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I have started playing volleyball recently, and I fully admit I don't know the rules of the game in great detail.

Recently when we were playing, one of us played the ball with their leg and then another player continued the rally. Is this a foul?

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According to one LiveStrong.com page discussing legal and illegal volleyball hits:

Recently Updated Rules

Contacting the ball with any part of the body below the waist used to be illegal. When the ball hits any part of your body, including the leg or the foot, it constitutes a legal hit. Another USA Volleyball rule update for the 2010 season slightly changed the rule regarding physical support for a teammate. Previously you couldn't get a teammate's help to reach a ball. Now you can't get a teammate's help to hit the ball, although it is still legal for a teammate to stop you or hold you back from touching the net or crossing the center line.

According to another site, volleyball rules state:

The volleyball may touch any part of the body.

Finally, from the official USA Volleyball site, the 2009-11 US domestic indoor rules state:

9.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HIT

9.2.1 The ball may touch any part of the body.

Similarly, the 2011-12 FIVB international rules state:

9.2.1 The ball may touch any part of the body

So for all major indoor court competitions, rule 9.2.1 permits hits by any part of the body.

For beach volleyball, FIVB has a similar rule in the 2009-12 rules:

13.4.1 The ball may touch any part of the body.

So by the currently available rules, players can legally hit the ball with any part of the body.

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    You mention indoor. Is this to imply that it would be different for outdoor volleyball?
    – corsiKa
    Commented Apr 25, 2012 at 19:45
  • @corsiKa, good point. Looked up the FIVB beach volleyball rules - similar rule is in place.
    – JW8
    Commented Apr 25, 2012 at 21:05
  • Is this valid for pass only? Can I make a hit with leg?
    – Tomas
    Commented Feb 25, 2013 at 8:08
  • Use of the legs is valid in any situation except to serve but using the hands is more precise and the only real possibility to effectively spike the ball due to the height of the net.
    – MFornari
    Commented Sep 10, 2015 at 11:10

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