Types of Volleyball Serves: Underhand, Float, Topspin and Jump

The main types of volleyball serves are the underhand serve, the overhand float serve, the topspin serve, the jump float and the jump serve (also called the jump spin serve). Beginners usually start with the underhand serve; professional players in leagues like the PVL mostly use float, jump float and jump serves.

This guide explains how each serve works, when players use it, the serving rules every server must follow, and the most common mistakes.

Volleyball serves at a glance

Serve	Contact	Ball flight	Difficulty
Underhand	Below the waist, swinging forward	Slow, high arc	Easiest
Overhand float	Above the head, flat hand, no follow-through	Little spin; moves unpredictably	Moderate
Topspin	Above the head, wrist snap over the ball	Spins forward and dips	Moderate
Jump float	After a short jump, flat hand	Float movement from a higher point	Advanced
Jump serve (jump spin)	After a full spike-style approach and jump	Very fast, heavy topspin	Most advanced

1. Underhand serve

The underhand serve is the first serve most players learn. Hold the ball at waist height, swing your hitting arm forward like a pendulum, and hit the ball just below its centre with a fist or flat palm.

• Best for: beginners, PE classes and casual games.
• Strength: reliable and easy to control.
• Weakness: slow and easy to receive, so it is rare in competitive play.

For a step-by-step guide, see [LINK: How to Play Volleyball].

2. Overhand float serve

The float serve is hit overhead with a firm, flat hand and almost no follow-through, so the ball travels with little or no spin. Without spin, air pressure makes it wobble and drift, like a knuckleball, which makes it hard to pass cleanly.

• Best for: players who have mastered the underhand serve.
• Strength: unpredictable movement with good accuracy.
• Weakness: less powerful than spin serves.

3. Topspin serve

The topspin serve is hit overhead with a wrist snap over the top of the ball, sending it spinning forward. Topspin makes the ball dip quickly, so it can be hit hard while still landing in the court.

• Strength: speed and a sharp drop.
• Weakness: easier to read than a float, because the flight is more predictable.

4. Jump float serve

The jump float combines a short approach and jump with a float contact. Hitting from higher up gives the ball a flatter path over the net while keeping the wobble of a float serve. It is one of the most common serves in the women’s professional game.

• Strength: float movement with a lower, faster trajectory.
• Weakness: timing the toss and jump takes practice.

5. Jump serve (jump spin serve)

The jump serve uses a full spike approach: the server tosses the ball high and in front, runs in, jumps and hits it with topspin at the highest point. It is the most powerful serve in volleyball and a major weapon in the men’s game.

• Strength: speed and power; a well-placed jump serve can win the point outright.
• Weakness: higher risk of errors, and it is tiring to repeat.

Other serves you may see

• Sidearm serve: a beginner-friendly serve hit from the side at about shoulder height.
• Sky ball: a very high underhand serve, mostly seen in beach and outdoor volleyball, where sun and wind make it hard to track.

Receiving each serve

Knowing the serves also helps on the other side of the net. Receivers handle each one differently:

• Underhand and sidearm serves are slow, so passers have time to move and can often set up a clean attack.
• Float serves move late, so passers keep their platform steady and move their feet rather than reaching.
• Topspin and jump serves arrive fast and drop sharply, so passers start lower and further back.
• Sky balls fall almost straight down, so receivers watch the ball the whole way rather than the server.

In match reports, a team’s “excellent receptions” stat shows how well it handled the other side’s serves.

Serving rules every server must follow

Under the FIVB rules:

Rule	What it means
8 seconds	You must serve within 8 seconds of the first referee’s whistle
One toss	You may toss or release the ball only once before hitting it
One hand or arm	The ball must be hit with one hand or any part of one arm
Feet behind the line	You cannot touch the court, including the end line, at the moment of the serve or take-off; you may land inside afterwards
Net contact allowed	A serve may touch the net, as long as it crosses between the antennae
No screening	Serving-team players may not hide the server; they cannot raise their hands above their heads until the ball passes the net

Common serving faults

1. Foot fault: stepping on or over the end line before hitting the ball.
2. Serve into the net without it going over.
3. Serve out: the ball lands outside the court.
4. Ball outside the antennae or touching an antenna.
5. Serving out of order: the wrong player serves.
6. Delay: taking longer than 8 seconds.

Each fault gives the point and the serve to the other team. For the full rulebook, see [LINK: Volleyball Rules].

Aces: when a serve wins the point

An ace is a serve that wins the point directly, either because it lands untouched or because the receiving team cannot keep it in play. Aces are tracked as a key stat in match reports and count toward a player’s total points. For other stats, see [LINK: Volleyball Terms and Slang].

Which serve should you learn?

Level	Recommended serve
Beginner	Underhand, then sidearm
Improving	Overhand float
Club player	Topspin and jump float
Advanced	Jump serve

Master consistency before power. A serve that lands in every time puts pressure on the other team; a powerful serve that often goes out gives away points.

Serving tips

• Toss consistently. Most serving errors start with an inconsistent toss.
• Pick a target. Aim for a zone, seam between players or a weaker passer.
• Use a routine. The same bounce, breath and toss before every serve helps under pressure.
• Practise under fatigue. Late in a set, tired servers miss more often.

Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest volleyball serve?

The underhand serve. It is slow and simple to control, which makes it ideal for beginners.

What is a float serve?

An overhand serve hit with a flat hand and no spin, so the ball wobbles and moves unpredictably in the air.

Is the jump serve legal?

Yes. You may jump from behind the end line and land inside the court after hitting the ball.

Can a serve touch the net?

Yes. A serve that clips the net and still crosses between the antennae is in play.

How long do you have to serve?

Eight seconds after the referee’s whistle.

Keep learning

Practise the basics in [LINK: How to Play Volleyball], learn the full rules in [LINK: Volleyball Rules], and watch the PVL’s best servers on ArenaPlus Insider. If you also follow the betting side, Handicap and Over/Under Betting Explained explains how volleyball lines work, and Insider covers other sports in ArenaPlus Basketball and Football Betting on ArenaPlus: A Beginner’s Guide.

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