How to Run a 4-2 in Volleyball [Serving Rotations]

[@ThriveVolleyball]

What types of volleyball training videos would you like to see? Post your suggestions in the comments!

[@pasamine1656]

Could you do one on the 5-1 rotation?

[@ThriveVolleyball]

@@pasamine1656 I need to make a new one. The only one I have at the moment is one that I made specifically for one of my club teams but you can check it out if you'd like... but know that I give specific notes to the team I was coaching at the time... kzbin.info/www/bejne/qae3iKpqa7qVmbc

[@shaynaklein9802]

Could you do a video about a 4-2 where setter 1 is on the front left by the net, and setter 2 is back right? I get confused on who pushes who up and what spot I’m in.

[@ThriveVolleyball]

@@shaynaklein9802 in a 4-2, it would be the same as Rotation 1... S2 becomes S1 and S1 becomes S2... in a 5-1 and a 6-2, the back row setter might push another player up... here is a video on how a 6-2 would look... kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGOpaKWufKZ6qtU

[@athi2336]

tbis guy has SAVED me i was so lost in practise

[@samythatchhing]

me too

[@Skaterbug-xn3ws]

Same

[@williamkirk1226]

Same

[@bullyingguy2478]

Same

[@fralaz9028]

@@samythatchhing Same ;(

[@samermohamed7644]

Thanks for the simple explanation. Love how easy this rotation is

[@fralaz9028]

how easy?!?!!??! bro this thing made me loose my mind

[@thefrozenfire659]

​@@fralaz9028compared to other systems it is easy. But if you are used to play amateur volleyball like me it really can be hard. But I guess this would be the first step to improve your tactics in your team.

[@fatimasahi4118]

Thankyou so much!! I recently became a coach and had trouble explaining this! I appreciate it 💕

[@ThriveVolleyball]

you are very welcome 🙏

[@kilroywashere9039]

I am a first yr coach, too! It's hard to explain this w/o confusion

[@krosbydosher1466]

thank you this helps a lot!

[@gwendolynannora]

Very helpful for me thanks so much

[@joseantonioperezbreva4193]

This is excellent. Can you maybe create another video where O1 and O2 defend middle back?

[@ChloeWilliamson-kc5kl]

Yo mahn shout out to u I have made it to my colours in volleyball and still just became captain this year u really saved my life I've asked my coach a lot of times to explain the rotation but he just didn't so I had to take things into my own hands and because of u ik the rotation know much love 🫡🫶🏼

[@FunnyAsian00]

only genius can explain a complicated problem in a simple manner!

[@helenandrea1784]

Volleyball life: Saved

[@PeytonGonzales-go5fl]

So no matter what spot is serving once they rotate setters will always will be on right, middles in middle, and outside on the left, right?

[@ThriveVolleyball]

With many defensive systems, yes. Sometimes teams will have the Outside in middle-back to run a pipe attack, and then "middle" would then be in Left Back. With less experienced teams, I like to keep it simple. This video was designed with my middle school team in mind

[@PeytonGonzales-go5fl]

@@ThriveVolleyball ok thank you very much this helped me so much and I even made a club team because this video helped me understand the rotation

[@timtamsauce4121]

oh my gosh thank you so much i was so confused 😭

[@Evelyn-gp5vq]

Makes it so much easier

[@pacificrules]

Coach Stewart looks like Robert Carradine who played Lewis Skolnick in Revenge of the Nerds. 🤓 Loved that movie...

[@ThriveVolleyball]

Solid comparison :)

[@scottjan1999]

Super helpful

[@corinnasanchez390]

So say I have a weak oh2 and strong oh1 while in defense can I always have my oh1 go to the front right regardless of where she is in rotation...

[@ThriveVolleyball]

@@corinnasanchez390 Back row players are not allowed to block or attack the ball above the plane of the net so it's best if they stay in their assigned positions

[@ArgeXx-dz3ow]

What program do you use to create your tutorials? Trying to put some videos together for my team to study over the offseason. Thanks!

