Arm Swing
POCKET GUIDE
Welcome to the Arm Swing Pocket Guide – A Free Resource for Volleyball Athletes, Coaches and Parents!
You’re in the right place if you’re looking to unlock more power in your attack and reduce shoulder and back pain while doing it.
This free resource was created to give athletes, coaches, and parents a deeper understanding of the arm swing—and provide practical tools to start making real, lasting changes.
We’ll walk you through how to begin making those changes physically, technically, and mentally—so you can hit harder, move better, and do it all with less pain.
Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to work with thousands of club athletes across North America, consult with University programs in Canada and NCAA programs in the U.S., and help over 50 National Team, Professional, and Olympic athletes refine their swing mechanics. What we’ve seen time and time again is that better arm swing mechanics lead to higher velocities and fewer non-contact injuries—yet this knowledge still isn’t common in the volleyball world.
We’re on a mission to change that.
👇 Keep scrolling to dive into the lessons, drills, and insights we’ve developed. If you have any questions along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help.
Why the Arm Swing? The Story Behind the Movement
It always helps to understand the "why" behind the work. In this section, Co-Founder Nick Del Bianco shares the story of how the Arm Swing Academy came to exist in this unique space—and why arm swing development is such a critical (and often overlooked) part of an athlete’s journey.
You’ll learn what led us to specialize in this area, the patterns we’ve seen across athletes at every level, and why this training can be a game-changer for both performance and long-term health.
👇 Hit play and get to know the movement behind the movement.
3 Non-Negotiables for a Powerful, Pain-Free Arm Swings
Not every athlete’s arm swing will (or should) look exactly the same—and that’s a good thing. But over the years, we’ve found that there are three key elements that show up consistently in the most powerful and sustainable (healthy) players arm swings.
These are our non-negotiables—the foundations we believe every volleyball athlete should build into their swing if they want to hit harder with less pain.
👇 Let’s break them down and show you why they matter.
Overview
Rotation
Low Draw Back
Looseness
Making Changes Physically
The arm swing is a dynamic, high-speed movement that places serious demands on the body—particularly the shoulders, spine, and surrounding tissues. To perform it well (and stay pain-free), athletes must be able to afford the positions their body moves through.
That means having enough mobility to access those ranges, and enough tissue capacity and strength to repeatedly handle the forces involved.
To truly improve your arm swing, you need to be strong, stable, and mobile in arm swing-specific positions—and that development happens off the court.
In fact, for many athletes, simply improving the physical side leads to more power and less pain, even before making technical adjustments to their swing.
In this section, we’ll dive into the physical bucket and help you:
Assess the basics of how your body moves in ways that directly affect your arm swing
Use a pre-volleyball movement prep to clean up patterns and prepare for the demands of the game
Access weight room resources to build strength and capacity in the areas that matter most
These tools are designed to create real, lasting change—so your body is prepared to support a more powerful, efficient, and resilient arm swing.
Improve your Rotation
Improve your Shoulder
Improve your Overhead Strength
Pre-Volleyball Movement Prep
Making Changes Technically
Now let’s get on court! 🏐
With a solid understanding of the physical foundations behind the arm swing—and as you begin building strength and mobility off the court—we can now shift focus to technical improvements that make an immediate impact.
In this section, we’re diving into what we see as one of the lowest-hanging fruits in arm swing development: the follow-through.
Far too many athletes—whether consciously or not—stop their body from fully rotating after contact. This not only limits power, but it often contributes to discomfort or injury over time.
We’ll break down this concept in detail and introduce you to a series of drills that have helped everyone from grassroots players to National Team athletes unlock more fluid, powerful swings.
👇 Let’s get into it and start reshaping the way your arm swing feels and performs.
The Technical Bucket
Step 1: Standing Throws
Step 2: Standing Attacks
Step 3: Jumping Throws
Step 4: Jumping Attacks
Making Changes Mentally
You're not done yet.
You can have the best weight room exercises…
You can run the best on-court drills…
But none of it will make a lasting difference if you’re not kind and patient with yourself as you go through the process.
Real change takes time. It’s not always pretty—and that’s okay.
Mistakes are part of the path to more velocity and less pain.
If you've found this resource helpful and you're ready for what’s next, here are a few ways to continue your journey:
Masterclass Course (coming soon) – A deep dive into unlocking your best arm swing. Walking you step-by-step through the process of identifying your current patterns and beginning the process of change from there.
Arm Swing Academy App – Make changes anytime, anywhere, right from the palm of your hand.
Arm Swing Clinics – Join us in person for a live, on-court experience designed to help you hit harder with less pain.
1-on-1 Coaching – Work directly with Coach Nick in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for a personalized experience.
Next Steps
If you've found this resource helpful and you're ready for what’s next, keep scrolling for ways to continue your journey towards more velocity and less pain
Virtual Coaching: Arm Swing Academy App
The Arm Swing Academy App is where we work 1-on-1 with athletes—no matter where they are in the world. Our app replicates the in-person coaching experience and it’s free to try!
Arm Swing Clinics
Join us in person for a live, on-court experience designed to help you hit harder and with less pain.
1-on-1 Sessions with Coach Nick
Looking for a truly personalized approach? Work directly with Coach Nick in a unique training environment where your needs dictate the plan. Hosted in Edmonton, Alberta - choose between Breakthrough Sessions or Private Sessions
Consulting
We consult with high-level teams (NCAA, USport, Pro) to help their athletes stay healthier, hit harder, and perform at a higher level—by transforming how the arm swing is taught, trained, and supported.
