Volleyball Setting Drills

Setting improves fastest with lots of short, clean contacts. Start at a wall to fix hand shape and get dozens of touches a minute, then set back and forth with a partner in Partner Setting, add passing and hitting in Pepper, and finally set passed balls to hitters in Hitting Lines. Every player should practice setting, not only the team's setter, because anyone may need to take the second ball.

Players: 1 (wall) to a full team
Levels: Beginner to intermediate
Equipment: A ball and a wall; a net for team drills
Best solo drill: Wall Setting

Pick a drill

Goal	Drill	Players	Level	Time
Learn hand shape	Wall Setting: close to the wall, low sets, then a taped target	1 per ball	Beginner	5–10 min
Set to a partner, then on the move	Partner Setting: toss-set-catch up close, then continuous sets and sets on the move	2 per ball	Beginner	8–12 min
Set a partner in a live rally	Pepper	2	Beginner–intermediate	5–10 min
Add a set to a passing drill	Butterfly Passing: set to a catcher in zone 4	6–12	Beginner	8–12 min
Set passed balls to hitters	Hitting Lines	4–12	Beginner–intermediate	10–20 min
Run in from defense to set	Free-Ball Transition	6–12	Beginner–intermediate	10–20 min

Core setting drills

Wall Setting

Solo. Repeated sets against a wall to groove hand shape and contact.

Setting
Beginner
Solo
5–10 min

Partner Setting

Partner. Set one ball back and forth, from toss-set-catch to sets on the move.

Setting, Warm-up
Beginner
Partner
8–12 min

Pepper

Partner. The set is the middle contact of every pass-set-hit sequence.

Passing, Setting, Hitting, Defense, Warm-up
Beginner–Intermediate
Partner
5–10 min

How to choose and progress drills in this group

Choose by what breaks down. If sets spin or slap off the palms, go back to Wall Setting. If the hand shape is clean at the wall but sets drift away from a person, use Partner Setting. If sets are good standing still but not on the move or off a live pass, use Pepper, then Hitting Lines.
Change one thing at a time. Add distance, height, movement or a live passed ball, but only one of them per step.
Judge the set by whether it is hittable. A set counts when it arrives where a partner or hitter can play it without catching or chasing it, not just when it goes up.
Progress when it holds up; step back when it doesn't. Each drill page has a “When to progress” check. Its numbers are practice suggestions, so adjust them to your group.

What good setting practice looks like

Same hand shape every rep. Thumbs and index fingers form a “window” above the forehead; the ball meets the pads of the fingers, not the palms.
Legs do the work. Players bend and extend their legs through the set so the arms don't have to push hard.
Square to the target. Feet and shoulders face where the ball should go.
Clean contact. Under the rules, a set must not be caught or thrown; practice short, quick contacts. See Rules for Beginners.

Technique details: Setting.

Watch: a fan drill for setting basics

What to watch for: A fan drill that starts with basic sets toward position 4, then gets harder until players are setting on the run near the attack line.

Video: The Art of Coaching Volleyball on YouTube. Learn Volley is not affiliated with this channel.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my set spin?

Spin usually means the hands touched the ball at different times or with uneven force. Slow down and focus on both hands meeting the ball together.

How high should a set be?

For beginners, a high set gives hitters more time to approach. Faster, lower sets come later once the passing and setting are steady.