Handball Performance Research Articles

Frequent Immediate Knowledge of Results Enhances the Increase of Throwing Velocity in Overarm Handball Performance.

In the present study, the effect of frequent, immediate, augmented feedback on the increase of throwing velocity was investigated. An increase of throwing velocity of a handball set shot when knowledge of results was provided or not provided during training was compared. Fifty female and seventy-three male physical education students were assigned randomly to the experimental or control group. All participants performed two series of ten set shots with maximal effort twice a week for six weeks. The experimental group received information regarding throwing velocity measured by a radar gun immediately after every shot, whereas the control group did not receive any feedback. Measurements of maximal throwing velocity of an ordinary handball and a heavy ball were performed, before and after the training period and compared. Participants who received feedback on results attained almost a four times greater relative increase of the velocity of the normal ball (size 2) as compared to the same intervention when feedback was not provided (8.1 ± 3.6 vs. 2.7 ± 2.9%). The velocity increases were smaller, but still significant between the groups for throws using the heavy ball (5.1 ± 4.2 and 2.5 ± 5.8 for the experimental and control group, respectively). Apart from the experimental group throwing the normal ball, no differences in velocity change for gender were obtained. The results confirmed that training oriented towards an increase in throwing velocity became significantly more effective when frequent knowledge of results was provided.

Effects of in-season short-term aerobic and high-intensity interval training program on repeated sprint ability and jump performance in handball players.

This study examined the effects of a 7-week in-season aerobic and high-intensity interval-training program on performance tests linked to successful handball play (e.g., repeated sprint and jumping ability). Thirty participants (age 17.0±1.2 years, body mass 81.1±3.4 kg, height 1.82±0.07 m) performed a Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1), a squat (SJ) and a Countermovement Jump Test (CMJ), as well as a repeated Sprint Ability Test (RSA). From this, maximal aerobic speed (MAS, reached at the end of the Yo-Yo IR1), jumping ability, best time in a single sprint trial (RSAbest), total time (RSATT) and the performance decrement (RSAdec) during all sprints were calculated. Later, subjects were randomly assigned to a control group (CG; N.=15) performing their normal training schedule (5 weekly sessions of ~90 minutes of handball training) or an experimental group (EG; N.=15). The EG performed two 30 min sessions per week of high-intensity aerobic exercises at 100-130% of MAS in addition to their normal training schedule. A significant improvement in MAS (d=4.1), RSAbest (d=1.9), RSATT (d=1.5) and RSAdec (d=2.3) after the training period was demonstrated. Also, significant interaction effects (time x group) were found for all parameters as the EG significantly improved performances in all tests after training. The greatest interaction effects were observed in MAS (η2=0.811) and CMJ (η2=0.759). No relevant changes in test performances were found in the CG (mean d=-0.02). These results indicate that individually speed-controlled aerobic and interval training is effective for improving specific handball performance.

Biomechanical characteristics of handballing maximally in Australian football

The handball pass is influential in Australian football, and achieving higher ball speeds in flight is an advantage in increasing distance and reducing the chance of interceptions. The purpose of this study was to provide descriptive kinematic data and identify key technical aspects of maximal handball performance. Three-dimensional full body kinematic data from 19 professional Australian football players performing handball pass for maximal speed were collected, and the hand speed at ball contact was used to determine performance. Sixty-four kinematic parameters initially obtained were reduced to 15, and then grouped into like components through a two-stage supervised principal components analysis procedure. These components were then entered into a multiple regression analysis, which indicated that greater hand speed was associated with greater shoulder angular velocity and separation angle between the shoulders and pelvis at ball contact, as well as an earlier time of maximum upper-trunk rotation velocity. These data suggested that in order to increase the speed of the handball pass in Australian football, strategies like increased shoulder angular velocity, increased separation angle at ball contact, and earlier achievement of upper-trunk rotation speed might be beneficial.

