Passing

Passing, often called "bumping" or "forearm passing", is how your team controls the serve and turns it into an attack. Get your feet behind the ball first, then join your arms into a flat platform and angle it toward your setter instead of swinging. The better the pass, the more options your setter has, which is why coaches score every pass from 0 to 3.

Step-by-step guide: How to Pass →

Also known as

Bumping, forearm passing

Key role

Serve receive

Target

The setter's spot, between zones 2 and 3

Passing technique in three cues

Feet first: from a low ready position with your arms apart, move so the ball arrives in front of your body. Then the platform: join your hands with thumbs side by side and pointing down, straighten your elbows, and play the ball on your forearms just above the wrists. Angle, don't swing: point the platform at your target and let the ball rebound; for balls to your side, drop the shoulder nearer the target.

Watch: forearm passing basics and the most common mistake

Beach-focused, but the platform cues apply indoors.

Videos: Elevate Yourself, Jump Volleyball and Better at Beach Volleyball on YouTube. Learn Volley is not affiliated with these channels.

Types of pass

• Serve receive: passing the opponent's serve, usually by the two outside hitters and the libero.
• Free ball: an easy ball sent over without an attack. Pass it high to the setter and call "free!" so your hitters have time to get to their approach.
• Down ball: a standing hit from the opponent, made without a jump. Defend it like a hard free ball.
• Dig: a pass off a hard-driven attack. It uses the same platform, but you start lower and absorb the ball's pace instead of adding to it; keeping the ball up and playable matters more than a perfect pass. See the digging guide.
• Overhand pass: a high, slow serve or free ball can be played with the fingers above the forehead, like a set. On a team's first contact the rules allow consecutive contacts within a single action, but the ball must never be caught or thrown, so clean hands still matter.

Reading and receiving the serve

• Read the server: watch the server's body position, toss and arm swing to predict the direction and speed of the serve.
• Adapt to the serve: topspin serves drop fast, so stay low and get under them; float serves move late, so keep your platform quiet and make small, late adjustments with your feet.
• Communicate: call the ball early and agree who covers the seams between passers so nobody hesitates or collides.
• Pass to the target: aim for a pass that peaks about 1–2 m above the net and comes down near the setter's spot, about 1 m off the net between zones 2 and 3.
• Rate every pass: many coaches score passes on a 0–3 scale (a coaching convention, not an FIVB rule): 3 = perfect (the setter has every option and can set any hitter), 2 = good (the setter has some options), 1 = poor (the setter has only one option, usually a high set), 0 = no playable pass (an ace, a shank or an overpass). The best passers aren't flashy; they keep that average high against tough servers. Work out yours with the passing average calculator.

Common passing mistakes

• Swinging the arms: adds power you cannot control; keep the platform steady and let your legs do the lifting.
• Reaching instead of moving: playing the ball off to the side tilts the platform unpredictably.
• A split or bent platform: bent elbows or hands that come apart create an uneven surface and shanked passes.
• Standing tall: straight legs force contact too high, sending the ball flat into the net or over it.
• Hitting off the hands or wrists: the bony, uneven surface sends the ball anywhere — use the forearms.

Drills to improve passing

1. Stationary passing: pass against a wall or with a partner to groove your platform and ball control.
2. Serve receive: have a coach or teammate serve to you and score each pass from 0 to 3.
3. Movement drills: pass on the move and from different court positions, then transition from defense to offense.
4. Multi-ball: a coach or partner feeds balls rapidly so you must reset and pass each one accurately.
5. Game-like scenarios: play mini-games or scrimmages to apply your passing in a live, match-like context.

Frequently asked questions