The most important thing a blocker can do to be successful is to read the setter. This means to take a look at the setter's body position and to make an educated guess as to where she is going to send the ball. The better the setter, the better she will be at disguising her intentions and the more difficult this can be. But there are a few things to look for that will help you get a head start in the right direction.
Keep Your Hands Up
Your ready blocking position is standing with your knees slightly bent, your weight on your toes and your hands up above your head. You keep your hands high so that you can react quickly if the setter tries to dump the ball over or goes with a quick set. Even if you can't get your feet to the ball, you can get your hands up and try to get a piece of the hit and slow it down for your diggers.
Know the Setter's Options
Before the play starts, identify your front row hitters. Hopefully, you have watched your opponent play before and you know what sets each hitter likes to hit and where they like to hit it. Depending on where the other team passes the ball, you can determine what the setter's options are. If the pass is off the net, she probably can't set a quick set to the middle. If the ball is tight to the net, she may not be able to get it all the way outside or she may attempt to dump the ball over or joust with you. If there is a perfect pass, she has the option to set any hitter and you should try to read her body position.
Read the Setter's Body
Setters work very hard to be deceptive so always keep your weight even and on your toes so that you can move quickly in any direction. Now, just follow the clues to get an idea of where she is going. The first clue is her position in relation to the ball. If the ball is in front of her, she won't be able to set behind her. The opposite is also true - if the ball is behind her, she won't be effective in setting the ball outside.
If the pass is perfect and the setter takes the ball on top of her head, you will have to read her body. Where are her shoulders facing? She is most likely to square her shoulders to the final destination of the set. Is her back arched? She is most likely to set the ball behind her. Are her arms bent like she is going to push the ball outside or are they straighter so she can set the middle?
Since she is trying to fake you out, you must be sure before you commit to jump. If you jump on the setter thinking she is going to dump or you commit on the middle looking for the quick set and you're wrong, it is almost impossible to land and move in front of the hitter she has sent the ball to in time to form a decent block. Now you've put your team at an enormous disadvantage because their hitter has only one blocker and can hit the ball almost anywhere, making a dig very tough on your defense.
If you're not sure the setter is going to dump or set the quick, you can just keep your hands up and be ready to hop if she begins the motion. A short hop instead of a full jump will allow you to deflect the ball if she dumps, or to land and move to the outside on time if need be.
Know the Setter's Tendencies
The best way to get a jump on the setter is to know his tendencies. Make sure to watch him before you take him on. Does he only jump set when he sets middle? Does he have a tell or a give away when he is going to set outside? Each setter's quirks can help you decipher where he is going to go with the ball.