[@ThriveVolleyball]

I make the courts in Photoshop and then animate them I Adobe After Effects. It's not the most practical way but it's what I know.. There are some other apps that are easier that might accomplish something like this -- PlayDrill.com and Rotate123 are the more popular ones I hear other coaches talk about.

[@maxwellyoungren3417]

When we do these rotations, when do we do them? After we get a point? Or after we get to serve after the other team did???

[@ThriveVolleyball]

These are the Serving rotations so you will do these rotations when you win the point. Hope that helps!

[@adnaredzepagic8732]

Thanks sm🏐

[@AyessaG]

What if the opposite team is serving?

[@ThriveVolleyball]

Here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y57Md6SJnJipnKcsi=x2ZOyB4dpEZZ9osI

[@Jaidyg]

Omg thank you so much we just started practicing this and it’s confusing at firsy

[@Jaidyg]

First

[@ankitbhanja9762]

Can u plz tell me where i can stand the hitters that gives me benifits in this rotation

[@will_hunt]

Basic question: I’m confused about having 2 setters. Who do the players pass the second ball to? Always the front row setter? If so, what does the back row setter do? Just normal play as defense? Same thing with the back row outside hitter and middle hitter? Do they do anything “role specific”, or does everyone just turn into generic defense on the backrow?

[@ThriveVolleyball]

In a 4-2, the front row setter is the primary setter. The back row setter tends to be just a regular defensive player. With some teams, I have seen the back row setter take the 2nd ball if the front row setter takes the first ball. All back row players are "defense first". It is nice to be able to utilize back row attacks though. The beauty of volleyball is that each team is different and can design their strategies to fit their team.

[@will_hunt]

Thanks for the quick and detailed reply! So the back two hitters can still try to attack when there’s a good opportunity, that makes sense. Thank you!

[@re1ko]

I got a question could the starting position the O1 be on the left instead of the right, and O2 be on the right instead of the left, is there an advantage of this placement

[@ThriveVolleyball]

It sounds like you are describing what I show as Rotation 2 in this video. There are a few different ways to approach your starting rotations. Many coaches like to start with their strongest servers. If Rotation 2 has your strongest server them go for it. Now, if you're just trying to make it easier for the O1 to be in their base defense already, you could do that. Rotations can really be whatever you want them to be. It depends on the skill and knowledge of your players and how quickly they can learn things. An even simpler rotation scheme is to run a 6-6 where everyone plays the position they are in. I see this often in rec ball. I hope that answers your question.

[@re1ko]

@@ThriveVolleyball yes thanks alot for the long answer, I appreciate it

[@711colonel]

Why you don’t start with O1, m1, then s1 in the front row so there is one rotation where every in the front row don’t need to switch?

[@ThriveVolleyball]

You could certainly do it that way. I have done it that way with one team I coached. Rotations should be designed around the strengths and weaknesses of the team... If a team is really struggling with switching places, then maybe they should run a 6-6 instead. When teams run a 5-1 or 6-2, Outsides tend to be better passers than Middles (but not always true) and a lot of teams have their Outside drop back in Rotations 1, 2, and 3 which is why we tend to have the Setter follow the Middle instead of the Setter following the Outside

[@sailaney]

is it a rule that the playlers has to stack like that, setters of one side, middles in middles and outsiders on other side ? can a back row S1 play in the middle once the the ball is served and other players too ?

[@ThriveVolleyball]

@sailaney there is no rule. Once the ball is served, any player can play anywhere with the except that back row players cannot attack or block the ball. I know some teams that put their Setter in left back instead of right back. That's the beauty of volleyball. You can pretty much do whatever makes sense for your team

[@masar863]

Are O1 outsidehitters or opposite

[@ThriveVolleyball]

Great question. In this video, O1 is the Outside Hitter

[@HSeekerD]

If you have 2 setters, why at least in rotation 1 would you keep both setters on the same side? I am receptive to learning this because it is the ceiling i am at to progress in the group im in but I am trying to understand the mechanics and logic behind the rotations.

