Wall Setting Drill

Wall setting is a solo drill where you set the ball against a wall again and again without catching it. Because the ball comes straight back, you get many more contacts per minute than in almost any team drill, which makes it the quickest way to build the same hand shape, finger contact and leg drive on every set, with soft, even contact on both hands.

Focus

Setting

Level

Beginner

Players

1 per ball; a team can line up along a gym wall with a ball each

Equipment

1 volleyball, masking tape or chalk

Space

A flat wall with clear floor in front of it

Time

5–10 min; short daily sessions work better than one long one

Print this drill

Setup

Mark a horizontal line on the wall about 3 m high (lower it for kids). Stand about 1 m from the wall, feet shoulder-width apart, right foot slightly forward, knees bent.

• Hand window

  ✓ Correct

  Thumbs and index fingers make a triangle above your forehead.

• Knees bend

  ✓ Correct

  As the ball comes back, bend your knees and get your hands into the window.

• Uneven hands

  ✗ Wrong

  Uneven hands make the ball spin. Contact with both hands at the same time.

How to run it

1. Hold your hands above your forehead in a “window”: thumbs and index fingers make a triangle, fingers spread and relaxed.
2. Toss the ball to yourself into the window.
3. Set it to the wall so it hits above the line. Contact with the pads of your fingers, both hands at the same time.
4. As the ball comes back, bend your knees and get your hands back into the window before the ball arrives.
5. Keep setting without catching.
6. Do 3–4 rounds of 30–60 seconds with a short rest.

Scoring

Count your best streak of sets that hit above the line. Try to beat it in each round.

Safety

Use a wall with no windows or fragile objects nearby, and clear the floor around you. Ask before using school or building walls. Stop if your fingers or wrists hurt; see Common Injuries.

Health note: General information, not medical advice. Young athletes should train under a qualified coach, and anyone with pain or an injury should see a doctor or physical therapist.

Watch: wall passing and wall setting at home

Video: The Art of Coaching Volleyball on YouTube. Wall setting starts about halfway through; the first half is wall passing. Learn Volley is not affiliated with this channel.

Coaching this drill

What success looks like

Sets that hit above the line and come back to your forehead with little or no spin, so you can set the next one without catching it or lunging. Count only those sets in your streak.

One cue

“Window above your forehead.” Hands get set early, before the ball arrives, and start every rep above the forehead, not down at the chin.

One common error

The ball spins. One hand is lower than the other at contact. Adjustment: slow down, set lower and focus on both hands touching at the same time.

Make it easier

Toss-set-catch: set once, catch, reset your hands.

Make it harder

Step back to 2 m and set higher.

When to progress

A practice suggestion: when you can string together about 20 sets above the line without spin in two of your rounds, try one harder option; if your streaks stay below about 5, go back to toss-set-catch or stand closer. Adjust the numbers to your age and level.

More cues and common mistakes

• “Legs, then arms.” Push up from your legs and extend through the ball. With locked knees the arms do all the work. Fix: bend and extend with every set.
• “Quiet hands.” The contact should make little sound. Using the palms makes the ball slap, and it may be judged as caught. Fix: spread the fingers and make a bigger “bowl” shape.
• “Finish to the target.” Arms extend toward the spot on the wall, thumbs pointing up and forward at the end.

More ways to make it easier or harder

• Easier: Stand closer and set lower.
• Harder: Alternate a set to the wall with a set straight up to yourself.
• Harder: Shuffle one step left or right between sets.
• Harder: Set once to the wall, set the return straight up to yourself, turn a quarter turn, and set the next ball back to the wall. This trains squaring up to a new target.
• Harder: Back set: set high to yourself, turn your back to the wall, and set backward over your head.

Frequently asked questions