How To Bump A Volleyball: 8 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Bump a Volleyball PDF download Download Article Explore this Article Steps Steps Other Sections Questions & Answers VideoWATCH NOW Tips and Warnings Related Articles Expert Interview References Article Summary Co-authored by Matthew Thibodeaux

Last Updated: December 26, 2025 Fact Checked

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This article was co-authored by Matthew Thibodeaux. Matthew Thibodeaux is a Professional Beach Volleyball Player and Founder of Venice Beach Volleyball Academy in Venice, California. Matthew has over six years of professional coaching experience. He is passionate about helping others learn how to play beach volleyball and empowering people to feel confident on the court. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 843,199 times.

The bump, professionally known as a pass, is the most basic and essential skill in volleyball. The bump is used to hit a ball that is below the head, or at your platform as most volleyball players would call it, and is typically used as the first touch to receive a serve or to receive a hard-driven hit. In order to be successful in this sport, you must know the basics and bumping, officially known as passing, is the most important skill.

Bumping a Volleyball

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lean forward slightly.
  2. Hold your arms straight in front of you and clasp your hands together.
  3. Keep this position and move to the ball so it comes down directly in front of you.
  4. Push up with your knees and hit the ball with both arms.
  5. Use your shoulders to aim and hit the ball over the net.
  6. Keep your eye on the ball after you bump it to anticipate its next movement.

Steps

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Bump a Volleyball 1 Get into position. You should stand with your legs about shoulder-width apart and should lean forward a bit. Your knees should be bent a little bit, ready to spring your legs into action. Your hands should come together in the last moment before the ball comes to you; when you approach the ball, you can keep your hands about half a foot apart, and bring them together when the ball comes toward you. Otherwise, it'll be hard to maneuver yourself to get in the right position to hit the ball.[1]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Bump a Volleyball 2 Create a platform with your arms. The platform is the area between both your wrists and elbows which is the "sweet spot" for hitting the ball. To create your platform, the most important thing you need to do is to clasp your hands together correctly while holding your arms straight in front of you, slightly below your waist, with your shoulders arched. Clasp your hands in front of you, with your thumbs together, side-by-side. Don't lace your fingers together, for this will make you lose control of the ball.[2] [3]
    • You can either make a fist with one hand and wrap the other around it (the ball method), or you can bend one thumb down to its palm, and rest it on the other hand (the cup method), thus cupping it with the other hand.
    • If you're using the cup method, then your thumbs should be parallel with each other, and your four fingers on each hand will be parallel with each other as well.
    • Remember to keep your elbows locked and your knees bent.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Bump a Volleyball 3 Use your legs. Using your knees, and your arms, push through the ball. If you're a younger player (12 and under), you can benefit from bending your knees and using them to power your legs and get momentum to guide the ball.[4]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Bump a Volleyball 4 Hit the ball with both arms. Position yourself so that you hit the ball with both.[5] Otherwise, you won't be able to aim the ball correctly and could be fouled. This can be a bit tricky, when the ball is coming at you at an unexpected angle, but it's always important to position yourself so that your ball hits your arms with equal force so you can aim and hit it correctly.[6] [7]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Bump a Volleyball 5 Move to the ball so that it will come down squarely in front of you. You can bump the ball backwards, of course, but you still want to make sure that you make contact with the ball right in front of you (you may need to turn away from the net). You should face the direction the ball is coming with your shoulders and the front of your body for best results.[8]
    • If you don't need the ball to go back, swing your arms or bring them above your shoulders. If you do need it to go back, carefully swing your arms backward, as much as is needed.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Bump a Volleyball 6 Pass the ball. Keep your eye on the ball. Follow the trajectory of the ball as it comes down and even as you hit it. Make contact with the ball at about waist-level. When the ball is right above your forearms, straighten your legs so that your arms move up to meet it. Try to contact the ball on your forearms (above the hand but below the elbow joint.). At the same time, move your arms forward and up slightly, but do not swing your arms. Contrary to what a lot of people think, the majority of the force should come from your legs.[9]
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Bump a Volleyball 7 Aim the ball. Dip or twist your shoulder to aim the ball. You can't really aim with your forearms, because you need to keep them flat in order to provide a good platform for the ball. Instead move from the shoulders so that both arms stay together and move as one unit. Ideally, you can square up with the ball (point your feet at the target) so you can just hit it straight forward. Remember to aim the ball slightly to the right of the center of the net, since that is where the setter should be standing.[10]
    • You should drop the shoulder and put the weight on the ball that is moving towards the target. Use your platform to help you aim the ball.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Bump a Volleyball 8 Keep your eye on the ball after you bump it. Watch the ball with your eyes, not your whole body, try to keep your chin down, because it gives you more control of the ball. Some coaches will even have you put the collar of your shirt in your mouth to keep your chin down.
    • Once you release the ball, separate your hands, but still keep them half a foot or so apart, anticipating the ball's next movement and get ready to hit the volleyball.
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Join the Discussion...

