Flight phase motions have been implicated in facilitating or detracting from an effective landing from a jump. Upper limb motion has been shown to alter body position and timing during descent, thereby affecting attenuation of impact forces. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to compare landing strategies and mechanics between two types of jump that differed in the amount of arm action. METHODS Six experienced, right-handed, female volleyball players performed four trials each of volleyball block (B) and spike (S) jumps that differed only in right arm motion. Ground reaction forces (GRF) were recorded for each foot (LF & RF), and right-side sagittal plane kinematic data were collected for the lower extremity with inverse dynamics used to predict joint kinetics. Paired sample t-tests were used to evaluate significance at p ≤ .05. RESULTS Jump height was not different between B and S jumps (0.217 ± 0.073 vs. 0.205 ± 0.065 m; p = .11). Small differences in lower extremity joint angles and segment inclinations were not significant. Maximum vertical GRF was greater for B landings compared to S for RF (17.1 ± 3.5 vs. 14.9 ± 4.1 N/kg; p = .000) and for S landings for LF (17.8 ± 3.6 vs. 15.0 ± 2.5 N/kg; p = .001); time between LF and RF contact did not differ between B and S conditions (p = .670). Maximum right knee flexion was greater in B landings (65.7 ± 8.7° vs. 58.9 ± 10.5°; p = .000), and right hip extensor impulse during descent was greater for S jumps 0.035 ± 0.009 vs. 0.025 ± 0.013 Nm/kg; p = .002). CONCLUSION Upper extremity motion changed the strategy used to absorb GRF associated with landing.