Beach volleyball is a popular sport among recreational and competitive players alike. Hand signals are an important part of the game due to the limited number of players on each team.
Knowing the various finger signals can help to enhance the strategy of the game. This article will discuss the different types of hand signals used in beach volleyball, including blocking and serving signals.
The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of beach volleyball finger signals and how they are used in the game.
Types of Signals
Beach volleyball hand signals are divided into blocking signals and serving signals, which vary between teams.
Blocking signals include:
- Using one finger to block line
- Using two fingers to block angle
- Using three fingers for a fake angle
- Using four fingers for a fake line
Other blocking signals include:
- A closed fist to indicate not blocking and playing defense
- An open hand to indicate blocking straight on
- Pointing the thumb to show the server which side to serve to
- A fist with the pinky out to mean blocking but being ready to defend beside the block
Serving signals can be as basic as:
- Indicating the right or left side of the court
- Involving two fingers close together in the center to indicate backing off the net after the serve
Variations of serving signals can include:
- Using two fingers to show the side to target
- Indicating how deep or short to aim
Knowing hand signals adds to the gamesmanship between points and can help teams mix up their moves.
Blocking Signals
Blocking in the sport of beach volleyball differs from indoor volleyball as there are no other players to block with. Signals are essential to communicate with the partner and let them know the position to defend. The most common blocking signals include using one finger to block line and two fingers to block angle. Three fingers indicate a fake angle block while four fingers indicate a fake line block. A closed fist can mean not blocking and playing defense or being confident in blocking straight on. An open hand can indicate blocking straight on or being ready to defend a side if the ball is played over in two hits.
| Signal | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| One Finger | Block Line | Pointing the thumb can show the server which side to serve to |
| Two Fingers | Block Angle | Signaling high on the back indicates a possible backset and how it will be played |
| Three Fingers | Fake Angle Block | |
| Four Fingers | Fake Line Block | |
| Closed Fist | Not Blocking/Ready to Block Straight On | Faking your block is important to keep your opponent guessing and prevent them from reading your body language |
| Open Hand | Blocking Straight On/Ready to Defend Side | A fist with the pinky out means blocking but being ready to defend beside the block |
Serving Signals
Serving signals in beach volleyball can vary between teams and can involve indicating the side to serve to or how deep or short to aim. Flashing fingers can indicate the side to target for serving, while staggered fingers can indicate both the side to serve to and how deep or short to aim. Two fingers close together in the center can indicate backing off the net after the serve.
Teams have their own variations of signals, such as using two fingers to show the side to target or how deep or short to aim. Other variations of serving signals can include flashing the right or left hand to indicate the side they want the serve to go to. Mixing up the signals is important to prevent predictability.
- Flashing fingers to indicate side to target for serving
- Staggered fingers to indicate both side to serve to and how deep or short to aim
- Two fingers close together in the center to indicate backing off the net after the serve
- Using two fingers to show the side to target or how deep or short to aim
- Flashing the right or left hand to indicate the side they want the serve to go to
