A chip off the old block. (spiking around or 'wiping' off blocks in volleyball)

How to teach everyone to hit around the block or to "wipe" off it

The block is volleyball's most feared defensive weapon and requires a lot of intelligent planning to attack and defeat.

Everyone worries about the block, and not without cause. The block denies the hitters an area of the court and forces them to improvise. And so the coach's first job is to assure the attackers that there are ways to avoid being stuffed and that they actually can use the block to their advantage.

The two things that have to be learned is how to hit around the block and how to "wipe" off the block. We initiate the teaching process by putting the attacker up on a bench that will enable her to stand at the approximate height of her spike jump. [ILLUSTRATION FOR PHOTO OMITTED].

By eliminating the actual jump phrase, we enable the player to concentrate on body position while in the air.

We want the player to lift both arms rather than just one (the hitting arm) - a very common error that can cause the player to go up off-balance and eliminate the use of an arm in salvaging a misjudged set.

The actual arm action involves the extension of the arm, the use of topspin, and the follow through.