Seasonal Changes in Body Composition in Elite Male Handball Players

Abstract

Having knowledge of an athlete's body composition values enables individuals to assess their physical condition and performance. It has become increasingly important in recent years to demonstrate the significant relationship between body composition and athletes' physical performance. The aim of this study is to examine the changes in body composition of elite male handball players during preparation and competition periods (42 weeks). Twenty-three elite male handball players volunteered for this study The Tanita brand body analysis device was used to evaluate body composition and eight measurements were taken. Athletes were divided according to their playing positions (playmakers n=8 and goalkeepers n=4, wings n=7 and pivots n=4). 7 measurements were evaluated, which were weight (W), body fat percentage (BF%), fat mass (FM), muscle mass (MM), total body water (TBW), body mass index (BMI), and basal metabolic rate (BMR). Wing players had lower body fat percentage and body fat mass than all other playing positions and regardless of position, all athletes' body fat percentage and body fat mass significantly decreased at T2 (p<0.05). As a result, increase in body fat percentage and fat mass was observed during the competition period, and this increase continued (p<0.05). The increase in fat mass during the competition period may be due to different training content and higher training intensity during the preparation period, changes in nutrition habits due to camps, long trips, and tournaments, as well as the ef-fects of fatigue and stress. Further studies are needed in these areas.