Choose the Controlled Dig—Until the Pancake Is Your Only Save

Use a forearm dig whenever you can place a stable platform beneath the ball and control the first contact. Attempt a pancake only when the ball is dropping beyond conventional reach and would otherwise hit the floor. A dig supports a controlled transition; a pancake is an emergency attempt to keep the rally alive.

Pancake vs. dig: the quick answer

A dig is an underarm pass made with the forearms. It commonly begins the dig-set-spike sequence, so the goal is to give the team a playable next contact, not merely stop the ball from landing. That follows the FIVB description of a dig and volleyball’s usual contact sequence.

A pancake places a flat hand on the floor beneath a rapidly dropping ball so it may rebound from the back of the hand. Volleyball Magazine’s specialist instruction presents it as a last-resort save rather than a substitute for an available pass or conventional diving play.

Comparison	Forearm dig	Pancake
Contact surface	Joined forearms	Back of a flat hand on the floor
Typical position	Low, balanced posture; may involve movement or a dive	Extended near the floor, usually during a dive
Primary objective	Control the first contact	Prevent the ball from landing
Expected control	Greater when the platform is stable	Limited and less predictable
Ideal situation	Ball remains reachable with the forearms	Only a hand at floor level can reach the dropping ball
Frequency	Standard defensive technique	Rare, last-resort technique
Teammate response	Prepare for the planned second contact	Close toward the likely short rebound

Neither move is inherently “better” in every situation. The dig is the stronger choice when control remains available. The pancake solves the more immediate problem of keeping the ball off the floor.

Decision guide: dig, dive, or pancake?

Read the ball’s height, distance and speed before selecting the technique.

1. Can you establish a stable forearm platform beneath the ball? If yes, dig it. Move behind the ball where possible, set the platform angle and direct the contact toward the setter or another playable area.

2. Can you contact the ball above the floor during an ordinary diving save? If an arm, forearm or hand can reach the ball before it drops to floor level, use that option. Do not force the hand underneath the ball when an earlier contact remains available.

3. Can only a flat hand at floor level prevent the ball from landing? Use the pancake. Extend either hand beneath the expected landing point and prepare for a short or uncertain rebound.

A tip behind the block illustrates the sequence. An early read may allow the defender to move forward and dig with both forearms. A later arrival may require an ordinary diving contact above the floor. The pancake belongs at the final boundary, when neither option can reach the ball and only a flat hand beneath it can prevent it from landing.

Judge the choice by what it gives the team next. A routine dig directed toward the setter is usually more useful than a dramatic save that nobody can pursue. A current community discussion comparing pancakes and controlled digs reflects that contrast, but the comments are individual opinions rather than representative evidence that either move is universally best.

What happens after the pancake?

Teammate coverage is part of the technique. A pancake rebound may rise only a short distance or travel unpredictably, so nearby players should move toward the likely rebound instead of assuming the diving player will take the next ball.

Responsibilities are simple:

• The nearest available teammate pursues the rebound.
• Other players communicate and prepare for an out-of-system play.
• The pancake player recovers and clears the pursuit path.

The defender may finish the save on the floor directly beneath or beside the rebound. Remaining there can obstruct the teammate trying to continue the rally.

A typical sequence looks like this:

1. An attacker tips behind the block.
2. The defender moves forward but cannot put a forearm platform beneath the ball.
3. The defender inserts a flat hand at floor level and pancakes it.
4. A nearby teammate plays the short rebound as the second contact.
5. The team uses its remaining contact to return the ball.

The pancake supplies the first contact without needing to be formally classified as a dig. The teammate stabilizes the second ball, and the third contact returns it, fitting the FIVB overview of volleyball’s three-hit structure.

Train that coverage before it is needed in a match. Teammates should begin closing when they recognize the defender’s forward pursuit; waiting to see whether the ball rebounds may leave them too late.

Does a pancake count as a legal contact?

Volleyball is a rebound sport, and the ball may not be held. A clean rebound from a flat hand may continue the rally within the team’s available contacts. Reaching the floor before the ball, however, does not automatically make every pancake legal; the nature of the contact still matters.

The FIVB basic-rules overview defines a dig and describes the three-hit sequence, but it does not define a pancake, provide a pancake-specific officiating test or formally classify the move as a type of dig. “Get your hand under it” is therefore a coaching cue, not a universal ruling.

Competition formats may apply more detailed rules and interpretations. For a tournament-specific question, consult the current rulebook for that competition or ask the assigned referee.

A progressive way to learn the pancake

Teach the movement as three connected actions:

1. Approach or dive: Move toward the dropping ball while lowering the body under control.
2. Reach: Extend either hand flat against the floor beneath the expected landing point.
3. Recovery: Continue through the floor movement, regain position and clear space for the next player.

Forward movement is common because many pancake opportunities occur on short balls in front of the defender. A sideways attempt is also possible when the ball drops beyond lateral reach. In either direction, track where the ball will land rather than reaching toward its current position.

Use a stationary-to-dynamic progression:

1. Stationary hand contact: Place one hand flat on the floor and drop the ball onto its back.
2. Controlled partner tosses: Track gentle drops and slide the hand beneath the landing point.
3. Hands-and-knees start: Add a short forward reach while remaining close to the floor.
4. Kneeling start: Increase the distance and connect the approach, reach and recovery.
5. Low ready position: Read a partner’s toss and complete the full defensive action.

Advance only when the player can consistently:

• keep the hand flat beneath the landing point;
• track the drop instead of reaching blindly;
• complete the current movement under control;
• recover without obstructing a teammate.

Floor practice should have qualified supervision. Clear balls, equipment and adjacent groups from the movement area, maintain adequate spacing and increase the speed and distance gradually. Do not turn early practice into full-speed competition.

Common decision errors

Pancaking a ball that can still be dug. If a stable forearm platform can reach the ball, use it. The pancake is not a replacement for available controlled defense.

Using a pancake when an ordinary diving contact remains possible. If the ball can be played above the floor, contact it there rather than forcing a hand underneath its landing point.

Judging success only by whether the ball avoided the floor. A save is more useful when a teammate can reach the rebound. Include its height and location in the evaluation.

Leaving coverage to chance. A teammate who remains in base position may be too far from a short rebound. Train nearby players to close and communicate.

Remaining in the pursuit path. After making the save, recover and clear space so another player can reach the ball.

Progressing to full-speed dives too soon. Return to a stationary or low starting position if the player cannot keep the hand flat, track the drop or complete the movement under control.

Treating repeated attempts as proof of effort or skill. A pancake opportunity may result from an emergency read, a late reaction or an unusual ball. Positioning, contact control and the playability of the next ball are better coaching measures.

Choose control whenever it is available. A well-positioned forearm dig usually creates the stronger transition; the pancake belongs in the emergency toolkit for a ball that would otherwise be down. Train the movement progressively, train teammates to cover the rebound, and evaluate the save by whether the team can make the next play.