Introduction

Biomechanics is the study of science incorporated within the analysis of human movement. The main focus of biomechanics is to gain a deeper understanding of how and why the body moves in the way it by evaluating the laws and principals of human kinetics and performance. Sporting personnel such as coaches, educators and athletes that form an exceptional understanding of biomechanics can therefore make decisions which are better for developing effective sport techniques. ‘The movements within a game of Volleyball are a complex combination of power, strength, agility, and speed. Each of these components consists of intricate, small movements which join together to create a summation of forces which result in coordinated acts of striking the volleyball in a desired fashion’ (The Science of Volleyball, n.d.). 

Volleyball is a sport played by many dynamic, fast paced athletes who perform a range of biomechanically rich movements in order to gain control of the ball and hit it over the net into space on the other teams half. The volleyball spike is an attacking movement that requires a strong connection between timing and skill. Most volleyball players will explain that the most important factor behind a successful spike is the power created by the contact of the ball and hand resulting in faster ball speed. The faster the ball travels after striking with the player’s hand, the less chance the opposition has of reacting and returning the ball. Another major factor that more experienced volleyball players will focus on is the angle in which the ball travels after contact and more importantly, accuracy. The volleyball spike consists of seven different phases, these are; the preparation phase otherwise known as the run-in (generating controllable speed), the landing (impact absorption), the impulse drive (horizontal to vertical momentum transfer), the airborne phase of preparation (as ballistic), the hitting phase (as ballistic), the airborne phase leading into the landing – airborne recovery (as ballistic) and finishing with the landing (to absorb impact, control deceleration and prepare for the next move) (Bartlett, 2007). The following blog will look at the four phases of the spike, these are known as the preparation phase or the run up, the jump up (also looking at leg extension at the peak height of the jump), the arm swing during the jump up and the hit and follow through.

The following blog and the subsequent information will quantitatively and qualitatively analyse the biomechanical background of the volleyball spike. Emphasis will be focused on creating the optimal performance by considering how the body can be manipulated to achieve desired outcomes. The following biomechanical aspects are considered; joint angles during movement, transfer of momentum, velocity, force generated, speed of movement and gravity.

the ball and hand resulting in faster ball speed. The faster the ball travels after striking with the player’s hand, the less chance the opposition has of reacting and returning the ball. Another major factor that more experienced volleyball players will focus on is the angle in which the ball travels after contact and more importantly, accuracy. The volleyball spike consists of seven different phases, these are; the preparation phase otherwise known as the run-in (generating controllable speed), the landing (impact absorption), the impulse drive (horizontal to vertical momentum transfer), the airborne phase of preparation (as ballistic), the hitting phase (as ballistic), the airborne phase leading into the landing – airborne recovery (as ballistic) and finishing with the landing (to absorb impact, control deceleration and prepare for the next move) (Bartlett, 2007). The following blog will look at the four phases of the spike, these are known as the preparation phase or the run up, the jump up (also looking at leg extension at the peak height of the jump), the arm swing during the jump up and the hit and follow through.

The following blog and the subsequent information will quantitatively and qualitatively analyse the biomechanical background of the volleyball spike. Emphasis will be focused on creating the optimal performance by considering how the body can be manipulated to achieve desired outcomes. The following biomechanical aspects are considered; joint angles during movement, transfer of momentum, velocity, force generated, speed of movement and gravity.