How do I get better at volleyball? Itsss Amyyyy! Itsss Amyyyy! I really want to improve on my volleyball skills like serving it, diving and passing. How do I improve and practice at home? How can I be better? Read More Matthew Thibodeaux Matthew Thibodeaux Professional Beach Volleyball Player One good way to practice volleyball is just passing it to yourself a hundred times just trying to keep the ball up in the air to develop good ball control. Find a wall so you can practice passing straight on and with either side facing the wall. If you have a court near you, draw a square in the middle of the court that goes about seven feet in from each side and five feet off the net. Toss the volleyball up to yourself and then pass it to that box. This helps you get better at aiming and controlling the ball.When you're serving, aim for a smaller spot in the middle of the court so that your serve stays in bounds. Another good target is 3 feet inside the line. That way, it gives you a target rather than trying to just get the ball over the net. For your serves, aim high, hit the ball up into the sky, and let gravity bring it down on the other side. A lot of times if you try to hit the ball straight, you'll hit it too short and it'll go into the net. Read More Destinyluvsjustinn Destinyluvsjustinn heyyy girly so a good way to start practicing serving (I've done volleyball for 3 years) is going to like parks or beaches and trying to get ur serve over the net or just buy a net and use it in your backyard for passing you could hit the ball 3 high passes and 3 low passes like on 1 knee you could also practice off a wall so serving the ball on the wall then passe it or pepper with somebody also clubs are a great way to start but they are pretty expensive or the y if u have one around u you could also practice there but you could also look up tut on YouTube,TikTok,Pinterest or even lemon8 but that is the best advice I do have I wish u the best luck have an amazing day or rest of your week!! Read More See all 3 Replies and Read Discussion

Play Volleyball Like a Pro with this Expert Series

Volleyball is an incredibly fun sport, and it's great exercise too. But there are some essential skills you need to master in order to become an effective player. Learn them all with this expert series! 1 - Play Volleyball 1 Play Volleyball 2 - How to Score Points in Volleybvall 2 How to Score Points in Volleybvall 3 - Set a Volleyball 3 Set a Volleyball 4 - Hit a Volleyball 4 Hit a Volleyball 5 - Serve a Volleyball 5 Serve a Volleyball 6 - Spike a Volleyball 6 Spike a Volleyball

Community Q&A

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  • Question How do I bump with more force? Community Answer Community Answer The lower you get, the more push you have when you stand up. The key is to not swing your arms. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 46 Helpful 227
  • Question Will it affect me if my arms are lower than my waist? Community Answer Community Answer Yes. The ball will fly down and under the net instead of nice and high. To fix this, bend your legs more so that you are closer to the ground. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 47 Helpful 155
  • Question How do I control a volleyball? Community Answer Community Answer To move it towards the right, drop your right shoulder a little. To move it to the left, drop your left shoulder. The closer your hands are to the ground, the lower the volleyball will go. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 56 Helpful 149
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Tips

  • Do not be afraid to run or dive for the ball. However, if you do run for the ball, do not run with your hands together. This will cause you to run slower and miss the ball. Thanks Helpful 39 Not Helpful 3
  • If you get small purple bruises on your arm after playing volleyball for the first time in a while, do not be alarmed. They will be sore for a couple of days but will then go away and toughen up your arms Thanks Helpful 38 Not Helpful 4
  • Stay calm and focus. Thanks Helpful 39 Not Helpful 8
Show More Tips Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

