Volleyball
Indoor volleyball drills to boost your game
Level up your indoor volleyball skills with these dynamic drills! From passing to blocking, master every aspect of the game, and get on the court with confidence.
Volleyball takes strategy, precision, and teamwork. To master the game, players of all skill levels — even volleyball star Eduarda Santos Lisboa — must continually refine their abilities.
Duda Lisboa in action in Sochi in 2021
© FIVB
“These achievements only made me want to dedicate myself even more to each training session and each game,” she says.
This mindset fuels top performers, inspiring players of all levels to incorporate training into their routines. Whether you’re a beginner learning basic volleyball drills or a seasoned player striving for mastery, this guide helps walk you through some of the best indoor volleyball drills.
01
Warm-up drills
Dynamic stretching
Warming up with dynamic stretches is about movement, not holding positions. Arm circles, leg swings, and walking lunges boost your heart rate and activate key muscle groups that support volleyball’s quick bursts of action. With increased flexibility and range of motion, you'll react faster on the court.
Light passing exercises
Passing with a partner is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to prepare for a game mentally and physically. Passing drills for volleyball strengthens hand-eye coordination, challenges your reaction time, improves lateral movements, and sharpens focus. Stand a few feet apart and use your forearms to pass the ball back and forth. Maintain a steady rhythm and stay light on your feet.
If your volley passing partner isn’t around, you can try this workout with yourself. This easy volleyball drill involves tossing the ball above you, with the goal of never letting it hit the ground. Focus on staying still as you work on gaining control over the ball. As you get more comfortable and confident, you can start repositioning your feet to get used to the rhythm of movement.
02
Passing drills
Madisen Skinner
© Red Bull
Triangle passing drill
This drill involves three players forming a triangle. One player acts as the passer while the other two players move to keep the ball in play. The goal is to pass the ball with precision while maintaining constant movement and communication with the other “corners” of the triangle. This drill enhances court awareness, posture, and footwork while sharpening passing accuracy and building team chemistry.
How to perform a basic triangle passing drill:
- Decide who will initiate the toss, who will pass, and who will be the target. Set up in a triangle formation. If there is a net, the server goes to one side and the other two players go to the other side.
- The server tosses (or serves) the ball to the passer, who then feeds the ball to the third player.
- Continue to repeat the pass while focusing on footwork and proper hand placement.
- Switch positions after several reps, usually 10 to 20.
Wall passing drill
When teammates aren’t around, a wall is your best substitute. The wall forces you to adjust quickly as the ball unpredictably bounces off. This helps you master consistency and improve your passing form.
How to perform a wall passing drill:
- Face the wall directly. Stand a few feet away from the wall and pass the ball against it, using the forearms to maintain control. Increase the pace as the drill progresses.
- Aim to do three sets of 25. For a greater challenge, increase the number of repetitions in a set.
- Variations of this drill involve moving farther from the wall, standing diagonally from the wall, or taping the wall to aim for a certain spot.
03
Setting drills
Partner setting
Partner setting drills focus on improving hand positioning, ball trajectory, and speed. These skills are essential for delivering clean sets.
How to perform a partner setting drill:
- Grab a partner and stand face to face roughly 10 feet apart.
- The first player overhand passes the ball above their head, then continue forward passing with their partner.
- The second player then sets the ball above their head through an overhand pass before returning the ball.
- Increase the distance as both players gain confidence. Ensure proper hand positioning — fingers spread above the head with thumbs angled back — for the duration of the drill.
Back setting drill
Back-setting mimics game-time situations where you need to send the ball to a hitter behind you. This drill has three distinct stages: catching the ball, moving the ball, and releasing it to the player behind you. Back setting drills develop timing, spatial awareness, and precision.
How to perform a back setting drill:
- Three people are needed for this drill. Stand with one person in front and one person behind.
- Stand with hips squared off and hands above the head with palms facing directly up and forward.
