Digging

Arm Digging

Move into position as talked about in Libero section.

1)  Read Blocker's positions and Hitter's body angles to refine positioning.    

2)  Have arms in ready position.  Out in front of body--waist high--hands apart and palms facing each other.

3)  Before ball comes your direction, have torso turned at an angle which points between the hitter and the target.

4)  Just as the ball is being contacted by the hitter, take two quick baby steps forward for maximum area coverage.  Helps get your body going forward to get short balls.

Using both arms for platform (linear)   

1)  Make fist with dominate hand and wrap other hand around it with thumbs on top pointing toward floor and inner elbows pointing up.

2)  Extend arms(platform) out with good tension toward target. Feet --shoulder width, knees bent.

3)  As ball hits platform, the platform should move back toward floor to give soft ricochet as needed. 

4)  Watch ball all the way in to arms.  Soften platform for harder spikes and shrug shoulders for slower spikes to become more consistent in dig passing to setter.

Using both arms for platform (non-linear)

1) Same

2) Same

3)  As you see the ball coming at a high velocity to the side of your body, twist torso toward ball side, extending arms to the ball side.

4)  While leaning forward, lower inside shoulder to decrease height of low arm creating the proper angle needed.

5)  As ball hits platform, the platform should move back(give) to have soft ricochet effect.

6)  Bend one knee to the ground for better angles and watch ball into arms.

Using single arm in non-linear dig

1) Same

2) Same

3) As you see the ball coming at a high velocity further from the side of your body, extend arm on ball side out while making fist with digging hand.  

4) Turn back of hand toward angle needed allowing ball to on back side of arm from hand to back of upper forearm.

5) Increase tension in Deltoid(shoulder muscle) for resistance measures. Also Tricep.

6) Don't swing at the ball, but give good resistance with extended arm.

7) Increase consistency by practicing different angles with back of fisted hand.

Hand Digging

Start out with body and hands in positions indicated in Arm passing section.

Move into position as talked about in Libero Section.

1) Read Blocker's positions and hitter's body angles to refine position.

2) Have arms in ready position.  Out in front of body--waist high--hands apart--palms facing each other.

3) Before ball comes in your direction, have torso turned at an angle which points between the hitter and the target.

And then:

Be able to put hands in 4 different Levels of defense.  

Be in position and closer to hitter as described in Libero section

Once in position, have knees bent, leaning forward, with feet shoulder width apart.

Hand digging involves using the palms of your hands to dig the ball instead of your arms.

Here are 4 different hand digging positions:       

1.  Thumbbones touching (Palms Forward) 1 foot in front of head and just above the eyes.  Move them individually as needed to the side by making a fist or open hand & turning it toward ball.

2.  Thumbbones touching,(Hands open)shoulder high, directly in front of chest and then working individually to the side with ball side hand staying low and off-side hand above using elbow movement to create angles.

3.  Thumbbones touching as the ball is going over head.  Jump to height necessary or extend hands up toward ball.

4)  Thumbbones touching as the ball is coming in your direction.  Use angle of palms and resistance of hands(softening and hardening) as necessary with elbows into chest and body angled toward target.

Make sure hands and arms have strong level of resistance to take hard hit balls from opponents. Soften hands on hand digs for high velocity spikes by curling hands somewhat. 

As you get more comfortable with hand digging, allow your thumbbones to separate a little.

More to come.