Serving

Every rally starts with a serve, and it is the one skill you control completely. Start with the underhand serve (steps below). Once you can get it in consistently, learn the overhand float, then topspin. Competitive players serve overhand: float, topspin, jump serve or jump float. Add the underhand and you have the five common serve types. Whatever you serve, a serve that lands in beats a big serve that misses.

Overhand serve, step by step: How to Serve Overhand →

Common serves

Underhand, topspin, float, jump serve, jump float

Easiest to learn

Underhand

Competitive choice

Overhand

How to serve underhand

The underhand serve is the easiest serve to learn and the most reliable. It trades speed for control, so it's the standard choice for beginners and recreational play.

1. Stance: stand behind the end line facing your target, with the foot opposite your hitting hand forward (left foot for right-handers).
2. Hold: hold the ball low and in front of your hitting-side hip in your non-hitting hand, with your arm relaxed.
3. Hand: make a firm, flat palm or a loose fist with your hitting hand, so the heel of your hand does the hitting.
4. Swing: swing your hitting arm straight back, then forward like a pendulum, shifting your weight onto your front foot.
5. Release and hit: just before contact, drop the ball or lift it slightly out of your holding hand, then hit its lower back half once it has left your hand. The ball must be tossed or released before you hit it (FIVB rule 12.4.1), so hitting it straight out of your holding hand is a fault.
6. Follow through: finish with your hitting arm pointing at your target.

Not clearing the net? Hit slightly lower on the ball and follow through higher. Going long? Hit more through the back of the ball and swing more gently. Once you can land it consistently (ask your coach for a target, such as a number of serves in a row), move on to the overhand float.

Overhand serves: the essentials

The overhand serve is the competitive standard. You hit it from above off a toss, so it can carry far more speed and movement and is harder to pass, but it takes longer to make reliable. Use a controlled toss that peaks slightly above your fully extended contact height, a little in front of your hitting shoulder. Step toward your target and hit with a firm, open hand. The two main types are float and topspin:

• Float serve: hit the middle of the ball with a stiff wrist and stop your arm right after contact. With almost no spin, the ball wobbles and changes direction late in the air. That makes it hard to pass, and it's the most common standing serve in competitive play.
• Topspin serve: snap your wrist up and over the ball and follow through fully. With forward spin, the ball dives sharply once it crosses the net, so you can hit it hard and still keep it in. It's a strong weapon when it lands.
• Jump serves: advanced players hit both serves out of a jump: the jump serve (topspin after a full approach, for maximum power) and the jump float (a float contacted out of a small jump for a higher, tougher angle). Master a reliable standing toss first.

Watch: overhand serving progressions and the jump float

Videos: Get The Pancake and PJ Volleyball Tutorials on YouTube. Learn Volley is not affiliated with these channels.

Serving rules to know

• Serve from behind the end line: at the moment you hit the ball (or take off for a jump serve) you must not touch the court, end line included. Stepping on it is a foot fault; landing inside the court after contact is fine.
• Eight seconds: you must serve within 8 seconds of the first referee's whistle.
• One toss, one hand: toss or release the ball once and hit it with one hand or arm. Bouncing the ball before you toss is fine. Under FIVB rules, a toss you let drop counts as your serve, so it's a fault. Some US leagues handle a dropped toss differently, so check your league's rulebook.
• Net contact is legal: a serve that clips the net and still crosses between the antennas stays in play.
• Rotation decides the server: the player in zone 1 (back right) serves, and the team rotates one position clockwise each time it wins back the serve.

Serving strategy

• Target weak receivers: serve the passer who is struggling, or a hitter who must pass and then attack.
• Aim for seams and zones: the gap between two passers creates hesitation. Deep serves push receivers back, short serves pull them forward, and corners and sidelines stretch them.
• Vary spin, speed and location: mixing topspin and float, deep and short, stops receivers settling into a rhythm.
• Consistency over power: a serve you can place reliably is worth more than a big serve that often misses — under rally scoring every missed serve gives the opponent a point.
• Use a routine and communicate: a short, repeatable pre-serve routine (same bounces, a breath, pick the target) steadies your toss, and telling teammates your target helps them position for the return.

Common serving mistakes

• Inconsistent toss: a toss that drifts behind your head or sideways forces you to chase it. Practice the toss on its own until it drops in the same spot every time.
• Wrong contact point: hitting the ball behind your head tends to send it long; letting it drop too low tends to put it in the net. Meet it high and in front of your hitting shoulder.
• Loose hand or wrist: a soft hand adds accidental spin and kills a float. Keep the hand firm and flat.
• Foot faults: start a full step behind the end line, especially if you step into the serve.
• Swinging for aces: over-hitting raises the error rate. Add power only once your placement is reliable.

Serving drills

1. Toss-only reps: toss and let the ball fall without hitting it; it should land in front of your hitting shoulder every time.
2. Target serving: put cones or towels in different zones and count how many serves land on each target.
3. Pressure serving: attach a consequence — the group must make a set number in a row, or each miss costs a point — to rehearse serving at the end of a close set.
4. Video feedback: record your serve or ask a coach to check toss height, contact point and follow-through.
5. Game-like reps: serve straight into a live rally so you practice moving to defense after the serve.

Frequently asked questions