The Beach Volleyball Set
How is the 'set' in beach volleyball executed?
The set is a difficult part of the game but very important, because without a good set you're not going to get a good spike. The first thing that you need to do is move your feet to get completely underneath the ball. You get your hands above your head and it's one motion - the set is one motion up with your arms and legs - through the ball. You start here, get all the way under the ball, contact the ball, one motion up through the ball. Your thumbs, your fingers, and your wrists are loose. When you contact the ball your thumbs release out. From here, underneath the ball, one motion up, and through the ball.
How is a 'bump set' different to a set?
There are two ways of setting the ball: one is with the fingers, or your hand set, and the other is with a bump set. If you can get your feet to the ball to hand set, you have much more control. If you can't get all the way to the ball, that's when you rely upon the bump set.
Is it better to set with your hands or to use a bump set?
It's better to set with your hands because you have more control over the ball. You have your hands around the ball, you can direct the ball more easily by setting the ball with your hands.
How does the wind affect a players set?
The wind can affect a players set in many different ways. One of the ways is that you can set the ball to a spot in the sky. The wind will blow it to a completely different area so you have to compensate for where the wind is blowing. You have to know where it is blowing and push the ball into the wind; so its ends up in the place where you want it to be, when the player attacks the ball.