Effects of Imitative Resistance Exercise and Direct Practice on Handball Serving Skill

Abstract

Abstract This study was designed to investigate the relative effectiveness of three training methods on the improvement of performance in handball serving skill. This skill was considered as consisting of two qualities — the speed and accuracy of a served handball. The three training approaches consisted of an imitative resistance exercise, direct practice, and a combination of imitative resistance and direct practice. Sixty-four members of five sections of beginning handball at Weber State College volunteered as subjects and were randomly assigned as members of three treatment groups and a control group of 16 subjects each. The three treatment groups exercised 3 days per week for a period of 8 weeks. The findings of this investigation were as follows: (a) no significant difference was found among treatment groups for handball serving speed or accuracy, (b) all experimental groups experienced significant and comparable gains in serving speed, and (c) there was no significant loss in serving speed or accur...