Many volleyball players don't know how to use the Pepper Warm up Drill as a way to improve their volleyball game. Below are 5 ways elite volleyball players use "Pepper" as a way to improve their volleyball defensive game.
1. Improving your ball control is the number one reason for mastering the pepper warmup drill.
2. The second reason is to improve your serve receive form and technique.
I firmly believe, that pepper is the number one most effective way for indoor volleyball players to improve their ball control. But you must know how to use the drill effectively. and that starts with understanding why you are even doing the Pepper drill in the first place. If you don't understand why you are doing this drill then its just becomes a way to raise your body temperature and increase your pulse rate.
a. If YOU set the volleyball--whoever sets should be working on form and technique.
Your Goal--the ball should go right to your partner without them moving more than one step in any direction to chase your ball.
b. When Your partner passes the volleyball back-- his/her concentration should be on using excellent form for serve receive and free ball passing, taking advantage of the fact that this is an easy ball.
Your Goal--is first to pass the volleyball so she/he can hit the ball right back to you without taking more than one step. Secondly, bump setting practice for accuracy is a priority, so each and every ball goes right back to above the hitters extended hitting arm.
c. When You spike the ball back. You hit a controlled 1/2 to 3/4 speed down ball right to your partner. In this instance you have a controlled situation where you can practice the finer points of your armswing. Before the game here's where you can concentrate on "reaching" --raising your elbow and hitting high while controlling the ball speed. Just because there's no net doesn't mean you can make contact with the ball down by your ear. If you hit low in Pepper it means you are training your body to hit low in your spiking warm up line and then you'll be more likely to spike low without reaching high for the ball in a game. Trust me--it all transfers. Your body is recording every movement you make it do in volleyball practice-so pledge to yourself to do the movements correctly, so in game everything will happen automatically.
Your Goal-- To hit the spot you are aiming for which in the Pepper drill means right to your partner, so that she doesn't have to move more than one step UNLESS you choose to mix up your attack and include a tip to your partner. I highly recommend mixing up your attack only after you have improved your ball control.
d. Your partner digs--focus should be on being down in your defensive position before your partner hits the ball which means by the time they make contact with ball. Because Pepper partners are relatively close together you will automatically be developing quick reflexes. Here is where you practice combining your quick reflexes with BALL CONTROL. React quickly...then control the ball. React quickly then c-o-n-t-r-o-l the ball.
Your Goal--Is to learn and practice how to absorb a hard hit ball that has been spiked at you from a close distance and then delivering that ball (ever so softly, ever so accurately people) in control, to your target without making them move more than one step. Here's where you learn to fight to maintain control of the ball by controlling the movements of your body.
3. The third reason is to increase your range in volleyball defense.
By tipping the ball further and further out of your partner's reach advanced players can challenge their partners (you both need to agree to make the drill work) by tipping the ball further and further out of reach - the more of these balls you get in pepper-the more you will get in the game. It all transfers. Or by hitting a 1/2 to 3/4 speed down ball a foot or 2 to the right or left of the defender will increase your range of harder hit defensive balls that you dig up around you.
4. The fourth reason is to narrow your focus and concentration.
How many times have you gone to a volleyball tournament and had half a court that you could use to pepper with your partner? Hardly ever, I'm sure. That's because Pepper warm ups almost always take place in a crowded environment. You may have 25 teammates on either side of you trying to pepper, or you and your partner are near that net divider that separates the courts in a tournament, or you have fans that walk up and down the aisles, team benches, believe it or not this is a great practice opportunity where you narrow your focus and concentration so that it doesn't matter what happens around you ...the world can come to an end but your focus is only on the volleyball.
5. The fifth reason is to increase your reactions and diminish any fear of the ball
As your ball control gets better then you and your Pepper partner should agree to challenge each other to make each other better players. When you get to the point when you are exchanging 10 to 12 pass,set,hit combinations in a row, both of you should stop and commit to hitting harder at each other. About 3/4 the speed of your regular down-ball spike-BUT YOUR GOAL is to still work up to as many pass-set-hit exchanges as you can while controlling the ball. Your digs should still be going right to each other.
Remember the ball is in Your hands!
April Chapple is the editor of Inspiring Female Volleyball Players.com and the volleyball news hub Volleyball Voices.com. More information for volleyball tips players can be found at http://www.inspiring-female-volleyball-players.com/volleyball-tips.html. Copyright: You may freely republish this article, provided the text, author credit, the active links and this copyright notice remain intact.
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