with your right foot landing heel-to-toe. This creates rhythm, speed, and power.

???? Try this drill: Place a low step box or object on the floor. Plant your left foot before it, then make a long penultimate step with your right foot over the object. This trains your body for a true pro-level approach.

???? If you fix just these three details—
✔ Heel-to-toe step
✔ Relaxed, dynamic arm load
✔ Long penultimate step

—you’ll already be ahead of 90% of players. The approach is the foundation of every great spike. Master it, and you’ll jump higher, hit harder, and look like a pro.

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