How To Read A Hitter In Volleyball

Outside hitters are viewed past many as rock stars of the volleyball courtroom…

They're often the virtually talented offensive players on the squad, just with enough dexterity to footstep dorsum and pass the ball well.

They striking the ball from the left side of the court and are sometimes referred to as left side hitters, fly spikers, or pins.

Outside hitters are usually ready more than assurance than the other positions and are oftentimes the go-to player tasked with getting the ball over the net when play gets scrappy.

In this article we're going to take a deeper expect at the roles and responsibilities of the outside, as well as run through all the things you can do to be a better exterior hitter.

What Does An Exterior Hitter Practice In Volleyball?

The outside hitter is what we call a 'passer hitter' which means their part is twofold: pass the brawl first, and so hit the brawl.

They operate out of the left side of the court, usually passing from position 5 and hitting from position iv.

If y'all are unsure of what these numbers mean, check out my full article on positions in volleyball.

When nigh people think of outside hitters, they think of highly athletic, powerful front end court attacks.

Though it'southward far less glamorous, it all starts with serve reception.

Outside Hitters Are Critical To Serve-Reception

An outside hitter who can't laissez passer is like an out of tune opera singer…

Passing the volleyball is a fundamental responsibleness for the part of outside hitter.

They pass from position 5 and are often targeted by the opposition server, as most outsides are pretty average at passing – or at least significantly worse than the libero.

Once the laissez passer has been fabricated, the exterior hitter quickly transitions into their offensive approach equally they prepare to spike the brawl.

Outside Hitters Are The Master Spikers

The exterior hitter will usually be fix significantly more than balls than the opposite or middle blocker.

This is considering they're in forepart of the setter, meaning it'southward physically easier for the setter to fix to the outside since they can run across them.

For the aforementioned reason, when a setter receives a bad pass, it'southward usually easier for them to push a release set to the outside hitting window.

This ways exterior hitters are usually tasked with hitting some pretty dodgy sets, especially at the youth level.

At the junior level, outside hitters tend to exist more athletic and more consistent spikers than opposites, so information technology just makes sense to set them slightly more ofttimes.

They're likewise often responsible for hitting from the back row and will usually attack via a pipe from the middle back zone on the court.

Outside Hitters Have To Block & Dig

If the outside hitter is not set the ball, they must immediately transition into a defensive coverage position and look to dig the ball and encompass the blockers.

Later on their own team serves the ball, the exterior hitter'south starting time responsibility is blocking.

The outside hitter will be matched up against the opposition squad's contrary hitter.

Outsides Help The Middle Blocker

When blocking, outsides may choose to stay in the ready position closer to the middle of the net so they can help the center defend confronting front court setters and strong back row hitters.

Exterior hitters must as well communicate well defensively.

It'due south important that they talk with the middle blocker to let them know if they're planning on hanging in to assist with blocking in the middle of the floor.

What Are The Strengths Of A Good Exterior Hitter?

Exterior hitters are very different to opposites and middles. They accept their ain unique set of attributes and skills as summarized below.

Good Exterior Hitters Are First-class Passers

Weak exterior hitters are oftentimes pretty decent spikers, merely they fall downwards when information technology comes to passing the ball.

Servers volition target them relentlessly because information technology's obvious they're passing the brawl poorly, and the outside hitter may beginning to become a liability on the court.

Strong outside hitters build their game on serve-reception excellence.

At the highest levels of the game, all outsides can hitting the ball fairly well. Merely the all-time outsides pass the ball far better than the rest.

Good Outside Hitters Are The Smartest Attackers On The Floor

Weak or inexperienced outside hitters are one dimensional. They hit the ball the same direction every time, with the same speed.

They struggle to conform when the opposition has time to go into position and often get blocked.

Nifty exterior hitters are crafty and actually use the block to win points by aiming high for the fingers, or by swiping the ball off the block and out of bounds.

They're technicians.

They have access to a large toolbox with a variety of different shots and tempos.

They often whorl, tip, and push the ball.

And the best outsides simply hit the ball harder.

Great outside hitters also use side spin to command the ball as they navigate the cake.

