Given that volleyball games have become more intense and hyper-competitive than ever, every single point in a volleyball match has also become more important. The spike has been a critical and powerful technique in volleyball since it increases the chance of scoring. The spike is relatively unpredictable and difficult to handle for the opposing team due to the extra power and height of the attack. Therefore, being able to consistently perform effective spikes is crucial for all the elite volleyball players. The spike consists of four phases: approach, take-off, hang and landing. Among these four phases, approach and take-off are the most important steps for producing powerful jumps. The effective approach and take-off allow players to manufacture speed and explosive power for higher jumps. The purpose of this paper was to generate practical knowledge of spikes for volleyball players and coaches by reviewing studies on the biomechanics of volleyball approach and take-off.