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Handball Performance: Physiological Considerations & Practical Approach for Training Metabolic Aspects
Dr. Marco Cardinale - Lecturer, University of Aberdeen o o o o Introduction Handball Performance: Physiological onsiderations Handball !etabolic Training onclusion

Introduction
Handball is an "lym#ic s#ort #layed #rofessionally in many $uro#ean countries% Ho&ever' not&ithstanding the #rofessionali(ation' &hich is advancing in this s#ort' a lack of scientific information on its #erformance can be noticed% This can be due to may reasons' one of them is that most of the research &hich has been conducted in this field has been #ublished in $astern $uro#ean countries and is not readily accessible to the s#ort science community% )nother reason can be attributed to the conservative a##roach most coaches have to&ards #hysical conditioning for handball #layers% In this &ork &e have analysed the #erformance model of handball from a metabolic stand#oint and #ro#osed some coaching hints for #ractical a##lication of s#ort science findings% !odern handball is a fast game' characterised by incredible athletic #erformances by athletes% In fact' modern handball #layers are able to #erform many different moves' *um#s' running'

change of directions and technical movements in very short time and &ith an order determined by the tactical situation% +unning &ith and &ithout the ball' in line and &ith different #aths' *um#ing' thro&ing' #assing and receiving in motion or during flight re#resent the technical characteristics of a modern to# handball #layer% Then' to e,cel at the highest levels' it is im#ortant that training methodologies are develo#ed on a sim#le basis: s#ecificity% The closer to the demands of the #erformance' the better the training is% "f course' to obey to the la& of s#ecificity &e have to kno& e,actly &hat are the #hysiological demands of handball #erformance% -nfortunately' in s#ort science literature' very fe& &orks have been #resented in &hich a dee# analysis of Handball #erformance has been conducted% The aim of this &ork &as to analyse the literature findings and #ur#ose some e,#eriences conducted in Italy &ith some first league teams and national teams% Physical conditioning in handball is e,tremely im#ortant for to# #erformance' so the correct a##roach to training should be based on the kno&ledge of the s#ecific re.uirements of the #erformance and on the develo#ment of s#ecific training means% In the first #art of this &ork some #hysiological considerations have been conducted' in the second #art a #ractical a##roach to modern handball training has been discussed%

Handball Performance: Physiological Considerations

Handball matches have a duration of /0 minutes divided in t&o halves lasting 10 minutes each% 2uring this time #layers cover a total distance ranging from 3000 to /000 meters' based u#on different situations: #osition on the field' tactical defensive and offensive characteristics of the team' characteristics of the game itself and so far and so forth% In a &ork #resented by uesta 456778 handball #layers of the S#anish national team &ere sho&n to cover the follo&ing distances based u#on #laying #osition:

9eft :ing +ight :ing 9eft Back ; 37<= meters +ight Back ircle +unner 4Pivot8 ; 1<15 meters
The above;mentioned distances are close to the ones recorded in ?on(ak @ Schake 4in uesta'

; 1<<= meters ; >071 meters ; 1>/> meters

56778 related to 22+ #layers% In a study conducted in Italy &ith a s#ecific a##aratus 4Play ontroller' Phromos' Perugia8 <000 meters &ere covered by a right &ing during an official match of the Italian Second league 4un#ublished &ork' see Aigure 5%8% It is im#ortant to affirm that of course' the total dis#lacement of #layers on the field is affected by many different