They also never telegraph where they're going to hitting the brawl.

Regardless of the gear up, each attack looks well-nigh identical until the very last moment.

Good Outside Hitters Are Athletic & Can Jump High

One thing that separates outside hitters from opposites and eye blockers is that they're oft far more athletic and explosive.

Expert exterior hitters are power houses who usually jump higher than anyone else on the court.

Exterior hitters tend to exist considerably shorter than opposites and middles only make up for it with this explosive jumping ability.

They ofttimes have powerful upper bodies too and can hitting the ball almost every bit hard as the taller players on court.

Outside hitter is really the just offensive position for shorter volleyball players.

Good Outside Hitters Are Usually Right Handed

Information technology is significantly easier to hit from the left side of the courtroom if yous're right handed because the ball doesn't accept to cross your trunk before entering your hitting window.

Basically information technology's much easier to go the timing and placement of the arm swing just right when you can spot the ball with your left hand and contact the ball on the inside of your body.

This is the same reason why most opposite hitters are left handed.

Having said all that, by no means practise you have to exist right handed equally an outside hitter.

A few of the best outside hitters have been left handed, merely as plenty of the best opposites have been correct handed.

However information technology is slightly less common to see left handed outside hitters than right handed opposites.

This is mainly because opposites tend to exist taller, meaning really skilled but tall correct handed players will all the same gravitate towards that position.

And also because there'south a lot less left handed players in general.

How Of import Is The Outside Hitter?

The outside hitter is likely the 2d most important position in volleyball afterwards the setter.

It's also one of the hardest positions on the court.

A good exterior hitter volition be the backbone of your crime.

Beingness the recipient of the majority of sets, outside hitters have a very big responsibility to hit the ball well.

They need to perform well under pressure and become kills even in tough situations.

This requires confidence in 1'due south abilities and the ability to shrug off mistakes, refocus, and practise a amend chore in the very next point.

Is Outside Hitter A Proficient Position In Volleyball?

I don't refer to exterior hitters equally being rock stars of the court for zippo!

Everyone loves to spike volleyballs. Outside hitters spike the most volleyballs, so naturally it's a very popular position.

Being the go-to attacker, you accept more than opportunities to make highlight-level plays like burdensome the ball into the 10 foot line or six packing an opponent.

That's pretty cool!

But the outside position is very demanding.

It's not like eye blocker or libero where yous simply play half the rotations…

At the same fourth dimension, considering you're thrust into more situations both offensively and defensively, it becomes a great position to get lots of touches and plenty of experience.

Should I Be An Outside Hitter?

Then how do you decide if outside hitter is the correct position for you?

Allow'southward first run through some physical attributes of an exterior hitter to see if you fit the nib.

After that nosotros'll accept a look at another points to consider before y'all decide to pursue becoming an outside hitter.

Physical Attributes Of An Outside Hitter

Earlier nosotros get whatever further, get back and reread the section where I talked nearly the strengths of an outside hitter, and come across how many of these yous already marshal with.

Appropriate Tiptop

The good news is y'all don't demand to be crazy alpine to be an outside hitter.

Outsides are usually a bit shorter than the opposite and middle, but slightly taller than the setter.

Obviously, the taller you are the better.

But if you're really tall, perhaps you'd be meliorate served as an opposite or middle blocker where acme is in college demand.

To find out exactly how tall you need to exist to be an outside hitter, be sure to check out my total article discussing the height of outside hitters.

Information technology goes into dandy detail almost how alpine both men and women demand to be for this position at varying levels of the game.

Decently Able-bodied

How active are you? Can you jump decently well?

Exercise you lot accept good body control while in the air?

Outside hitters need expert rest, speed, and coordination.

How strong and powerful are you? Are yous capable of killing the brawl consistently or do yous discover your attacks getting dug a lot?

These are all things that can be adult over fourth dimension, so if you don't yet possess all of these attributes, don't panic.

Decent At Passing

How accurately do you pass the ball?

Practice you oftentimes find yourself in the zone during serve-reception, often making perfect passes?

Or exercise you struggle to contact the ball with consistency?

This is another one which can exist improved with exercise.

