Finding the right volleyball drills for outside hitters can make or break your performance on the court when the pressure is on. Being an outside hitter—or "left side"—is arguably one of the most demanding roles in the game because you're expected to do a bit of everything. You've got to pass, you've got to play defense, and of course, you've got to be the one to put the ball away when the setter is scrambling. It's a lot to handle, but with the right focus during practice, it becomes second nature.
Most of the time, the outside hitter is the "garbage disposal" of the team. When the pass is bad and the setter is running across the court, where does the ball go? It goes high to the outside. That's why your training needs to focus on more than just hitting a perfect set. You need to be ready for the chaos.
Nailing the footwork foundation
Before you even worry about how hard you're swinging, you have to look at your feet. If your footwork is sloppy, your contact will be inconsistent. For an outside hitter, the four-step approach is usually the gold standard. It gives you the momentum you need to translate horizontal speed into vertical height.
The shadow approach drill
One of the best ways to get this down is just doing shadow reps. You don't even need a ball for this. Start at the net, transition back to the 10-foot line, and practice your "small, bigger, biggest" steps. The goal here is to make sure your last two steps—the "block step"—are explosive.
If you're right-handed, it's left-right-left. That penultimate step (the right foot) should be a long, driving step that gathers all your energy. Do about 20 of these before every practice. It sounds boring, but muscle memory is what saves you in the fifth set when your legs feel like lead.
The transition-to-attack drill
In a real game, you're rarely just standing at the 10-foot line waiting for a set. Usually, you've just finished blocking or digging a ball. This drill forces you to move dynamically. Start at the net in a blocking position. Have a coach or teammate slap the ball, which signals you to "open up" and transition back to your hitting starting point.
As soon as your feet hit the hitting line, have someone toss a ball for you to attack. The key here is not getting "stuck" at the net. You have to turn your hips, run to your spot, and then immediately transition back into your approach. It's exhausting, but it's exactly what a long rally feels like.
Master the "out-of-system" high ball
Let's be honest: your setter isn't always going to give you a perfect "hut" or "go" set. A huge chunk of your points will come from "out-of-system" balls—those high, loopy sets that come from the 10-foot line or even further back.
The deep-set challenge
To practice this, have your setter (or a coach) stand near the backline and throw high, arching balls toward the left antenna. This is one of those volleyball drills for outside hitters that really tests your patience.
The mistake most hitters make is leaving too early. When the ball is high, you have to wait wait and then explode. If you leave too soon, you'll end up under the ball, and you'll be "tipping" it rather than swinging. Practice hitting these balls into the deep corners. Don't worry about hitting the 10-foot line; focus on high hands and deep corners.
Tooling the block
Since out-of-system balls give the opposing blockers plenty of time to get set, you're often going to be facing a solid double block. You can't always swing through that. Sometimes, you have to swing off it.
Set up a drill where you have two blockers (or even just someone holding "blocker pads" over the net). Practice intentionally hitting the outside hand of the blocker so the ball flies out of bounds. We call this "tooling" the block or "wiping." It's a literal cheat code for outside hitters. If the set is tight to the net, don't try to hammer it down; just wipe it off their arms.
The pass-to-attack connection
Outside hitters are almost always primary passers. If you can't pass, you probably won't be staying on the court for all six rotations. The transition from passing a serve to getting outside for an approach is one of the hardest movements in the sport.
The "S" drill
Start in your receiving position (usually middle-back or left-back). Have someone serve or throw a ball at you. You must pass the ball to the target, then immediately "loop" out to the sideline to start your hitting approach.
The trick here is to not watch your pass. Once the ball leaves your arms, you have to trust that it's going to the setter and get to your hitting spot. A lot of hitters hang around and admire their pass, and by the time they realize they need to hit, they're late. Practice this until the movement feels like one continuous flow.
Developing a "toolbox" of shots
If you swing 100% every single time, good defenses will eventually figure you out. The best outsides have a "toolbox" of different shots they can pull out when the power swing isn't working.
The tip and roll-shot circuit
Set up a drill where you receive three sets in a row. 1. The first one, you swing for a cross-court kill. 2. The second one, you hit a sharp "roll shot" over the block to the middle of the court. 3. The third one, you give a deceptive tip right behind the block.
This teaches you to look at the defense while you're in the air. If you see the libero playing deep, that's your cue to drop a tip. If they're cheating in, swing deep. Being a "smart" hitter is often more valuable than being a "hard" hitter.
Improving your vision and IQ
High-level volleyball isn't just about athleticism; it's about seeing the court. You need to know where the blockers are and where the holes in the defense are before you even leave the ground.
The "caller" drill
This is a fun one. While you're doing your approach and getting ready to swing, have a coach or teammate stand on the other side of the net and hold up a certain number of fingers or a colored jersey. You have to shout out what they're holding up before you hit the ball.
It sounds simple, but it forces your eyes to stay up. Too many hitters stare at the ball the whole time. If you're staring at the ball, you can't see the block. By forcing yourself to look at the "caller," you're training your brain to take in information about the opposing side while still maintaining your hitting rhythm.
Conditioning for the long haul
You can have the best technique in the world, but if you're gassed by the middle of the second set, it won't matter. Outside hitters need serious "twitch" muscle fiber and stamina.
Box jumps and lateral bounds
Outside of your volleyball drills for outside hitters, you should be doing plyometrics. Box jumps are great for vertical, but lateral bounds (jumping side-to-side) are actually more specific to the OH position because of how often you have to move sideways to get outside.
Try doing "approach jumps" onto a box. Do three quick steps and explode onto the platform. It mimics the movement you do hundreds of times a week and builds that explosive power that makes a hitter truly scary to play against.
Wrapping it up
At the end of the day, being a great outside hitter comes down to consistency and mental toughness. You're going to get blocked, you're going to miss-hit a ball into the tape, and you're going to get aced. It happens to the best in the world.
The goal of these volleyball drills for outside hitters isn't just to make you a better athlete—it's to make you more comfortable in the chaos. When you've practiced the "bad" sets and the "tough" transitions a thousand times, game day doesn't feel so overwhelming. So, get your reps in, focus on your footwork, and don't forget to work on that "wipe" shot—it'll save you more often than you think!