Volleyball Bump: Build a Platform, Then Add Movement

A volleyball bump, also called a forearm pass, uses joined forearms to redirect the ball toward a teammate. It is a basic way to receive a serve or control a ball coming across the net. Your goal is usually a pass your setter can play—not an immediate return over the net.

Start with one cue: “Make a flat platform; hold its angle through contact.” The platform is the contact surface formed by your two forearms.

How to bump a volleyball

1. Start ready to move

Face the incoming ball with your feet about shoulder-width apart, one foot slightly ahead, and your knees bent. Lean slightly forward without folding over at the waist. Keep your hands relaxed in front of you rather than gripping them tightly before you know where the ball is going.

Watch the ball and move early. For an easy ball, aim to contact it in front of your body from a balanced position, rather than reaching sideways at the last moment.

2. Join your hands and straighten your arms

One simple grip is to cup one hand in the other, then bring your thumbs together side by side. Keep the thumbs level, not crossed, and straighten your elbows so both forearms present an even surface.

The exact grip matters less than a repeatable platform. The Special Olympics Volleyball Coaching Guide recommends a comfortable hand clasp with even thumbs, straight elbows, and contact on the forearms above the wrists.

3. Contact above the wrists

Let the ball meet the lower portion of both forearms, above the wrist joints—not your thumbs, hands or elbows. Keep your platform out in front, with enough space that the ball does not crowd your torso.

Do not punch at the ball with your fists. They hold the platform together; they are not the intended contact surface.

4. Set the angle before the ball arrives

Adjust the tilt of your platform to send the ball upward and toward your target. Do not assume your arms must be parallel to the floor, or that facing the setter automatically produces the right pass. USA Volleyball’s passing advice emphasizes establishing the platform angle early and keeping it steady.

For a gentle toss, use only the controlled lift needed to reach the target. As the incoming ball gets faster, avoid adding a large upward arm swing. Hold the platform’s angle briefly after contact to check whether you changed it while passing.

The Special Olympics guide specifically recommends short-distance target passing without arm swings to correct wild contacts, and passing toward a teammate rather than immediately over the net. See its passing faults and fixes.

One passing drill, three stages

Setup: Use a ball, a feeder, a passer and a catcher. Start with the feeder about 3 metres (10 feet) from the passer. Put the catcher beside the feeder, far enough away that the passer must redirect the ball rather than simply return it straight back.

Count a successful pass when the catcher can catch it above forehead height without jumping, while staying in place or taking one normal step. Use 8 successful passes out of 10 in two consecutive rounds as a suggested practice checkpoint—not a universal skill standard.

Stage	Action	Before advancing
1. Predictable contact	Feed gentle tosses directly in front of the passer. Pass to the catcher, then reset.	Meet the checkpoint with contact on both forearms and no large arm swing.
2. Move, then pass	Alternate tosses a short step left and right. The passer moves to the ball and returns to the starting position after each pass.	Meet the same checkpoint without repeatedly reaching off-balance.
3. Receive a serve	Move the feeder across the net and use easy serves from a manageable distance. Place the catcher at your team’s intended setting target, safely off the net.	Meet the checkpoint before increasing serve distance, speed or placement variety.

If control falls apart, reduce one difficulty: shorten the feed, slow it down or make its location predictable. Keep the same cue rather than adding several new instructions.

Fix the miss you can see

• The ball shoots sideways: Check whether one forearm is higher than the other or only one arm contacts the ball. Rebuild an even platform with direct tosses.
• The pass flies too far: Reduce the arm swing and adjust the platform angle. Do not automatically add more leg drive.
• The ball hits your wrists or thumbs: Check your hand clasp, then use gentle tosses to practise contact just above the wrists. Move early enough to create space in front of your body.
• You reach for every ball: Return to short left-right feeds and practise moving before contact.

Once this drill is controlled, use the serve-receive progression to add less predictable serves, shared passing space and teammate decisions.