Analysis of playing position and match statusrelated differences in external load demands on amateur handball: a case study

Abstract

Currently, the load quantification during training and competition in all sports is important to injury prevention, design specific training sessions, and player performance enhancement. The present study aimed to describe the external load profile of amateur-level handball players and to compare the playing position and match outcome-related differences in an official 2nd Regional Division male official match. 19 handball players were monitored by WIMU PROTM electronic performance and tracking systems (EPTS) with ultrawide-band (UWB) indoor location technology. Statistical analysis was composed of a t-student independent sample test and one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni posthoc. In amateur handball, most demands are composed of aerobic intensity displacements (<12 km/h, 76% playing time) and low-intensity impacts (<5G). Differences were found between playing positions where wingers obtained the greatest values in high-intensity actions, centers in the volume of demands, and defensive specialist players in impacts. Besides, the winning teams performed greater high-intensity demands both in displacements and speed changes. In conclusion, the present results realized the first approximation to handball amateur demands, considering the playing role and match status-related demands to design specific training plans.

High-Performance Handball Player’s Time-Motion Analysis by Playing Positions

“…Several studies have analyzed handball games differentiating intensity categories [ 3 , 5 , 11 , 17 , 19 , 23 , 24 ], although they have taken into account neither all playing positions nor the different phases of the game. In this regard, there is a broad consensus among researchers on the need to establish certain categories when analyzing players’ movements, ranging from low-intensity (standing, walking, jogging), medium-intensity (running) and high-intensity (HIrunning, sprinting) situations.…”

“…Despite a great interest in understanding the requirements of high-level players, only a few studies have focused on analyzing the real demands of an elite handball competition in male handball [ 3 , 13 , 17 , 18 ]. Cardinale, Whiteley, Hosny, and Popovic [ 3 ], studied players’ movements during the men’s world championship using three cameras, and provided new data on players’ movements (distances and intensities) during the match.…”

“…They concluded that there was no significant difference in terms of distance covered in different locomotion categories, but they did not distinguish between offense—and defense—specific playing positions. In the same line, González de Haro [ 17 ] reported the analysis of only one match with Global Positioning System devices (WIMU PRO™, Realtrack Systems S.L. : Almeria, Spain).…”

“…: Almeria, Spain). These researchers [ 3 , 17 ] concluded that specific physical conditioning is necessary to maximize performance of handball players and minimize the occurrence of fatigue.…”

“…To the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted considering in detail the two phases of the game, offense and defense, and analyzing all the playing positions by using a technology that allows load individualization and automation, a local positioning system (LPS). Better knowledge of on-court demands of handball players at the highest level is necessary to improve the individualization of physical preparation [ 3 , 6 , 7 , 17 , 18 ].…”