Personality Traits & Attitude Of An Outside Hitter

There are too a few intangible traits outside hitters demand to have to exist successful.

Conviction

You nigh demand to be borderline cocky to be a good exterior hitter.

All eyes are on yous. You're the star hitter.

And you need the skills to back it up.

There'south no where to hide on courtroom as an outside hitter. You're involved in virtually every signal and need conviction in your ability to get the task done.

Perform Well Under Pressure level

As an outside hitter, you're going to become set some really tricky balls to striking. Your job is to make the best of a bad state of affairs.

Y'all might do a decent job of that in the first prepare, simply are yous able to go along your caput late in the 5th when your squad needs yous to make some magic!

Do you have the conviction to however swing aggressively when you're just 1 point away from losing the friction match?

Communicate Well

Outside hitters have a lot of responsibleness to communicate with the other players in the forepart row.

They're calling which players are running which attacks, where the setter is, and what combination plays to look out for.

They're working very closely with the middle blocker to continually calibrate their blocking strategy throughout the match.

If you're still not sure if this position is right for yous, check out my full commodity on what things you need to consider when choosing a volleyball position.

What Do Coaches Look For In An Outside Hitter?

Coaches and recruiters alike are interested in a variety of unlike factors when looking at exterior hitter prospects.

Outside Hitter Recruitment Guidelines

Let's first have a quick look at some of the recruiting guidelines for outside hitters.

Jumping Ability & Arm Length

The below numbers are for women's volleyball as per the NCSA website.¹

I honestly don't see how serious recruiters could get excited over an athlete who has the same block jump every bit their set on jump, and so take these numbers with a grain of salt.

Official men'due south recruiting guidelines haven't been published but based on the numbers they have made bachelor, likewise as my personal experience with top level athletes, a solid higher level outside hitter will have stats similar to the following.

Skill	Benchmark
Standing Reach	8'2″ (249cm)
Attack Jump	11′ (335cm)
Vertical Jump	35″
Block Spring	10'8″ (325cm)

Continuing reach, while it'south important, is less important for outside hitters and is a stat used more for middle blockers and opposites.

The near important stat here will be spike height (attack jump). Realistically, anything over 330cm is decent, simply it's something that needs to be improving over time.

To play professionally as an outside hitter, yous'll desire to take at to the lowest degree a 345cm spike superlative.

Hit Percentage

Hitting percentage is a stat which measures how efficient y'all are as a spiker.

It's unlikely that recruiters volition have access to these stats, but a decent benchmark for exterior hitters is to aim for 0.325.

Recently I wrote an article addressing what hit percentage is, how it'south calculated, and what figures you should aim for based on position.

Exist sure to bank check that out to see how you lot're faring on this front.

Height

Recruiters await for sure height benchmarks for each different position. Exterior hitters don't take to be the tallest players on the court, but they can't exist brusque either.

Feel

You lot need to have played a adept amount of club volleyball for recruiters to consider you.

At least 2-5 years of decent level competition is what they're subsequently.

Basically you need to show them that you lot know what y'all're doing on court.

Outside Hitter Coaching Guidelines

What are all the piffling things that coaches look for in an platonic outside hitter?

Concrete attributes aside, a lot of it comes downwardly to mental attitude and how you act on court.

A bunch of these things nosotros covered earlier but I'll explain why they brand for happy coaches.

Leadership Skills

An outside hitter should think of themselves every bit the captain of the forepart court.

They're the primary attacker and need to take responsibleness for a large chunk of the law-breaking.

They need to keep a cool caput at all times and remind teammates of the game programme when things go tough.

Communication Skills

Even if they're really skillful, a serenity exterior hitter is not a expert thing.

You need to be one of the more vocal communicators in the front row.

Yous should be constantly in the ear of your middle blocker as you lot talk over the opposition's formation and blocking tactics.

You lot also need a constant line of advice with the setter, giving feedback on what'southward working and what things they tin can do better, so you tin kill more than assurance.

Volleyball IQ

There'southward a huge difference between an outside hitter who is skilled technically, and i who really understands the nuances of the game on a deep level.

