FOREARM PASS / BUMPING
The Forearm Pass is probably the most essential skill to do properly.
Can't Pass. Can't Play.
This skill is used to start every play from Serve Reception to digging up a spike.
Here is a breakdown of the skill and the pictures will emphasize the points. The photos are taken of Canadian Olympians from 1984-2000 and I have included the beach so that you see the forearm pass doesn't change from indoors to outdoors.
Lower Body:
From ready position, initial movement has adjusted your body so that ball would bounce through your legs if you did not play it. (Good drill for young kids to learn proper movement)
Feet are more than shoulder width apart and planted firmly once contact is to be made.
Knees are bent and wide apart as that is where contact is made.
Contact made closer to floor than further from it.
Upper Body:
Hands come together and clasped together ( I prefer hands overlapping, thumbs parallel to each other)
Wrists then point down to LOCK the elbows and the forearms into a solid platform. At this point, you should not be able to "bend" your elbows when making the pass.
Shoulders are closer to your ears and shrugged out. (Feeling of hugging a big tree.)
Shoulders & hips square to the target.
Chin should be tucked closer to chest than in the air.
Eyes focused on ball to the point where you almost see it make contact.
Contact:
Contact Point is the "sweet spot" just above the wrist bone. Some players forearms can touch together, as you can see mine clearly not made that way!!
On contact, the whole body lifts slightly forward from the legs, the shoulders and hips square off to the target, the shoulders shrug forward slightly to take the forward spin off the ball and give it slight backspin, the arms do not swing very much.
The point is to redirect the ball, physics will do the rest.
Attitude:
During serve reception is when you have the most time to think about you and the ball. Your mental attitude at this point should be filled with thoughts of:
Serve me - I WANT the ball!!
Come on - give me your best!
No way are you acing me.
replace any "negative" thoughts and feelings with positive ones.
Remember this is the inside voice talking, no one else can hear you!!!
Can't Pass. Can't Play.
This skill is used to start every play from Serve Reception to digging up a spike.
Here is a breakdown of the skill and the pictures will emphasize the points. The photos are taken of Canadian Olympians from 1984-2000 and I have included the beach so that you see the forearm pass doesn't change from indoors to outdoors.
Lower Body:
From ready position, initial movement has adjusted your body so that ball would bounce through your legs if you did not play it. (Good drill for young kids to learn proper movement)
Feet are more than shoulder width apart and planted firmly once contact is to be made.
Knees are bent and wide apart as that is where contact is made.
Contact made closer to floor than further from it.
Upper Body:
Hands come together and clasped together ( I prefer hands overlapping, thumbs parallel to each other)
Wrists then point down to LOCK the elbows and the forearms into a solid platform. At this point, you should not be able to "bend" your elbows when making the pass.
Shoulders are closer to your ears and shrugged out. (Feeling of hugging a big tree.)
Shoulders & hips square to the target.
Chin should be tucked closer to chest than in the air.
Eyes focused on ball to the point where you almost see it make contact.
Contact:
Contact Point is the "sweet spot" just above the wrist bone. Some players forearms can touch together, as you can see mine clearly not made that way!!
On contact, the whole body lifts slightly forward from the legs, the shoulders and hips square off to the target, the shoulders shrug forward slightly to take the forward spin off the ball and give it slight backspin, the arms do not swing very much.
The point is to redirect the ball, physics will do the rest.
Attitude:
During serve reception is when you have the most time to think about you and the ball. Your mental attitude at this point should be filled with thoughts of:
Serve me - I WANT the ball!!
Come on - give me your best!
No way are you acing me.
replace any "negative" thoughts and feelings with positive ones.
Remember this is the inside voice talking, no one else can hear you!!!
