Time-motion analysis in women’s team handball: importance of aerobic performance

Abstract

Manchado C, Pers J, Navarro F, Han A, Sung E, Platen P. Time-motion analysis in women's team handball: importance of aerobic performance. J. Hum. Sport Exerc. Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 376-390, 2013. Women's handball is a sport, which has seen an accelerated development over the last decade. Data on movement patterns in combination with physiological demands are nearly nonexistent in the literature. The aim of this study was twofold: first, to analyze the horizontal movement pattern, including the sprint acceleration profiles, of individual female elite handball players and the corresponding heart rates (HRs) during a match and secondly to determine underlying correlations with individual aerobic performance. Players from one German First League team (n = 11) and the Norwegian National Team (n = 14) were studied during one match using the Sagit system for movement analysis and Polar HR monitoring for analysis of physiological demands. Mean HR during the match was 86 % of maximum HR (HRmax). With the exception of the goalkeepers (GKs, 78 % of HRmax), no position-specific differences could be detected. Total distance covered during the match was 4614 m (2066 m in GKs and 5251 m in field players (FPs)). Total distance consisted of 9.2 % sprinting, 26.7 % fast running, 28.8 % slow running, and 35.5 % walking. Mean velocity varied between 1.9 km/h (0.52 m/s) (GKs) and 4.2 km/h (1.17 m/s) (FPs, no position effect). Field players with a higher level of maximum oxygen uptake (VȮ2max) executed run activities with a higher velocity but comparable percentage of HRmax as compared to players with lower aerobic performance, independent of FP position. Acceleration profile depended on aerobic performance and the field player's position. In conclusion, a high VȮ2max appears to be important in top-level international women's handball. Sprint and endurance training should be conducted according to the specific demands of the player's position.

High-Intensity Events in International Women’s Team Handball Matches

“…They reported that backs and pivots had the highest number of CoD (37.9 ± 9.2 and 35.4 ± 11.1 CoD per match for backs and pivots, respectively), which is partly supported by this study. Despite the difficulties for a direct comparisons between the current study, and other studies that have investigated physical demands in team handball, there appears to be little doubt that HIE actions are an important element for physical performance in both male 6,25 and female 23,26 team handball. This underlines the need for specific training for repeated HIE in addition to a need for well-developed muscle strength.…”

“…Heart rate measurements from team handball match play show some difference between playing positions 6,11,23 . Goalkeepers show lower values than all other positions 23 , which is in line with the lower Player Load™·min -1 shown in this study.…”

“…The accelerative nature of team handball is poorly investigated, however one study has been undertaken that included acceleration counts 23 , obtained via video-based analysis. Horizontal sprint accelerations were analyzed for all playing positions, and divided into eight accelerative categories ranging from <-4.5 m·s -2 to >4.5 m·s -2 .…”

Comparison of Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Anaerobic Threshold in Soccer and Handball Players

“…Players require well-developed aerobic capacity to maintain maximal performance throughout the match and to recover faster during the short periods of lower intensity or rest [9,11,12]. The handball players with a higher VO 2max can run at higher speeds during a match and can sprint more [14]. [32].…”

“…Aerobic endurance is one of the main fitness components, important for success in soccer and handball [7,13,14]. VO 2max andanaerobic threshold (AT) are the most important parameters used in the evaluation of aerobic endurance [6,15,16].…”