What Is A Dig In Volleyball? Learn The Basics!

Introduction:

If you are a volleyball enthusiast, you may have heard about ‘digs for hard spikes many times.’ But, what exactly is a dig and a hard spike? A hard spike is the ball served from the opponent’s attack. And, a ‘Dig’ is the most common defensive strategy where defenders prevent the ball from touching the ground during an opponent’s attack. Dig is performed specifically when the ball is going to touch the ground.

When I was 14, I learned to dig the ball from my big brother. He is also a volleyball enthusiast like me. He made sure that I mastered each volleyball move perfectly. All that benefited me to score more during my high-school and college volleyball seasons. In this article, I will explain everything about Dig from my experience.

What Is Dig In Volleyball?

For beginner players, a dig may feel similar to bumping and passing the served ball. But, you can understand the difference between a dig and a bump when you perform them. A dig saves the ball from touching the court and prevents the opponent from scoring a point. A dig also transforms your team’s defensive play into an offensive series.

This is a reflex-based playing skill where you have to make quick decisions and prompt action to dig the ball. You prepare your body to stand on your toes, prepare your arms to serve the ball into a dig and get ready to move in the required direction to dig the ball.

How To Do Dig In Volleyball?

Each volleyball beginner must know these basic tips for digging the ball. There are some essential steps for digging that you have to remember.

1. Preparing For The Dig:

Observe the hitter in your opponent’s team. Watch his moves, warm-ups, and footsteps.
It will give you an idea about where he is going to attack.
With some experience, you can guess where the served ball will get headed in your side of the court.
Sometimes, players tend to fake a spike so the other team can make a mistake.
Such deceptive spikers (players who play fake spike) naturally align their shoulders toward the direction where they are going to hit the ball.
Be prepared to move in any direction to save the spike from touching the ground.
Always move your body posture in a bending direction so the body weight moves forward on your toes. Doing this helps you to move quickly for performing a dig.

2. Performing The Dig:

So, once you have guessed the hitter’s mindset and moved down for the light feet posture, you have to prepare your arms for performing a dig.
If you want to be ready to dig, just lean forward and bend your knees.
Now, take your hands in the receiving position. They should be forward and meet each other from elbows to wrists.
Keep the wrists lower than the elbows to return the spike in a forward direction.
To understand this receiving position, keep your thumbs side by side. Once you start to play volleyball, you get to know your stronger and weaker hand.
For better Dig, put the fingers of your stronger hands in an overlapping position on the curled fingers of your weaker hand.
Keep your footwork ready in bended knees position to perform the dig anytime.
I want to share this essential digging tip: Aim for the target direction so the ball goes to your teammate. Many diggers only focus on the upcoming spike and serve it with a dig.
Focus on passing the ball to your team’s setter at the net with a pre-determined dig. It can help your team to start a strong offense play.
While receiving the spike, keep your body aligned with the direction of your target to make the dig easy.

3. Do’s and Don’ts While Digging:

Do not allow your opponent to serve a second spike. For that, you have to keep the target shorter.
Do not swing the ball. Why this? A spike already has so much speed and energy due to its attacking nature. Utilize that energy for your dig. Just put the hands in the right receiving position and target properly.
Dip your shoulders, move your arms slightly up, and keep the thumbs locked to use more power from the spike. This will save your energy.
You can easily dig the ball without excess strain on your arms with the help of the right deflecting angle.

4. Digging Strategies:

4.1. Dive:

You may not get to dig successfully with a bending knee posture. There are a few extra moves you have to perform for good digging.
Diving is the most popular and personal favorite digging move. Your athletic body and prompt movements help in diving and digging the ball smoothly to your teammate without any restrictions.
Imagine you are going to serve a dipper dig while diving. Your upper body including chest, forearms, shoulders, and neck becomes parallel to the court.
Now, you dig the ball and dive on the court’s surface. Your knuckles, wrists, and chest will slide on the court to avoid injury while diving.
Keep your head and chin facing upwards while diving for safety.

4.2. Sprawl:

Diving is a forward sliding position. However, sprawling is a sideways slide.
You slide left or right side on whichever side the ball is coming. You can dip your shoulders in sprawling. Keep the forearms together, bend your knees slightly, and turn your wrists slightly to dig the ball from either side.

Try to serve the dig without landing on the court via diving or sprawling. Master the posture of bent knees and joined forearms. It avoids injury or pain in the head, hands, legs, knees, etc. To improve your dig, you can watch the following video for reference:

Reference video:

FAQs:

What is the most suitable part of my hands to perform a good dig?

You can dig the ball when you keep your forearms together and hit the ball from the area between your elbows to your wrists.

Is there any difference between a dig and a receive?

Yes. A dig is an act where you hit the attacking ball (spike) from your opponent to the setter of your team without letting it fall on the ground. A receive is an act of receiving the ball from the opponent and passing it to your setter.

Conclusion:

Digging in volleyball is a kind of art that has to be mastered. With the unique tapestry of offensive and defensive moves in volleyball, dig is the most favored and skilled act in professional players. Whether it is dive or sprawl, a dig can turn a defensive match into an offensive one. I hope this article on the Dig in volleyball has given you helpful insights to become a successful digger! Which tricks do you follow in digging? Do let us know in the comment section.