The Effect of a Coordination Training Program on the Performance of Basic Handball Skills among Young Female Athletes

Handball is a sport which demands a high level of coordination. The term “coordination” has been defined as the ability to perform complex motor exercises. The 5 basic coordination abilities are: reaction, rhythm, balance, kinesthetic differentiation and space - time orientation. It has been suggested that “additional technique training” should be practiced during childhood and adolescence in order enhance coordination abilities. The aim of this study was to define which elements of coordination are the most important in handball and to identify whether a coordination training program will improve the performance of basic handball skills among children. Ten expert coaches in handball completed a questionnaire relating to the five elements of coordination and gave their opinion regarding the most important elements of coordination for handball players. Based on the results from the questionnaires, a program was designed to provide practice in the most important elements of coordination for handball. The study participants were 20 female youth handball players (age 11 ± 2 years). The experimental group (EG, n=20) performed a specific coordination program 3 times a week for 12 weeks. Measurements of handball performance were taken prior to beginning the program and again after 12 weeks of training. The results revealed that there was a significant difference in performance before and after the training program. In conclusion, performance of basic handball skills (passing, shooting, dribbling and defensive movements) improved after participating in the training program for 12 weeks.

The Effects of Self-Talk on Dominant and Nondominant Arm Performance on a Handball Task in Primary Physical Education Students

The present study examined the effects of instructional and motivational self-talk on handball performance using a novel task (nondominant arm) and a learned task (dominant arm) in primary school students. Participants were randomly assigned into two experimental groups (instructional and motivational) and one control group. The results revealed that for both tasks instructional and motivational self-talk groups improved their performance significantly in comparison with the control group and that for the nondominant arm instructional self-talk had a larger effect compared with motivational self-talk. The results suggest that instructional self-talk in the form of external focused cues may be more beneficial in the early stages of learning.

Evaluation of Handball Performance Based on Quantitative Index

Evaluation of Handball Performance Based on Quantitative Index

Correlations between Impulsivity and Technical Performance in Handball Female Athletes

A complex and dynamic environment where impulsivity probably interferes in the human behavior is the sport context. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate the possible relationship between impulsivity and technical performance in handball athletes. Eleven junior female athletes on a handball team were submitted to a neuropsychological assessment of impulsivity using Conner’s CPT-II and the Iowa Gambling Task. In 11 matches, participants’ handball performance was analyzed. We adopted the resampling statistical approach to correlate the measures of technical performance with the neuropsychological measures. IGT net score was posi- tively correlated with technical faults. Omission errors on the CPT-II were positively correlated with the number of fouls suffered, the number of fouls committed, and the number of offensive fouls. Commission errors on the CPT-II were negatively correlated with rebounds with defense ball possession. Our results support the idea of relationships between impulsivity and technical performance in specific match situations.

An Implicit Basis for the Retention Benefits of Random Practice

ABSTRACT The cognitive effort explanations of contextual interference (CI) and implicit motor learning represent a paradox in which cognitive involvement is seen to be advantageous or disadvantageous for learning. The authors aimed to resolve this paradox by measuring cognitive effort and working memory dependence during low and high CI practice on two Australian Rules Football tasks (kicking and handball). Measures of cognitive effort included: kicking and handball outcome performance during acquisition and during a test of retention, performance on a probe reaction time task during a sample of acquisition trials, and self-reported levels of cognitive effort. Measures of implicit and explicit learning included kicking and handball performance during a secondary task transfer, and self-report verbal protocols (number of verbal rules and hypotheses reported). The results suggest that high CI may cause an implicit mode of learning, perhaps due to the interference caused by task switching. However, these findings are restricted to the more complex of the 2 tasks (kicking).

Game-based Training in Young Elite Handball Players

This study compared the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIT) versus specific game-based handball training (HBT) on handball performance parameters. Thirty-two highly-trained adolescents (15.5+/-0.9 y) were assigned to either HIT (n=17) or HBT (n=15) groups, that performed either HIT or HBT twice per week for 10 weeks. The HIT consisted of 12-24 x 15 s runs at 95% of the speed reached at the end of the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (V(IFT)) interspersed with 15 s passive recovery, while the HBT consisted of small-sided handball games performed over a similar time period. Before and after training, performance was assessed with a counter movement jump (CMJ), 10 m sprint time (10 m), best (RSAbest) and mean (RSAmean) times on a repeated sprint ability (RSA) test, the V(IFT) and the intermittent endurance index (iEI). After training, RSAbest (-3.5+/-2.7%), RSAmean (-3.9+/-2.2%) and V(IFT) (+6.3+/-5.2%) were improved (P<0.05), but there was no difference between groups. In conclusion, both HIT and HBT were found to be effective training modes for adolescent handball players. However, HBT should be considered as the preferred training method due to its higher game-based specificity.