  • Do not cross your thumbs under any circumstances as it is possible to break a bone bumping that way. Thanks Helpful 26 Not Helpful 4
  • If you have tender skin, or bony arms, it is likely that your forearms will hurt when you have hit the ball a few times. Don't worry, if you power through it, you will get used to it, and it will stop hurting. Thanks Helpful 30 Not Helpful 6
  • Don't lift or "carry" the ball. The bump should be a quick hit. If the ball stays in contact with your body for too long, you could be called for a fault and lose a point. Thanks Helpful 18 Not Helpful 3
  • Do not hit the ball with your hands. Many people say it hurts to play volleyball but it is usually because they are hitting the ball with their hands. In addition, the hands do not make a good, flat platform, and you're bump will likely go errant. Thanks Helpful 21 Not Helpful 7
  • Be sure not to cross your fingers. This could lead to injury if the ball accidentally hits your hands. Thanks Helpful 17 Not Helpful 5
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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about playing volleyball, check out our in-depth interview with Matthew Thibodeaux.

References

  1. ↑ https://volleyball-basics.weebly.com/bump.html
  2. ↑ Matthew Thibodeaux. Professional Beach Volleyball Player. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ https://www.volleyball1on1.com/how-to-bump-a-volleyball/
  4. ↑ Matthew Thibodeaux. Professional Beach Volleyball Player. Expert Interview
  5. ↑ https://volleyball-basics.weebly.com/bump.html
  6. ↑ Matthew Thibodeaux. Professional Beach Volleyball Player. Expert Interview
  7. ↑ https://thephysicsofvolleyball.weebly.com/the-physics-of-bumping.html
  8. ↑ https://www.strength-and-power-for-volleyball.com/volleyball-pass.html
  9. ↑ https://www.stpaul.gov/sites/default/files/Media%20Root/Parks%20%26%20Recreation/Muni%20Volleyball%20fundamentals.pdf
More References (1)
  1. ↑ https://volleyball-basics.weebly.com/bump.html

About This Article

Matthew Thibodeaux Co-authored by: Matthew Thibodeaux Professional Beach Volleyball Player This article was co-authored by Matthew Thibodeaux. Matthew Thibodeaux is a Professional Beach Volleyball Player and Founder of Venice Beach Volleyball Academy in Venice, California. Matthew has over six years of professional coaching experience. He is passionate about helping others learn how to play beach volleyball and empowering people to feel confident on the court. This article has been viewed 843,199 times. 54 votes - 84% Co-authors: 87 Updated: December 26, 2025 Views: 843,199 Categories: Volleyball Article SummaryX

The easiest way to bump a volleyball is to stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees bent. Lean forward and place one hand on top of the other, with your palms up and your thumbs touching. Stretch your arms out and lift them upward to bump the ball. For more tips on technique, passing, and aiming, read the article! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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  • Anabelle Scagnoli

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    "This article totally helped me! This goes into detail on how to bump the volleyball. It shows way more detail than..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Matthew Thibodeaux Co-authored by: Matthew Thibodeaux Professional Beach Volleyball Player Co-authors: 87 Updated: December 26, 2025 Views: 843,199 84% of readers found this article helpful. 54 votes - 84% Click a star to add your vote Anabelle Scagnoli

Anabelle Scagnoli

Aug 26, 2020

"This article totally helped me! This goes into detail on how to bump the volleyball. It shows way more detail than..." more Birtha Jones

Birtha Jones

Apr 28, 2021

"This article was great. When I played with friends, I could barely bump the ball over the net. I practiced this,..." more Rated this article: Assej Erbulas

Assej Erbulas

May 30, 2017

"I am a fan of volleyball, but I don't know how to play. This article helps me so much. Just by reading it I..." more Stacy Thies

Stacy Thies

Nov 20, 2016

"This page is definitely something I would show a friend who needs help with the sport of volleyball. It gets into..." more Savanna Adamson

Savanna Adamson

May 2, 2017

"What helped me was how to play volleyball and how to stand when I do it. Thank you so much!" Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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