Developing shots and shot selection are vital to the success of an outside hitter.  The outside hitter must be able to adjust and react to situations in order to produce kills.  By understanding defensive and blocking schemes an Outside Hitter can develop multiple shots to attack every situation.  There is no perfect defense, there is no invincible blocking scheme that can stop every shot and every hitter.  By learning weaknesses and practicing these shots an Outside Hitter can improve their productivity dramatically.  Training the visual recognition of cues and also the auditory recognition of cues from coverage players will help to develop the shot selection of the Left Side Hitter.  The success of the Outside Hitter is based on two factors: the ability to recognize

visual and auditory cues, and the ability to adequately hit the shots called for in the given situations.
  In each situation there are essentially four different options for attacking.  An outside hitter can:  swing away, use a roll shot, tip, or attempt to tool the block.  The situation dictates where to swing to, where to tip to, where the roll shot has the highest percentage to be a kill, and whether or not a tool shot has a high percentage of being a kill.  On the following pages situations will be described, then the options for each situation will be covered to help the left side hitter have an understanding for the best way to attack the block and the defense.

Double Block, Cross:  Rotation Defense, Set is Inside:
   In this situation the set dictates the adjustment.  A set inside (at the inside blocker) virtually makes this a one on one with the inside blocker.  To swing away the outside hitter should attack hard cross attempting to hit inside the middle blocker.
  There are two viable tipping zones, outside the block, close to the net, even with the player up covering tips the block may act like a screen hindering the defenders ability to read and cover the tip.  The other zone is short inside the middle blocker.  As with any tip the key is to sell the hard swing and change to tip as late as you can.  A good rule to follow is if the ball is inside tip out.  Tipping against the flow of your approach and shoulders is an effective method for disguising your tip.
  The roll shot available is inside the middle blocker and close to the net.  This shot is difficult and requires a great deal of practice to be effective and efficient.
  In this situation a tool shot is very difficult, because of the distance from the sideline.  Any tool attempted from this location needs to be high and at a dramatic angle to the sideline.

Double Block, Cross:  Rotation Defense, Set is Outside:
  With the set pushed all the way out to the antennae the situation is changed dramatically.  Swinging away now becomes a hard line shot.  Deep corner may be open  if the middle back player does not get all the way to the line, but the best shot is a slight angle away from the line more towards the middle of the court, but still outside the blocker's hands.

Double Block, Cross: 
Rotation Defense
Set is Outside