[@ThriveVolleyball]

Generally speaking, the base defense for a Setter is on the right side (Right Front and Right Back). This is the same system for Middles being in the middle and Outsides being on the Left side. In a 4-2, only the front row Setter will set. The back row Setter will be a defender. You can also sub the back row Setter for a defensive specialist or libero if you would like

[@Alex-el7xr]

thanks i was so confused during practice lol

[@squishythehamster9453]

Is there no right side hitter in 4-2?

[@ThriveVolleyball]

Great question! Traditionally there is not a Right Side in a 4-2 because that is where the Setters plays, however, I do like to change it up sometimes and have my Middle or Outside hit from the Right Side. It depends on the strengths of your team and it depends on how the other team's defense is set up

[@squishythehamster9453]

@@ThriveVolleyball thank you

[@quang4880]

hey Guys i dont quite understand rotation 2. Before the serve: Why is S1 allowed to move right to O1? Shouldn't be O1 between S1 and M1 to maintain the correct positioning before the serve?

[@ThriveVolleyball]

Since O1 is serving, they are not bound by the rotational order on the court. They can serve from anywhere behind the end line (and within the playing area) The other players on the court must be positioned correctly until the ball is served. Since O1 is serving, it's as if they are not on the court and M2 and S1 can move as long as they stay in rotational order of each other. Does that make sense?

[@quang4880]

@@ThriveVolleyball So before O1 is serving S1 and M2 just have to position themselves correctly to each other without paying attention to O1 because O1 is outside the court?

[@ThriveVolleyball]

@@quang4880 that's correct!

[@will_hunt]

On rotation 2, why doesn’t the serving outside hitter just serve from the left side to save time?

[@ThriveVolleyball]

They can do that if they want. Everyone has their own serving strategy. But this is just a simple little animation not intended to cover every possible scenario.

[@will_hunt]

Thanks for the reply!

[@Maria-xk4yx]

Does back row has to change as well after the serve? I thought they didn't .. the server goes to 1. and the other two players stay as they were while the server served.. It's that right.. I'm kinda confused

[@ThriveVolleyball]

The players do not have to switch. Many coaches prefer that their Outsides are in Left Back, the Middles are in Middle Back, and their Setters are in Right Back. With lower skilled teams, it may be easier to NOT switch.

[@Esterfox1987]

Thx

[@victortran9460]

don't you want hitters on either side? why are both the outside and the opposite sticking on one side

[@ThriveVolleyball]

This is a 4-2 so there is no opposite hitter in the front row, just Outside and Middle. Technically, you can place them wherever you want but having your Middle available for each play is important for running a quicker offense

[@md.shahabazpasha6658]

So middle and O2 will be hitting?

[@md.shahabazpasha6658]

I mean spiking

[@jasminebarnaby7798]

same thing I was thinking

[@rithurk2559]

What about libero

[@ThriveVolleyball]

You can put the libero in for any back row position you would like.

[@kikilee1354]

2:40

[@ankitbhanja9762]

Thnks sir i have a doubt

[@JillPenna-u9q]

Why is the setter always in the right not middle or left?

[@ThriveVolleyball]

@@JillPenna-u9q There are a few reasons... 1) most attacks go to middle back and left back. We don't want setters taking the first ball so right back puts them in the best position to take that 2nd ball. 2) Most setters are setting from the right half of the net so it is easier to move from right back to right front to set. This doesn't matter as much with a 4-2 but it does simplify rotations and base defense

[@imgalz]

why they need to switch

[@ThriveVolleyball]

@imgalz technically they don't have to, but then that would be more like a 6-6 and not a 4-2. Typically, you want your Outsides to play on the left, your Middles to play in the middle, and your Right Sides and Setters to play on the right.

[@Chänëlly4L]

So, theres no libero in this rotation?

[@ThriveVolleyball]

You can put the libero wherever you want in the back row. This is simplified for the sake of knowing who is opposite of who

[@Chänëlly4L]

@@ThriveVolleyball thanks

[@thaonhu7009]

i dont understand

[@winegarstronghold2734]

THIS.

[@atish2039]

volleyball players with pen and notebooks 😄

[@ivonatodorovic3074]

where is libero

[@ThriveVolleyball]

In this video, the libero can go in for any position you want. Most coaches will have the libero go in for M2 or the M1