How To Get 33% Better at Digging

Improve your defense with this one easy change to your defensive mindset. This advice is specifically for higher-level volleyball where the attack comes in with significant speed and velocity. With that being said, I am a firm believe that these strategies can benefit those at all levels with better reaction time and ball control.
If you are looking for specific volleyball advice hit those comments.

[@kgphil7844]

I was just trying to garden faster but this is cool too

[@mitchsterkenburg]

this is an all-time comment

[@PhxG]

I personally watch Grebinikov from France National team. He has his arms always super open then move down towards a platform on contact from spiker. If the ball is in front, the arms get there from momentum, if its to the side then your arms are there and you can dig the ball

[@mitchsterkenburg]

You’re exactly right. I haven’t seen much of the France’s national team but I’d imagine they are on top of the best way to play defense out there.

[@benjamincortinhas7069]

This is actually great coaching and great points, as an english volleyball player this is another reason why I want to play in the US and get coaching there, the work ethic in volleyball is much better

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Appreciate it! I think the US is a great place to start, some of the best volleyball in the world here.

[@jerrychen2302]

@@mitchsterkenburg im not sure i agree with you, only girls volleyball is huge, boys and adult volleyball are pretty sparse in my area

[@mitchsterkenburg]

@@jerrychen2302 Mens volleyball was the largest growth sport last year (44%) from high school to college out of ALL collegiate sports

[@jerrychen2302]

@@mitchsterkenburg haha ya u right, the school I teach at just got a team, but in terms of clubs i dont think ive seen a boys club here, also for adult play theres leagues and open gyms but no clubs or anything

[@mitchsterkenburg]

@@jerrychen2302 lots of room for improvement in the club and adult space. I’m with you there

[@oceumaisbonito262]

Honestly, i agree with a few things in the vídeo, but i have to say one thing, if you can dig the ball with two arms (not hands, Its arms) just do it, there’s absolutly no reason to dig the ball with one arm if you can reach with two, if you can’t reach with two, great, use a single one, but if you can, and most of the time if you position yourself correctly you can, reach it with both arms, like, there was one straight ball in the vídeo that if he literally just put his right foot a little over the line, he would literally just have to get the arms together to make an B pass instead the D pass he did on the vídeo, so, yeah, thats about it. (Sorry for bad english, not my main language)

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Definitely agree with you! If you have time take it with two without a doubt. My thing is when we get in a habit of bringing our arms together we limit our diggin on swings where we don’t have the time. That’s when scooping is more advantageous

[@rextam2195]

I bet my coach gonna send this out in the group chat

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Love to hear that

[@jamest6097]

This was really informative mate, will try out your advice on the court

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Glad to hear! Let me know how it goes

[@leonang111]

Thanks for the video and the breakdown very informative!

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Welcome! Glad it was helpful for you.

[@itsmerami]

Love the breakdown Coach! More videos like this please!! 💪

[@mitchsterkenburg]

You got it!!

[@nxzadg]

⁠@@mitchsterkenburgPlease do how to get __% on spiking next or how to get an increase in kills. Would really appreciate it Coach 🙏

[@mitchsterkenburg]

@@nxzadg will add it to the list

[@quang4880]

Hey Coach, thank you for this tip, i really feel like this will boost my defense. 👌

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Awesome, glad to hear that!

[@camquando]

your explanation is very easy and good understandable gonna try this next training thx chef! :)

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Glad to hear it! Let me know how it goes!

[@bigmixmax]

Thanks!! 😁👍🏾

[@mitchsterkenburg]

You bet!

[@zorukah6513]

Looking forward to more videos like this one

[@mitchsterkenburg]

More to come!

[@ericmicloven246]

amazing advice

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Glad it was helpful!

[@PhxG]

Great video!

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@ranaksaxena3300]

love the vid man, could you make smthing on how to read the ball

[@mitchsterkenburg]

What specifically about reading are you interested in? Positing, getting more touches, where to be on defense?

[@ranaksaxena3300]

The positioning part

[@2balkanboys]

great video

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Thank you!

[@chrisdove1641]

Thanks for the video, would you apply the same method when receiving an aggressive serve? Or do you always try and position where you can get two arms on the ball? Thanks!

[@mitchsterkenburg]

For elite servers, yes the purpose is to just get the ball in the air. So while you still want to try and get 2 arms on the ball to form a platform they might not be disconnect - which is okay! When we face tough servers the goal is to get in front of the ball and get it up by any means necessary.

[@chantillystreet7239]

this is great information and i learned a lot but i feel like if I start to dig balls with one hand that are not completely perfect my coach might get accept. For context I play in 16 open for socal cup

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Great point, I’m not saying every ball should be dug with 1. One thing to focus on though is keep hands apart for quick reaction digs. At the 16s level you should be able to dig with two for most but keep those hands apart until absolutely necessary for more touches.

[@RnB4Music]

80% of digs are dug with 1 arm in pros

[@sirownsalot13]

Any good way to train digs like this alone? Just lots of one arm touches against the wall for example?

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Tough to train alone. All you need is one person hitting balls at you working on this scooping technique. If that’s not an option, one arm touches against the wall will be your next best bet.

[@mmq6525]

let's goo marymount homies💪

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Yessir 🤙🏻

[@einstineanonas9469]

Can you coach me on how to be a better player? I live about 45 mins from MU and i need to work on my defense for tournaments

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Any interest in private lessons - feel free to shoot me an email at [e-mail]

[@ebobby1136]

if someones hitting cross at you would you say that you have time to make a platform with two arms? I feel like even at higher levels people only scoop if theyre defending the middle or a line shot.

[@mitchsterkenburg]

The answer is if you can think about putting a platform together then you probably have enough time to do it. Breaking down those habits of doing it everytime when you don’t have the time is what I’m trying to accomplish so you hold a wider base and get more balls inside and outside of your frame.

[@dapsysrecommendation5986]

do you have tips on how to give stronger overhead serves as a female?

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Females have the capability to jump serve. If you want to try that my advice would be high guide arm and low trail arm, then focus on getting to your peak vertical jump. For standing overhead topspin serves make sure you contact the ball with the meat of your palm and really snap hard with a high contact point for more velocity.

[@SeagroveTCG]

I am new to volleyball. What does dig to touches mean (137 digs, 160 touches)?

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Digs are when you are on defense and you successfully dig the ball and your teammates can get to it for a second touch. Touches are when you play the ball on defense but nobody else can get there for a second touch. You want more digs per touches because it means you are making good defensive plays and able to keep rallies going longer.

[@SeagroveTCG]

@@mitchsterkenburg so are digs a subset of touches or did he hit 160 times when no one could get it?

[@mitchsterkenburg]

@@SeagroveTCG digs are a subset of touches yes.

[@SeagroveTCG]

@@mitchsterkenburg okay wow so he really killed it with 137/160 times he touched a hit it was playable.

[@mitchsterkenburg]

@@SeagroveTCG Right! An incredibly efficient percentage, illustrating the impact that these defensive principles can provide on defense.

[@Pancept3]

This was against my college!! were they good this game?

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Which college do you go to? Mentioned a few ones in this video

[@Pancept3]

@@mitchsterkenburg nichols

[@naygoats955]

All of the clips shown have horrible digs

[@mitchsterkenburg]

Which ones you referring to?

[@naygoats955]

@@mitchsterkenburg all they all go out of system