Intro to Volleyball: What the Main Positions Are

In volleyball there are five positions: setter, opposite, middle blocker, outside hitter and libero. On court, though, each team has six players, because a classic line-up has two outside hitters and two middle blockers. Every position has different jobs, needs different physical qualities and — this is the part that matters to you — is trained differently.

Below you will find what each one does, where it stands and which athletic qualities weigh most.

How volleyball is played, in short

Two teams of six players, one court split by a net. You hit the ball to make it land in the opponent's court and to stop them doing the same.

The basic rules:

• Three touches maximum per team before sending the ball back over the net (the block does not count as a touch).
• The same player cannot touch the ball twice in a row, except after the block.
• The set is won at 25 points with at least a two-point gap. The match is best of five sets; a fifth set, if it happens, is played to 15 points, again with a two-point gap.
• On every change of serve the teams rotate clockwise: that is why every player spends time both in the front row and in the back row.
• Back-row players can attack, but they have to take off from behind the 3-metre line.

Internationally the game is governed by the FIVB, which organises the World Championships among other things; in Italy the reference body is FIPAV.

The five positions in a nutshell

1. Setter — sets for the hitters and runs the game.
2. Opposite — attacks from the diagonal opposite the setter, usually without passing.
3. Middle blocker — plays in the middle of the net: blocking and quick attacks.
4. Outside hitter — attacks from position 4, passes and defends.
5. Libero — passing and defence specialist, plays only in the back row.

The setter

The playmaker. Takes the second touch and decides who attacks, when and on what trajectory.

• Sets: accuracy, hand speed and consistency. A set half a metre out of place turns an easy attack into a hard one.
• Reads the opposing block: picks the least covered hitter based on how the other side lines up.
• Blocks: in the front row they have to block, often against the opposing opposite.
• Defends and talks: coordinates the team and manages the rhythm of the game.

What they need physically: quick movement over the first few metres, body control on unstable footing and the ability to jump well even after a short run. You do not need to be the tallest on the team, you need to be the readiest.

The libero

The libero is the defensive specialist. They wear a different coloured shirt, come in and out freely in place of a back-row player, and no formal substitution is needed.

• Passes: takes on the biggest share of serve reception along with the outside hitters.
• Defends: covers the angles, reads the trajectory of the attack and digs the messy balls.
• Covers the attack: gets under their own hitter to pick up the balls coming back off the block.
• Sets in an emergency: when the setter has dug the first ball, it is the libero's turn to set.

Watch out for the limits of the position, which are often explained badly: the libero cannot attack the ball above the top of the net, cannot block and cannot serve (with the exceptions allowed by some national rulebooks). If they set with their hands while inside the attack zone, their teammate cannot attack that ball above the top of the net.

What they need physically: reactivity, changes of direction, the ability to get down and back up fast, mobile hips and ankles.

The middle blocker

Plays in the middle of the net, in position 3. Almost always the tallest player on the team, but above all the one who jumps the most times in a match.

• Blocks: they are the hinge of the block. They have to read the opposing setter's hands and move sideways in time to close on the outside or the opposite.
• Attacks quick: fast attacks in the middle, on very tight timing with the setter.
• Serves: like everyone, but in most line-ups they come off for the libero when they rotate to the back row.

What they need physically: quick lateral movement, repeated jumps without losing height, eccentric strength to handle dozens of landings a match. The middle blocker is the position where jump endurance counts more than the single jump.

The outside hitter

Attacks from position 4 and is the most complete position: they do everything.

• Attacks: from the front row and the back row, often on a high ball that is not perfect.
• Passes: together with the libero they carry serve reception, which is why it is the most tiring position.
• Defends and blocks: takes part in both phases.

What they need physically: approach jump, a fast arm, elasticity and the ability to repeat the movement for the whole match. It is the position where training your jump gives the most visible return: an attack that starts higher is an attack the block closes down worse.

The opposite

Plays diagonally from the setter and is the team's scoring terminal: normally they do not pass, so they arrive at the attack fresher than the outside hitters.

• Attacks: from position 2 in the front row and from position 1 in the back row (the so-called right-side pipe). They are the player you set to in the hard moments.
• Blocks: in the front row they find themselves against the opponents' best hitter.
• Defends: covers their zone and calls the balls going out during serve reception.

What they need physically: arm power, jump height and the ability to attack high, awkward balls. It is the position that lives on pure explosive strength.

How the positions work together

A team works when the chain holds: accurate passing from the libero and the outside hitters, a clean set from the setter, an effective attack from the outside, the middle or the opposite, and everyone covering under the hitter.

If passing breaks down, everything else breaks down. That is why the best teams are not the ones with the single strongest hitter, but the ones that miss the first touch least.

Nobody is born a middle blocker or a libero: you train for it

All the qualities that define the positions — the middle's jump, the libero's reactivity, the opposite's arm — get built. And they get built better if you know where you start from.

The free jump test works like this: you upload a two-second video, the system calculates the height in centimetres from flight time and gives you the number. The video never leaves your device. The principle is always the same: measure first, then train, then measure again.

The JHP programs by position

• Jump Higher Program — 10 weeks on jumping with bodyweight only, €60. Works for every position, it is the starting point.
• Spike Revolution — 16 weeks on the spike, €60. Built for outside hitters and opposites.
• Volley PowerShot — arm power in attack, bodyweight only, €40.
• JHP Gym Edition — 16 weeks in the weight room on maximal strength and power, €60. Useful for middle blockers who have to handle repeated jumps.
• JHP Team Performance — 4 weeks built for teams and coaches, €50.
• Volley Advanced — the complete package for volleyball, €90.

With the JHP subscription you get 13 programs at €99/year, WhatsApp support and free cancellation. Or take a look at all the courses one by one.

You might also like: The basic volleyball skills: what they are and why they count · How high do volleyball players jump?