How to Jump Serve in Volleyball

Volleyball is a fast-paced game where you’re expected to master all the skills needed to play both defensively and offensively in the backcourt and at the net. How well you do at these different positions depends partly on your physical build and conditioning. However, skill plays a major role in defining a successful volleyball player, and one of the most important skills is knowing how to jump serve effectively.

We’ll offer a step-by-step tutorial on how to jump serve effectively in beach and indoor volleyball. Our tutorial will break down the elements of the serve so you can better understand the mechanics that make a serve successful.

Two Main Types of Serves

There are two main types of serves in volleyball: the floater serve and the jump serve. The floater serve is a technique in which the ball is served by hitting it with a wide-open hand without touching it with the fingers. This technique eliminates any rotation in the ball, making its flight unpredictable and providing a slight edge to the serving team. It can be combined with the jump serve.

The jump serve is just what it sounds like. The server leaps before hitting the ball to the opposing team. This raises the server above the level of the net and can provide a flatter and quicker serve. The jump serve can be highly effective when performed properly. However, it involves some steps that must be combined into a single fluid motion to give the server the power and control needed to help determine the outcome of a heated match.

We’ll explore the six steps required to learn how to jump serve effectively and offer some tips on adding topspin to the ball to give you an even greater edge.

1. Set-Up

Hold the ball in your dominant (hitting) hand and take four large steps back from the end line of the court. Practice running up to the line and jumping to ensure you can serve powerfully without stepping over the line and causing a foot fault. A foot fault will result in a penalty side-out for your opponents.

2. Toss

Once you’ve gotten comfortable with the set-up, practice the toss by running up to the line and tossing the ball with your dominant hand about 2 meters into the air and 2 meters in front of you. You want to judge the toss so that you’re at the apex of your jump when you reach out to hit the ball.

3. Approach

The topspin jump serve uses a 3-step approach, which should leave you behind the end line (although you don’t need to worry about crossing the line after the ball has been hit). If you’re right-handed, you start with the left foot and step left, right, left. If you're left-handed, you do the opposite and step right, left, right. You want to end the approach on the opposite foot from the hand you’re hitting the ball with.

On the first step, your hands should go in front of you. On the second step, your hands should swing back behind you. On the third step, your hands swing up to help propel you into the jump.

4. Jump

Launch your jump off of your third step and swing your arms up into a “bow and arrow” position that simulates the tossing and hitting of the ball with your hitting hand raised and behind you.

5. Swing

Your dominant (hitting) hand will be behind you and ready to hit the ball at the top of your jump. As you swing, your hand should contact the middle of the volleyball at the apex of your reach.

If you curl your fingers over the top of the ball as you finish hitting it, you'll induce topspin, which affects the ball's trajectory in unexpected ways. Hitting the ball slightly on the right side will also cause it to turn left slightly, and hitting on the left side will cause it to turn right. Practice this spin technique to aim the direction of the ball.

6. Follow Through

Maintain your balance as you descend from your jump. Assume a balanced position on both feet and be ready to block or pass.

Strategies for Mixing Up Your Serves

Floating serves take less energy, so they’re often used towards the end of a competitive match when the server is tired. However, a float serve is less powerful than a jump serve, so if you’re facing opponents who return the ball quickly and powerfully, using the floating serve may not be to your advantage.

Jump serves can be more accurate, and these flatter arcing serves may penetrate your opponent's net defenses more often. They can also catch backcourt defenders off-guard.

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