Skill
Blocking
The skill of using the hands or body to stop or slow an opponent’s attack.
Skill
Overview
Blocking is a defensive skill in which a player intercepts an attack — in volleyball, reaching above the net to stop or deflect a spike; in basketball, contesting a shot legally. It denies the attacker a clean path to score.
Timing and positioning define a good block: reading the attacker, getting into position and meeting the ball at the right moment matter far more than height alone.
Key points
- Reading the attacker’s approach helps you position the block in time.
- Timing the jump to the hit is more important than jumping as early as possible.
- In volleyball, blockers reach over the net with firm hands to redirect the spike downward.
- A block does not have to stop the ball outright; slowing it helps teammates defend.
- Legal contact rules vary by sport, so a fair block avoids conceding a foul.
Where it’s used
Sports that use blocking:
Related skills
How it connects
The meaning-bearing relationships that place Blocking in the wider knowledge graph — each one with the reason it exists.
Progresses from
The step that comes before this one in a curated learning order.
Frequently learned together
Taught side by side in the same stage of a learning path.
- ServingBoth are taught in the “Learn the core skills” stage of the Volleyball learning path.
- JumpingBoth are taught in the “Learn the core skills” stage of the Volleyball learning path.
- SpikingBoth are taught in the “Learn the core skills” stage of the Volleyball learning path.
- DiggingBoth are taught in the “Learn the core skills” stage of the Volleyball learning path.
- SettingBoth are taught in the “Learn the core skills” stage of the Volleyball learning path.
Part of
The wider grouping this belongs to.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Blocking to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Skills Academy
- Team-play skillsThe skills that make a team work — combining, covering and communicating through the ball.
- Endurance-sport skillsThe skills of going the distance — pacing, breathing and efficient technique in running, cycling and swimming.
- Locomotor skillsMoving the body efficiently — running, sprinting, changing pace and getting into position.
- Object-control skillsHandling a ball or implement — controlling, receiving, passing and moving it with intent.
- Racket-sport skillsThe core skills of racket sports — serving, returning, rallying and controlling the net.
Movement patterns
- JumpThe plyometric pattern of projecting the body off the ground through explosive triple extension and controlling the landing — the core expression of lower-body power.
- AccelerationThe athletic pattern of building speed from a standing or slow start by driving large horizontal forces into the ground to project the body forward.
- DecelerationThe athletic pattern of actively braking and absorbing momentum to slow or stop under control, producing eccentric forces that oppose the direction of travel.
- HopA single-leg spring that takes off from and lands on the same leg, using the stretch-shortening cycle to project the body vertically or horizontally.
- SlideA slide is a controlled, low-friction skid of the body or foot along a surface, used to brake, extend reach, or hold a line, where managed friction and a lowered centre of gravity govern the movement.
Coaching concepts
- Decision-Making PracticeTraining athletes to read cues and choose the right action under pressure — coupling perception to action, not just rehearsing physical technique in isolation.
- Skill acquisitionHow a movement or sports skill is learned — progressing from conscious, effortful control to smooth, largely automatic execution through practice and feedback.
- Practice VariabilityVarying practice conditions — spacing, interleaving skills and changing situations — to build adaptable, durable skill, even when it feels harder day to day.
Positions
- Middle blockerThe middle blocker plays in the centre of the net, leading the team’s blocking and attacking with fast, quick sets.
- OppositeThe opposite is a volleyball attacker who plays on the right side of the net, opposite the setter in the rotation, and is often a key scorer.
- LiberoThe libero is a defensive volleyball specialist who wears a contrasting shirt, plays only in the back row, and cannot attack the ball above the height of the net.
- SetterThe setter is volleyball’s playmaker, taking the team’s second contact and delivering accurate sets for hitters to attack.
- Wing (handball)The handball wing plays wide on the left or right of the attack, using speed to finish fast breaks and shoot from tight angles near the sideline.
Learning paths
- Learn BasketballA structured, educational learning path for basketball — from the rules to skills, techniques, tactics and training.
- Learn VolleyballA structured, educational learning path for volleyball — from the rules to skills, techniques, tactics and training.
- Learn TennisA structured, educational learning path for tennis — from the rules to skills, techniques, tactics and training.
- Learn PadelA structured, educational learning path for padel — from the rules to skills, techniques, tactics and training.
- Learn BadmintonA structured, educational learning path for badminton — from the rules to skills, techniques, tactics and training.
Techniques
- Volleyball SetAn overhead pass using the fingertips of both hands to place the ball accurately for a teammate to attack.
- Volleyball SpikeA powerful attacking hit that drives the ball sharply downward over the net into the opponent's court, usually after an approach and jump.
- Volleyball DigA defensive contact that keeps a hard-driven ball in play by passing it up off the forearms, usually from a low position.
- Bodyweight SquatA foundational lower-body exercise that lowers the hips by bending the knees and hips, then stands back up, using only body weight.
- VolleyA shot played near the net by blocking the ball out of the air before it bounces, using a short, firm punch rather than a full swing.
Go deeper with Blocking
Everywhere else on the platform that covers Blocking — assembled from what actually references it, so nothing here is a dead end.
Learn it
Structured courses and paths on the platform that cover this directly.
How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Skill
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-07-09
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