How to Fix the Yips in Volleyball: 7 Drills That Actually Work (2026)
What Are the Yips? The yips are a sudden, unexplained loss of fine motor skills – most commonly in serving, setting, or hitting. It’s not lack of talent. It’s a neurological glitch caused by overthinking. Research from the Journal of Sports Sciences shows the yips involve a breakdown between the basal ganglia (autopilot) and motor cortex (control center).
?? Before you start: Take our free baseline assessment to see if focus or composure scores correlate with your yips triggers.
1. Acceptance Reset Drill
What: A 3-second mental reset that breaks the yips cycle by accepting the intrusive thought instead of fighting it.
Science: Gardner & Moore’s (2007) MAC study found athletes who accept distracting thoughts perform 20% better under pressure than those who try to suppress them. fMRI shows acceptance reduces amygdala reactivity by ~40%.
How: When the yip thought appears: (1) Say “There it is,” (2) Accept it without judgment, (3) Cue “form first, outcome later.”
Time needed: 3 seconds per rep. Do 10 reps per practice.
2. Slow-Motion Rehearsal
What: Perform the affected skill at 25% speed, focusing exclusively on technique, not result.
Why it works: The yips are caused by the motor cortex overriding the basal ganglia. Slow motion allows the basal ganglia to re-establish the motor pattern without interference.
How: If serving yips: stand at the service line. Execute the entire serving motion at 25% speed. Do 10 slow reps before attempting full-speed.
3. Pre-Routine Lock-In
What: An identical 12-second ritual before every serve or set, regardless of pressure.
How: (1) Step behind line, (2) Two ball bounces, (3) Deep breath, (4) Cue word (“smooth”), (5) Visualize correct technique, (6) Execute. Do this EVERY time.
4. External Focus Shift
What: Redirect attention from your body mechanics to an external target.
Research: Wulf’s (2013) attentional focus research shows external focus consistently outperforms internal focus for accuracy and consistency. The yips thrive on internal focus.
How: Instead of “keep my elbow high,” pick a specific target and focus exclusively on sending the ball there.
5. Pressure Simulation Exposure
What: Practice the affected skill under simulated pressure in practice.
How: Create a consequence: 10 serves, must hit target zone 7/10 or do 10 pushups. Increase pressure weekly.
6. PETTLEP Visualization for Yips
What: Mental rehearsal of flawless execution using all 7 PETTLEP elements.
How: Visualize your serve/set/hit perfectly 10 times in a row. If a yip image intrudes, reset and start over.
7. Self-Talk Reframe Playbook
What: Replace yips-triggering thoughts with pre-planned cue words.
Science: CBT-based self-talk reduces cortisol by 32% and improves focus by 28%. Hatzigeorgiadis’ meta-analysis of 32 studies found d=0.81 improvement.
Common yips thoughts ? Cues:
“I’m going to screw this up” ? “Smooth and easy”
“My arm feels weird” ? “Trust my body”
“Everyone is watching” ? “Same as practice”
When to Seek Professional Help
If the drills above don’t show improvement after 4 weeks, consider working with a sports psychologist or CMPC.
Related Guides
- 10 Volleyball Mental Training Drills Coaches Swear By
- 5 Volleyball Confidence Drills
- How to Build a Pre-Serve Routine
- Sports Anxiety in Volleyball: A Parent’s Guide
- Volleyball Visualization: PETTLEP Guide
Stop Guessing. Start Measuring.
Take the free baseline assessment and get a personalized profile across 14 psychological dimensions. 10 minutes. Peer-reviewed.
Related Articles
- Volleyball Visualization: The PETTLEP Guide for Athletes (2026)
- Sports Anxiety in Volleyball: A Parent’s Complete Guide (2026)
- How to Build a Pre-Serve Routine in 10 Minutes (Volleyball, 2026)
- 5 Volleyball Confidence Drills: From Bench Player to Star (2026 Guide)
Get 1 Mental Training Drill Every Week
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Strengthen Your Mental Game
- Free Mental Training Tools — 15 interactive tools, no account needed
- Take a Baseline Assessment — Measure 14 mental dimensions in 10 minutes
- Team & Club Plans — Coach dashboard, team metrics, progress tracking
مصطفى
Mustafa shares only what he learned works watching his daughter's volleyball journey. A volleyball dad and former athlete who built VBallStars from real experience.
Free Mental Performance Toolkit
Get 5 science-backed exercises used by Olympic athletes. Delivered to your inbox.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.