Match Analysis of Elite Adolescent Team Handball Players

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to examine the activity profile of elite adolescent players during regular team handball games and to compare the physical and motor performance of players between the first and second halves of a match. Activity patterns (video analysis) and heart-rate (HR) responses (telemetry) were monitored in top national-division adolescent players (18 men, aged 15.1 ± 0.6 years) throughout 6 regulation games (25-minute halves with a 10-minute interval). The total distance covered averaged 1,777 ± 264 m per game (7.4% less in the second than in the first half, p > 0.05). Players ran 170 ± 24 m at high intensity and 86 ± 12 m at maximal speed, with 32 ± 6 bouts of running (duration 2.3 ± 0.3 seconds) at speeds > 18 km·h(-1); they stood still for 16% of the playing time. The mean HR during play was 172 ± 2 b·min(-1) (82 ± 3% of maximal HR). Blood lactate concentrations at the end of the first and second halves were 9.7 ± 1.1 and 8.3 ± 0.9 mmol·L(-1), respectively (difference p < 0.05). We conclude that adolescent handball players cover less distance and engage in fewer technical actions in the second half of a match. This indicates that team handball is physiologically very demanding. The practical implication is that coaches should seek to sustain performance in the second period of a game by modifying playing tactics and maximizing both aerobic and anaerobic fitness during training sessions.

A multidisciplinary approach of success in team-handball

“…7 About the interaction between expertise and individual movement patterns, it seems that random variability characterizes less experienced motor performance, whereas active functional variability may demonstrate expert motor performance. 8 In other words, it seems that movement frequency rate (which is associated with the ability of ball manipulation) may significantly predict team-handball players' performance.…”

Differences in Anthropometric Characteristics and Physical Capacities Between Junior and Adult Top-Level Handball Players

“…However, in other sports like soccer (39) and tennis (40), it has previously been shown that juniors aged 15 to 18 had a lower intermittent endurance capacity than adults. Likely, intermittent endurance associated differences between juniors and adults are related to differences in aerobic and anaerobic energy supplies (41), and may indicate here that there is a need to perform more repeated high-intensity running activities in adult handball level (7). Interestingly, our finding of differences in intermittent endurance and maximum strength capacities were less meaningful than those revealed in most anthropometric characteristics (Table 1).…”

“…During play, the players perform different types of activities, like runs (i.e., accelerations, decelerations, changes of direction, and sprints), jumps (i.e., throw jumps and blocks), ball throws (i.e., passes and shots), and duels (i.e., tackles, clasping, and screenings) (1,2). Thereby, the external load is characterized by a total distance covered of 2.8 -4.4 km (3,4), mean velocity of 53 -90 m/min (3,5), sprinting distance of 78 -107 m (3,6), and peak velocity of 20 -25 km/h (2), whereas the internal demand is considered by a mean heart rate of 82% -83% (2, 3), peak lactate concentration of 3.7 -9.7 mmol/L (7,8), and fluid loss of 2.0 -2.1 L (3,8). Notably, all match play activities as well as external loads and internal demands differ not only according to playing positions (9), but also to offensive and defensive playing phases and tactical formations (1).…”

Reproducibility of heart rate and perceptual demands of game-based training drills in handball players

“…Handball is characterized as an intermittent team-sport with high intensity technical skills and short sprints interspersed by low intensity activities including walking and standing still which represent approximately 70-80% of the total playing time 1,2 . Studies analysing the physiological demands of handball match play from heart rate (HR) response reported average values of 82% of the individual maximal HR (HR max ) in elite adult 2 and adolescent 1 players.…”