This comes back to being able to select the right shots at the right time.

It's nigh reading the defense and utilize the block.

It's about getting in the setter'southward caput and agreement opposition tendencies like which manner the opposite likes to hit, and who the setter likes to set from where.

Information technology's about understanding what combo plays your opponents favor and beingness able to codify a smart counter, and then communicate that well to your team.

How To Exist A Better Exterior Hitter

One of the benefits of the outside hitter position is that a lot of the required skills are highly trainable.

Unlike opposites and center blockers, who need to exist very alpine, brilliant outside hitters come in many shapes and sizes.

How good they become at volleyball largely comes down to how hard they're willing to piece of work to improve.

I could come up up with a huge long list of tips and tricks for outside hitting, but instead I've decided to reveal the 20% of things which volition get you 80% of the results.

Below are past far the 3 most important things you need to put your fourth dimension and effort into to become a improve exterior hitter.

1. Spend More Fourth dimension Passing

As a passer hitter, your showtime job is to laissez passer the ball really well.

The all-time way to become improve at passing is to simply pass more balls.

If y'all're serious about improving as an outside, you'll find a way to laissez passer more balls each calendar week than your competition.

Go to the court with a friend and have them serve at you over and over.

If y'all accept access to a serving auto, this is another great mode to get lots of reps in.

Even if it merely means playing an actress game of pick-upwardly volleyball each week, those extra reps volition really help.

2. Hit The Brawl More

The verbal aforementioned thing goes for hitting…

Want to go better at hitting? Hit more assurance. It's really that unproblematic.

Partner upward with a setter and elevate them to the court for some actress work each calendar week.

If you can find another hitter to block while you hit, this would be ideal.

The two of yous tin alternating.

Don't just become through the motions hither either, you demand to exist very deliberate and highly focused in guild to brand actual progress.

Formulate a plan. Maybe it looks something like this.

Hitting 5 balls sharp downward the line
Hit 15 balls at the back left corner
Hit 5 assurance sharp cross court
Striking xv balls into the back right corner

If you have a blocker, make it your mission to never once get stuff blocked.

Mayhap as role of your program you're going to striking five-15 balls high off the easily of the block.

There's really no excuses to not go more hitting repetitions in.

All you need is a net, a setter, and another hitter/blocker who wants to improve as well.

iii. Live In The Weight Room

As an exterior hitter, y'all need to be able to jump.

Some of you volition be gifted and naturally springy; the vast majority of u.s. are not.

The primary goal of your strength and workout routine should be to increase your spike height as much as possible.

To play volleyball internationally, male outside hitters will ideally have a fasten height of 345cm or more, and women should aim for 320cm.

Y'all also need to train your upper body so y'all tin can hit the ball harder.

Check out this article for some great outside hitter spiking drills.

Can You lot Be A Left Handed Outside Hitter?

You tin can absolutely be a left handed exterior hitter!

It's a lot less common but because it's harder to hitting the brawl with your outside arm as it has to cross your body starting time.

Almost left handed hitters will gravitate towards the reverse position because they won't have this problem striking from the right side of the court.

But if you're an excellent passer and actually like hit out of the left side, you lot tin definitely be an exterior hitter.

Some pinnacle level professionals take been successful left handed exterior hitters, Uroš Kovačević of Serbia to proper name one.

Volleyball Outside Hitter FAQ

Can an outside hitter hit from the dorsum row?

Exterior hitters tin can and often practice hit from the back row.

The outside hitter volition usually defend from position 5, just ofttimes teams will switch the OH with the libero then that the OH is defending deep in position half dozen, which allows them to hitting the pipe from the back row.

Is the outside hitter the strongest hitter in volleyball?

It's hard to say, but probably not.

Opposites and middle blockers tend to be taller which ways they have longer levers, allowing them to generate more power and hit the ball harder.

What are some exterior hitter volleyball quotes?

My favorite one is, "I got 99 problems but a block ain't one!"

Is outside hitter the coolest position in volleyball?

Without a dubiousness exterior hitter is the coolest position in volleyball.

Source: https://volleyballvault.com/outside-hitter-volleyball-position/