Digging
The volleyball skill of controlling a hard-driven ball low to keep it in play.
Overview
Digging is the defensive skill of receiving a spiked or fast-moving ball, usually low to the ground on the forearms, and keeping it up so a teammate can play it. It is the first line of defence against an attack.
A good dig turns an opponent’s power into a controlled ball for your own team, buying the setter time to organise the next attack.
Key points
- Contacting the ball on the forearms, low and out in front, gives the most control.
- A stable, low, balanced platform helps absorb the pace of a hard hit.
- The aim is to keep the ball up and playable, not necessarily to place it perfectly.
- Reading the attacker early gives a defender time to get into position.
- The libero is a specialist defensive player who often leads a team’s digging.
Where it’s used
Sports that use digging:
How it connects
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Progresses to
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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.
- SettingBoth are taught in the “Learn the core skills” stage of the Volleyball learning path.
- BlockingBoth are taught in the “Learn the core skills” stage of the Volleyball learning path.
Part of
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Skills Academy
- Team-play skillsThe skills that make a team work — combining, covering and communicating through the ball.
- 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.
- Endurance-sport skillsThe skills of going the distance — pacing, breathing and efficient technique in running, cycling and swimming.
- Ball-sport skillsThe skills that recur across ball games — control, passing, dribbling, shooting and defending.
Player roles
- Last line of defenceThe final barrier between an attack and a score — the goalkeeper, sweeper or last-ditch defender whose job is to stop what the rest of the team has let through.
- Ball-winnerA ball-winner is the player tasked with regaining possession through pressing, tackling and interceptions — a team's tireless defensive workhorse.
Movement patterns
- ReachExtending a limb toward a distant point or object, often at full stretch, by projecting a distal segment beyond the body's resting envelope while a stabilised base preserves balance and control.
- Shuffle (Lateral Shuffle)A low, athletic side-to-side stepping pattern in which the feet never cross, used to reposition and stay balanced and reactive while keeping the shoulders square to a target.
- 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.
- BackpedalControlled backward locomotion performed while facing forward, staying low and pushing off the balls of the feet in short strides to stay reactive and keep play in view.
Techniques
- Volleyball DigA defensive contact that keeps a hard-driven ball in play by passing it up off the forearms, usually from a low position.
- HeaderA technique for controlling or striking the ball with the forehead in football, used to pass, shoot or clear the ball in the air.
- Topspin ForehandA forehand groundstroke hit with a low-to-high swing that puts forward spin on the ball so it dips and kicks up on landing.
- 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.
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.
- ProgressionBuilding skill and training load in gradual, manageable steps so each stage prepares the next, moving from simple to complex and easy to hard.
- 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
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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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