- The player in the front sets the ball.
- Catch the ball overhead, then toss it behind to the third person in the back.
- The person in the back then tosses the ball back to the person in the front.
- Continue practicing, rotating positions along the way.
04
Hitting drills
Olivia Babcock
© Harrison Barden / Red Bull Content Pool
Approach and hit drill
This drill, also called “approach and spike,” focuses on perfecting effective ways to reach the ball while it’s in play. Players only get three steps before spiking in a game, so this helps players master the strategy, speed, timing, footwork, and power required for effective hits. Practice repeatedly and consistently to make every approach smooth, consistent, and powerful.
How to perform the approach and hit drill:
- The coach or a designated player stands on one side of the net. Practicing players line up on the other side of the net.
- The server sends the ball up. Each player is allowed to take three steps forward to approach the ball — no more, no less. The first step should be big, the second is smaller, and the third pushes the player off the ground.
- With weight on the front foot, take the three steps, then jump and spike.
Wall drill for hitting
This solo drill is all about repetition. Toss the ball, approach it, and spike it against the wall. Since the ball comes back quickly, you’ll be forced to adjust and react fast. It’s an effective volleyball training exercise for improving ball contact, reaction time, and raw power.
How to perform the wall drill:
- Stand about 10 feet from the wall to start.
- Toss the ball up in the air, engaging your wrists properly all the while.
- Hit the volleyball toward the wall as it comes back down.
- Catch the ball and repeat.
05
Serving drills
Bergen Reilly
© Charlotte Gottfried / Red Bull Content Pool
Target serving
Mastering this drill, also called a target aim drill, makes you a more unpredictable server by forcing your opponents into difficult receive positions.
How to perform a target serving drill:
- Place a ball cart nearby for easy grabbing and serving.
- Set up markers or targets on different areas. Use cones to create zones on the court.
- Stand at the service line and serve the ball, aiming for the targets.
- Collect the ball and run to the back of the line to await another turn.
- Increase the challenge by aiming for smaller or more difficult-to-reach areas.
Serve and sprint
This drill combines serving with cardio. It’s designed to boost endurance and sharpen your awareness, so you’re always ready for quick transitions. It’s a great way to build speed, stamina, and focus.
How to perform a serve and sprint:
- Start at the service line and serve the ball.
- If the ball is served successfully, sprint as fast as possible to retrieve the ball and go to the back of the line to await another turn. If the ball is not served successfully, sprint to retrieve the ball and try again until the ball is served successfully.
- Return to the service line and repeat 10 times.
- Serve and sprint drills may be conducted with two teams. The first team in which everyone successfully serves the ball wins.
06
Blocking drills
Hande Baladin
© Nuri Yılmazer / Red Bull Content Pool
Solo blocking drill
This drill hones your blocking technique and reaction speed. Work on jumping vertically, extending your arms, quick footwork, and correct hand positioning to form a solid and successful block.
How to perform a solo blocking drill:
- Stand close to the net.
- Shuffle from side to side to prepare for the ball in different spots.
- Focus on hand position, ensuring fingers are spread wide and held firm.
- With hands above the head, dunk the ball over the net while shuffling.
- If practicing in a group, add drills to coordinate spacing and timing along the net.
- Gradually increase speed and power.
Block and cover drill
This drill combines blocking with defensive readiness. It simulates real-game situations, requiring you to stay alert, agile, and ready to react.
How to perform a block and cover drill:
- Position in front of the net as if preparing to block.
- Have a teammate hit a ball, simulating an opponent’s attack.
- Jump to block the attack.
- After the block, quickly transition to defensive coverage, moving to a pre-assigned spot on the court.
- Do this for 2 to 3 minutes, then add a new goal to reach, or perform the drill for 10 minutes with each line-up.
07
Defensive drills
Digging drill
Your goal during this drill is to dig each ball using low, stable body positioning. This drill enhances reaction time, improves digging consistency, and builds confidence against hard hits.
