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 movement brain (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. brain scan shows acceptance reduces alarm center 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 movement brain 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 stress hormone by 32% and improves focus by 28%. Hatzigeorgiadis’ large study 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
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- Volleyball Visualization: The PETTLEP Guide for Athletes (2026)
- Sports Anxiety in Volleyball: A Parent’s Complete Guide (2026)
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Mental Training for Volleyball
Published by VBallStars.com — founded by a former college athlete and volleyball dad who spent nearly a decade in the gyms, watching his daughter come up through top clubs from North Texas to Atlanta, GA, and noticed the mental side was the last thing coached, if at all. Read the full story →
