Players stand opposite each other with a ball between them. One player throws the ball up, and the other tries to "nail" the ball to the ground with the top part of their hands.
You will fail to do this exercise successfully if you do not bend knees sufficiently. Doing so enables great footwork.
The higher ball is thrown the more difficult drill becomes. Doing it for the first time, ask players to throw just over the floor, then elevate trajectory.
Most teams win the dig and then hand the point straight back with a slow, predictable transition swing. The best 2026 sides treat the moment after the dig as their sharpest scoring chance, feeding the middle in transition and running first-tempo attacks off a defensive ball.
When the first pass breaks down, most teams collapse into a high ball straight into the opposing block. The best 2026 sides are building structured out-of-system offences that turn broken plays into scoring chances using libero sets, left-side options and disciplined hitter routes.
The modern pipe attack has evolved from a high middle-back set into a flat, fast weapon that arrives at quick tempo. Coaches at every level are now drilling it as a primary scoring option, forcing blockers into impossible decisions and unlocking four-hitter offences.
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