An Analysis of a Volleyball Jump Serve
An Analysis of the Volleyball Jump Serve |
Dr Marion Alexander, Adrian Honish MSc - Sport Biomechanics Lab, University of Manitoba, Canada | IntroductionOne of the most dramatic skills in modern volleyball is the spike serve, or the jump serve, which provides an exciting and dynamic skill that is captivating for players and spectators alike. The player starts about five meters behind the end line of the court, uses a fast and explosive run up, a dynamic spike takeoff and an exciting spike action at the peak of their jump that sends the ball across the net at speeds of over 27 m.s-1 with heavy topspin and at a sharp downward angle. The spike serve has become a dangerous offensive weapon for the top volleyball teams of today, as a great spike server can produce a number of aces over the course of a match. The spike serve is somewhat similar to the spike at the net, except the velocities after impact are somewhat lower for the serve when compared to the spike (Tant, Greene et al. 1993). A study of the spike vs. the serve for collegiate volleyball players revealed similar speeds for the male athletes but slower speeds for the female serve when compared to the spike (male jump serve 19.7 m.s-1, male spike 22.4 m.s-1, female jump serve 13.2 m.s-1, female spike 17.8 m.s-1). A study of the front row spikes of elite international volleyball spikers reported mean impact ball speeds of 27 m.s-1 (Coleman 1993).It is generally agreed that the top jump servers of modern volleyball are the players who play for Cuba, the top men’s team in the world over the past decade. These players are generally very tall, often up to 2.10 m and have very high vertical jumps that allow them to produce a downward angle on the ball: a fact exacerbated by the heavy topspin usually applied. Their strength and athleticism also allow them to produce very high hand velocities at impact that produce high ball velocities that are very difficult for the opposition to return. There are few
Dr Marion Alexander, Adrian Honish MSc - Sport Biomechanics Lab, University of Manitoba, Canada | IntroductionOne of the most dramatic skills in modern volleyball is the spike serve, or the jump serve, which provides an exciting and dynamic skill that is captivating for players and spectators alike. The player starts about five meters behind the end line of the court, uses a fast and explosive run up, a dynamic spike takeoff and an exciting spike action at the peak of their jump that sends the ball across the net at speeds of over 27 m.s-1 with heavy topspin and at a sharp downward angle. The spike serve has become a dangerous offensive weapon for the top volleyball teams of today, as a great spike server can produce a number of aces over the course of a match. The spike serve is somewhat similar to the spike at the net, except the velocities after impact are somewhat lower for the serve when compared to the spike (Tant, Greene et al. 1993). A study of the spike vs. the serve for collegiate volleyball players revealed similar speeds for the male athletes but slower speeds for the female serve when compared to the spike (male jump serve 19.7 m.s-1, male spike 22.4 m.s-1, female jump serve 13.2 m.s-1, female spike 17.8 m.s-1). A study of the front row spikes of elite international volleyball spikers reported mean impact ball speeds of 27 m.s-1 (Coleman 1993).It is generally agreed that the top jump servers of modern volleyball are the players who play for Cuba, the top men’s team in the world over the past decade. These players are generally very tall, often up to 2.10 m and have very high vertical jumps that allow them to produce a downward angle on the ball: a fact exacerbated by the heavy topspin usually applied. Their strength and athleticism also allow them to produce very high hand velocities at impact that produce high ball velocities that are very difficult for the opposition to return. There are few
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