Effect of small-sided handball game on aerobic capacity and repeated sprint ability of male handball players

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of four and eight weeks small-sided handball game on aerobic capacity and repeated sprint ability of male handball players. Sixteen (16) male university handball players volunteered to act as subjects and were randomly assigned to small-sided handball game group (SSHG) and control group (CG). Small-sided handball game was administered three days in a week for eight weeks. Subjects were measured on aerobic capacity, total sprint time and fatigue index on three occasions first before administration of training as pre-test, after four weeks of training as mid test and after eight weeks of training as post-test. A two-way repeated measure ANOVA with last factor repeated revealed that aerobic capacity, total sprint time and fatigue index improved (p<0.05). Aerobic capacity showed an improvement of 4.75% after four weeks and 8.83% % after eight weeks of small-sided handball game training in male handball players. Similarly, total sprint time and fatigue index also decreased 4.19% and 34.9 % only after eight weeks of training but after four weeks no changes is observed. This study shows that small-sided handball game (4 vs. 4) is effective in improving aerobic capacity in four and eight weeks of training but total sprint time and fatigue index elicited changes only after eight weeks.

Effects of small-sided games and high-intensity interval training on physical performance in young female handball players

“…These results demonstrate that a combination of small-sided games and handball training or a combination of high-intensity interval training, in the pre-competition period, can be considered as a useful tool for the improvement of jumping ability, sprinting, throwing and endurance running. Our findings are in line with other research [ 29 , 30 , 15 , 16 ]. In a systematic review and meta-analysis, the authors [ 31 ] state that when small-sided games are applied 2 to 3 times per week moderate to large improvements are achieved in speed, jumping, agility, repeated sprint performance and aerobic capacity in a team sport.…”

“…Small-sided games (SSG) represent specially designed handball games for improving aerobic capacity and maintaining other important handball skills [ 15 , 16 ]. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is similar to SSG [ 14 ] and also used in handball as an effective method for improving some of these skills [ 17 ].…”

Effect of Fartlek Training on Selected Physiological Parameters among College Male Athletes

“…This shows that fartlek training had significant impact on cardiorespiratory endurance of the subjects. Previous studies of some [3][4][5][6] confirmed a significant improvement on cardiorespiratory fitness. The findings of Bagavad Geetha et al (2014) [7] supports the existence of difference in breathe hold time between athletes and non-athletes, and the effects on heart rate are more pronounced after higher intensity training [8].…”

High-intensity interval training programs and their impact on endurance performance in handball players: A systematic review

“…Only four studies from this systematic review estimated VO 2max through field-based tests, three of them RCTs [1,13,14], while the other one [29] was a quasi- results have shown increases between 6.9% [1] to 137.6% [29]. However, the results presented by Bhakti [29] should be interpreted carefully, as the study presented a low quality, had no control group, and there was no information about how the outcome was evaluated.…”

“…[1] and 9.4% [24], which are much more homogeneous values, and presenting significant increases compared to their control group counterparts. However, other studies also have considerable limitations, given that the study by Chittibabu et al [13] does not provide the results of the control group, and the other does not provide the pre-post values, only referencing their final results [14].…”