Relationship between Upper Quarter Y Balance Test performance and throwing proficiency in adolescent Olympic handball players

Schwiertz

Muehlbauer

2021

Sports Med Int Open

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The objective was to investigate the effects of a 9-week elastic resistance band training within the regular handball training sessions compared to regular handball training only. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention (INT: n=16; age: 17.0 ± 0.7 years) or a control (CON: n=16; age: 16.9 ± 0.9 years) group. The INT-group performed elastic resistance band exercises (3/week) for 20–30 minutes while the CON-group conducted regular handball training only. Pre- and post-training assessments included measures of strength endurance (Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test [CKCUEST]), maximal isometric strength (MIS), and throwing velocity. Significant main effects of Test (i.e. pre- to post-training enhancements) were detected for the CKCUEST (p < 0.001, 0.54 ≤ ηp 2 ≤ 0.57) and throwing velocity (p = 0.001, ηp 2 = 0.34). We found a significant (throwing velocity: p = 0.004, ηp 2 = 0.25) and a tendency toward (MIS of the internal rotators, non-throwing arm: p = 0.068, ηp 2 = 0.12) a significant Test × Group interaction, both in favour of the INT-group. A 9-week strengthening program using elastic resistance bands combined with regular handball training is effective to improve upper extremity strength endurance, throwing velocity, and MIS of the internal rotators of the non-throwing arm.

Section: Assessment Of Maximal Isometric Strengthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of an Elastic Resistance Band Intervention in Adolescent Handball Players

Schwiertz

Muehlbauer

2021

Sports Med Int Open

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“…Behind a 1m x 1m hole in the middle of the target net, the “Stalker Pro” radar gun (Applied Concepts Inc., Richardson, TX, USA) was positioned to secure the Doppler effect while the participants were throwing ( 30 ). The stalker was fixed at a height of 1.20 m measuring velocities of 0 to 480 km/h with an accuracy of 0.16 km/h in a 0.01 s time interval with a working frequency of 35.1 GHz and a low disturbance threshold ( 31 ). Two testers executed the assessment with one tester behind the stalker reporting the values to the second tester who noted them down into the scoring sheet.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correlations between core muscle strength endurance and upper-extremity performance in adolescent male sub-elite handball players

Front. Sports Act. Living

Grüber

Muehlbauer

2022

Self Cite

Handball is an Olympic contact sport with high physical, tactical, and technical demands by the players. Out of the different techniques, throwing is the most important one to be able to score. The objective of the study was to investigate the relationships between core muscle strength endurance (Bourban test: ventral, dorsal and lateral chain) and shoulder mobility/stability (Upper Quarter Y Balance test [YBT-UQ]) as well as throwing velocity in adolescent male sub-elite handball players (N = 32, age: 17.1 ± 0.7 years, height: 181.8 ± 6.3 cm, BMI: 24.6 ± 4.9 kg/m2). All participants were free of injuries at least two weeks prior to the study, experienced (training experience: 8.5 ± 3.3 years) handball players who were tested mid-season in the evening of one of their training sessions. Pearson correlations were calculated for core muscle strength endurance with (a) shoulder mobility/stability and (b) throwing velocity. The throwing arm reach displayed significant correlations (both p < 0.05) between the Bourban test (ventral chain) and the inferolateral reach direction (IL) of the YBT-UQ (r = 0.41) as well as the composite score (CS) (r = 0.34). For the dorsal chain, significant correlations (all p < 0.01) were found for the medial (MD) (r = 0.42) and IL (r = 0.61) reach direction as well as the CS (r = 0.51). For the right but not the left side of the lateral chain, significant correlations (both p < 0.05) were detected for the IL reach direction (r = 0.40) and the CS (r = 0.35). For the non-throwing arm reach, significant correlations were found between the ventral chain and the MD reach direction (r = 0.53, p < 0.01) as well as the CS (r = 0.31, p < 0.05). For the dorsal chain, significant correlations (all p < 0.01) were found for the MD (r = 0.47) and IL (r = 0.44) reach direction as well as the CS (r = 0.41). For the lateral chain, significant correlations were detected for the MD (left and right side: r = 0.49, p < 0.01) and IL (left and right side: r = 0.35, p < 0.05) reach direction as well as the CS (left and right side: r = 0.37, p < 0.05). The dorsal chain but not the ventral and lateral chain of the Bourban test showed a significant correlation with throwing velocity (r = 0.33, p < 0.05). Our results indicate that better core muscle strength endurance is associated with better shoulder mobility/stability as well as partially higher throwing velocity of adolescent male sub-elite handball players. Therefore, practitioners should integrate core muscle strength endurance exercises into the training routines to improve upper-extremity performance of this target group.

“…A “Stalker Pro” radar gun (Applied Concepts Inc., Richardson, TX, USA) was placed exactly behind this fixpoint and the respective goal net at a height of 1.20 m facing in the direction of the thrower to secure the Doppler effect. The “Stalker Pro” measures velocities ranging from 0 to 480 km/h with an accuracy of 0.16 km/h in a 0.01 s time interval with a working frequency of 35.1 GHz and a low disturbance threshold ( 36 ). One of the testers positioned himself behind the stalker to report the throwing velocity to the second tester who noted down the values on the scoring sheet of each subject.…”

Section: Testing Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of a 6 week core strengthening training on measures of physical and athletic performance in adolescent male sub-elite handball players

Front. Sports Act. Living

Muehlbauer²

2022

Self Cite

The objective was to investigate the effects of a 6-week core strengthening training within the regular handball training sessions compared to regular handball training only. Male sub-elite handball players were randomly assigned to an intervention (INT: n = 13; age: 16.9 ± 0.6 years) or a control (CON: n = 13; age: 17.2 ± 0.8 years) group. The INT group performed the “big 3” core exercises cross curls-up, side bridge (both sides), and the quadrupedal stance (“birddog exercise”) triweekly for 20–30 min while the CON group conducted regular handball training only. Pre- and post-training assessments included measures of muscular endurance (Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test [CKCUEST] and the Bourban test), shoulder mobility/stability (Upper Quarter Y Balance [YBT-UQ] test), and throwing velocity. The ANCOVA revealed significant differences between means in favour of the INT group for the dorsal chain (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.46) and the lateral chain (left side: p = 0.015, ηp2 = 0.22; right side: p = 0.039, ηp2 = 0.17) of the Bourban test, the composite score (p = 0.024, ηp2 = 0.20) of the throwing arm reach and the inferolateral reach direction (p = 0.038, ηp2 = 0.17), and the composite score (p = 0.027, ηp2 = 0.19) of the non-throwing arm reach of the YBT-UQ. However, performance in the CKCUEST and throwing velocity did not show any group-specific changes. Therefore, 6 weeks of core strengthening training were effective in improving some components of physical but no handball-specific athletic (i.e., throwing velocity) performance in adolescent male sub-elite handball players. Practitioners may still opt for this training regimen when stimulus variability is sought or when a low load/low movement approach (e.g., during rehabilitation) is favoured.