How to perform a digging drill:
- Have a partner or coach hit balls from across the net and different angles.
- Use proper defensive posture, with a low, weight-forward stance, to prepare for the dig.
- React to each ball quickly, aiming to control it with a clean pass.
- Step out and reach for the ball while staying very low to the ground. In this position, one leg stays bent and the other extends to the side.
- Once contact is made with the ball, roll over the shoulder and into a standing position.
- Vary the speed and angle of hits for an extra reflex challenge.
Rolling drill
After making a diving dig, players need to roll back into position. The rolling drill teaches you how to fall and roll properly to prevent injuries. This drill trains defensive recovery, ensuring you’re ready for the next play.
How to perform a rolling drill:
- Start in a low defensive stance, with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Have a coach or teammate hit a ball in a way that requires diving or a side sprawl to save it.
- After making the save, keep the knees bent while getting ready to roll.
- Practice a forward roll or side roll to return to a ready position.
- Repeat this process from different angles.
08
Team drills
6-on-6 scrimmage
This is the ultimate team volleyball workout drill. Scrimmages simulate real matches, helping teams improve communication, positioning, and strategy as if it’s a real match. During a scrimmage, coaches can stop play to correct positioning or tactics, making it a dynamic learning experience within a game-like setting.
How to perform a 6-on-6 scrimmage:
- Divide the team into two squads of six.
- Play a normal volleyball match with full rotation and substitutions.
- Pause plays to provide feedback or run situational drills where specific plays are repeated.
- Focus on communication, teamwork, and executing offensive and defensive strategies during a 6-on-6 scrimmage drill.
Serve receive rotation
Players rotate positions as they practice receiving serves and work on handling serves from multiple angles and formations. Serve receive rotation is crucial for organizing your team's formation and ensuring a smooth transition from serve-receive to attack. Each system (4-2, 6-2, 5-1, and 5-2) has unique roles, responsibilities, and player positioning.
- 4-2: Beginner or youth teams typically choose 4-2 offensive setups due to their simplicity. In this system, four hitters and two setters are on the court at all times, with hitters in the back and setters in the front. The back-row players pass the serve and move forward to support the attack.
- 6-2: This offensive system uses six hitters and two back-row setters. The setters only set while they are in the back row, and become hitters once they rotate to the front row.
- 5-1: This system is one of the most common formations in competitive volleyball. It uses one full-time setter and five hitters. The setter stays in the setter role the entire match, regardless of their position on the court.
- 5-2: This hybrid of the 5-1 and 6-2 systems has two setters who each set from the front row. While similar to a 4-2, it involves a more flexible lineup.
09
Cool-down
Hande Baladin is seen during her training session
© Leo Rosas / Red Bull Content Pool
Static stretching
After intense training, static stretching helps muscles recover and stay flexible. Stretch your quads, hamstrings, calves, shoulders, and back. Hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds at minimum. A cross-body shoulder stretch, butterfly stretch, wall calf stretch, and standing hamstring stretch are excellent options to include in your rotation.
Breathing and relaxation exercises
Box breathing, also called the 4x4 method, initiates the parasympathetic nervous system to help calm your mind. This helps you transition from intense volleyball training to simple day-to-day activities. Inhale, hold your breath, exhale, and hold before inhaling, for four seconds at each stage. This essential technique promotes relaxation, lowers heart rate, and helps you mentally transition out of training mode.
Build skills that win games
Drills aren’t just practice; they’re the building blocks of success. From passing and blocking to serving and setting, indoor volleyball drills at home boost every aspect of your game.
It doesn’t matter if you’re first learning the volleyball rules or you play in a league. The best players know their skills improve with repetition and focus. Many of them can even be done as volleyball drills at home, giving you the flexibility to train solo. Grab a ball, find a wall or a partner, and start practicing — the court is calling.