Holly McPeak’s beach workout series – Session 3

We’re back in Manhattan Beach, California, for workout No. 3 with Art of Coaching contributor Holly McPeak, a 3-time beach Olympian who trains every level of player, from Olympians to promising juniors.

In the video below, Holly goes over her objectives for this workout, which include the usual emphasis on passing and setting as well as offensive drills. Each drill has a video to show you how it works and to provide commentary and tips from Holly.

As always, 4 players are taking part in Holly’s training session. Three you’ve met in previous videos: Gigi Hernandez (a junior at JSerra Catholic High in San Juan Capistrano, California, who will play beach Pepperdine), Abril Bustamante (a senior at Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, California, who will play beach at the University of Southern California), Skylar Caputo (a senior at Mira Costa High in Manhattan Beach, California, who will play beach at Pepperdine). Our fourth on this day is Kristen Kiehnle, a senior at Mater Dei High in Santa Ana who will play beach at UCLA next season.

Pass-set warmup

Passing and setting is the foundation for a beach volleyball player, so Holly regularly incorporates both skills into her warmup sessions. In this workout, she has the players receive serve on both sides of the court and pass to a setter, who set the ball to Holly. (The video shows the players passing left, but they later moved to the right.)

Pass, set, hit – rainbow over defender

You’ll recognize this drill from workout No. 2. It’s a favorite of Holly’s because it covers all the skills and provides reps on several of beach volleyball’s most important shots, starting with the rainbow to the deep corner.

Each player serves 8 balls, then the players rotate. Two passers take turns receiving serve and the fourth player sets.

In this video, Holly talks about the hand and arm position needed to execute a good rainbow shot to the deep corner.

This is the beginning of a progression in the practice that starts with pass-set and moves on to different hitting drills that focus on offensive hand control.

Hard angle hit and cut shot

The hit you’ll see first here – the hard angle from the left side – is the halfway point between a deep corner shot and a cut shot. During a break from the drill, Holly emphasizes the importance of approaching at an angle and hitting the ball on the right side of your body.

Later, she talks about the cut shot. When hit properly, a good cut lands close to the net on the far side of the court from where the hitter is attacking.

Deep line shot facing a blocker, deep middle shot with nobody up

Here, Holly makes it more challenging for her players to put the ball down by adding a blocker for a right-side line shot to the deep corner. She serves, two players alternate as passers, one sets and another blocks.

“I like adding a blocker because it makes them really focus on a high hand,” Holly says.

The second shot you’ll see here is a deep middle hit from the right side with no blocker up. As Holly explains, this is a good trouble shot on plays when the set is less than perfect and also a good option when both players on the opposing team are off the net.

In a fiddle, deep middle

Growing up in Manhattan Beach, Holly frequently heard the older players say, “When in a fiddle, deep middle.” It’s a great tip to remember. Any time you’re not in a position to get a great swing, deep middle is a good choice.

Angle to angle drill, left to left

This drill resembles regular doubles play, but there are specific goals. The serving team serves 8 times with the server playing defense in the angle and the setter blocking line. Serves go to the left-sider, who can use any crosscourt shot in her arsenal to put the ball down, including cut, sharp angle and deep rainbow over the defender to the crosscourt corner.

It’s tough to get kills when the defense knows which direction you’re going. But that’s the point.The goal is for the receiving team to get 6 points in 8 serves.

Grab ball when blocking

The angle to angle drill that you saw in the previous videos has one player blocking line, but that doesn't mean the blocker should only take the line area and ignore everything else. On tight sets, Holly instructs the blocker to reach over the net and get on the ball.

That may result in a block or a winnable joust. If not, it may intimidate the hitter enough to make her hit a ball that's easier for the defender to dig.

Angle to angle drill, right to right

Same concept as the angle to angle drill from left to left but on the other side. Holly has all four players hit on both sides because, as she notes, left-siders sometimes have to hit on the right on transition plays – and vice versa.

Building a progressive practice

At the end of this day’s workout, Holly talks about the importance of planning a practice that builds from basic skill work like passing and setting to competitive drills that test those skills in game-like situations.