A forearm pass should always be used when receiving a serve or a volley and is often the first touch of the ball. The forearm pass allows the player to contact the ball lower to the floor giving valuable time to get into position and make a better pass. The platform created by the forearms also provides greater stability and control of the ball. A good first pass is crucial to setup an effective attacking play.

If necessary, the player can provide additional arm or leg movement to push the ball further. Often, however, the momentum from a hard serve or volley alone is sufficient to reach the target without any additional movements from the player. A player only needs to form a strong platform and let the ball rebound. A player’s position, posture and stance along with the arm angle contribute to the accuracy and effectiveness of the pass.

Posture

Begin with a stable and balanced posture with your arms slightly extended, with your hands unclasped. Your knees should be slightly bent and you need to be ready to move quickly to the serve once it has been made. Watch the ball at all times and try to anticipate where the ball might go based on the actions of the server.

Passing Platform

A good platform requires both arms to be aligned since uneven arms will make the ball bounce off at an angle making it extremely difficult to control. A good platform starts with a good hand clasp.

There are several ways to form a good volleyball passing clasp, two common clasps are the “fist wrap” and the “finger clasp”. In this article we will only discuss the fist wrap since it is easier for beginners to learn and use.

To form the “fist wrap”, form a fist with one hand and then wrap the second hand around the fist with the lower palms close together. Keep the wrap relaxed but firm to prevent the hands from separating during ball contact. Slightly turn the forearms outwards to present a flat and hard contact surface for the ball to land on.

Keep your arms straight and about 30 to 40 degrees from the vertical. This angle provides the best trajectory. The ball should move high enough and forward enough for the setter to reach and make the set.

The Pass

Using your legs to stabilize yourself, keep your body upright and your arms extended at the required angle, let the ball rebound off the passing platform. The ball should land just above your wrists. If the ball lands on the wrists or the hands, it will bounce off unpredictably.

If you need to get additional height or distance, you can push slightly upwards with your legs. Avoid swinging your arms if you want to have greater control over your pass.

To get the ball to travel in your desired direction, just tilt your arms at the shoulders in the direction of the target. Your timing of the tilt is important since tilting too early or late will result in the ball not landing evenly on both arms. This of course makes the ball fly to the left or the right.