Having good passing skills can give your team that needed extra edge over the competition. The forearm pass, in which the ball bounces off of the joined forearms, is an essential, yet challenging, skill to master.
Here are some pointers on how to improve your forearm pass technique and put the pressure on your opponent during a match.
Body Position
Start with the feet at least shoulder-width apart, hands in front and palms to the ceiling. This position should be low and balanced with feet pointing straight ahead.
Arms and shoulders are relaxed, and the shoulders are forward with the hips back. Hands are ahead of the head; the head is ahead of shoulders; the shoulders are ahead of the knees; and the knees are ahead of the feet. (The hands are inside of the knees, and the knees are inside of feet.)
Sweet Spot
The ball should come off the same spot on your lower forearm (just above the wrist) each time.
Checkpoint
Look to see where your forearms are red after passing.
Hips and One
Keep the hips back throughout the pass. If you need to swing you arms, the arms should swing in only one direction while passing.
Redirect
Make sure your forearms face in the direction you want the ball to go.
Start out facing the server, and always face the ball when you pass. The path of the ball should arc to the top of the net.
Consistent Contact Point
Contact every ball at waist height, and be as consistent as possible.
Short Ball
Move to a short ball by starting with a left step and ending with a left-right step. Use the same fundamentals if possible.
It's good to practice and perfect the forearm pass at all experience levels, as it is such an essential element of the game.