#arameters% Tactical dis#osition' #osition on the field' characteristics of the match itself' are all factors &hich in some &ay can affect the amount of s#ace covered by the #layers on the field% Ho&ever' &hat is im#ortant to say is that handball #layers cover the total distance alternating high;intensity actions 4s#rinting' fast direction changes' *um#ing8 &ith game #hases characterised by relatively lo& metabolic demands due to the lo& intensity of the actions% It can be said then that the metabolic demands of modern handball involve the aerobic and anaerobic energy #ath&ays% )s a su##ortive evidence' ?on(ak and Schacke 4in uesta' 56778' have

sho&n that' during a Handball match' #layers #erform 560 rhythm variations' 3=6 change of direction' 5/ *um#s% Then' based u#on &hat these authors say' an handball #layers #erforms a total of >7< high;intensity movements in /0 minutes% )n average of 7 #er minute% !ethods of determination of &orkload through video analysis can be influenced by observerBs ca#ability of determining s#ecific events% Ho&ever' the above mentioned &ork su##ort the idea of Handball as an intermittent activity% This intermittent activity is determined by high;intensity motion 4&ith energy mostly furnished by )TP;P and anaerobic #ath&ays8 and lo& intensity motion 4in &hich

the aerobic #ath&ays have the function of active recovery8%

Aigure 5: Play ontroller analysis of a right &ing during an official match of the Italian 9eague% Paths of the #layer%

Player: right &ing

In a study conducted by 9u#o et al% 4566/8 on the athletes of the Italian Cational team during friendly matches an average heart rate of 5>< b%#%m% &as found% !a, heart rate &as 560 b%#%m and lactate values &ere > m!olD9;5% Higher lactate levels &ere found by uesta 4 E 50 m!olD9;58 and from olli' !an(i' ardinale' Fardini 4!G 6 m!olD9;5H S2G E 5%7' un#ublished data 56778% This difference in lactate levels can be attributed to the differences of match characteristics 4friendly versus official matches8 and most of all' the data collected by 9u#o et al%

4566/8 &ere referred to an e,tremely IeasyI friendly match of the national team against a team from third league% "ther data collected during the years 566/;5667 from our research grou# in Italy sho&ed heart rates ranging from 5>0 to 300 b%#%m%% "f course this range does not say anything useful for a better understanding of handball #erformance% !oreover' heart rate data can be misleading if a #recise analysis is not #erformed and the distribution is not considered% )verage data in fact' do not #rovide useful information on the &orkload of handball #layers% )s an e,am#le' in figure 5 &e can see the heart rate of a handball #layer during a tournament match% If &e should consider the average heart rate 45<0 b#m8 and the time s#ent in the Iaerobic (oneI 4=0;7<J of ma, heart rate' see figure 3 and 18' &e &ould risk to affirm that aerobic metabolism is the most im#ortant metabolic #ath&ay in handball% This conclusion has been dra&n many years ago and most coaches are still convinced that aerobic ca#acity and aerobic #o&er are the most im#ortant as#ects to train for to# #erformance% )n accurate analysis of handball #erformance should consider that the most im#ortant actions 4the ones that make the difference8 are short;high;intensity motions &hich are able to determine an increase in hydrogen ions 4HK8 #ermitting lactate formation in muscle cells determining the lo&ering of cellular #H and inhibition of muscular contraction #rocesses% High;intensity movements add to intramuscular and circulating levels of 9a and hydrogen ions 4HK8 that retard the rate of glycolysis inhibiting the activity of glycolytic en(ymes 42anforth @ Helmereich' 56/>8 or interfere &ith the muscular contraction #rocess 4Hogan et al% 566<H Cakamaru et al% 56=38%

Aigure 3 a8 Heart rate of an handball #layer of the Italian Cational Team during a match% b8 Heart rate e,#ressed as a #ercentage of "B9) threshold measured &ith !ader test in handball b8 #layers during a match% 4 olli et al% 5667 in ervar' 56678

% Aigure 1 2istribution of heart rate fre.uencies over time during the match% The data are referred to the heart rate sho&n in figure 5a% 2ata are e,#ressed as a #ercentage of the total time% In red the time s#ent in bet&een the aerobic threshold as measured by !ader test%

!oreover it should be #ointed that these Ie,#losive;ty#eI activities are follo&ed by lo& intensity actions or #auses 4active recovery8 during &hich o,ygen consum#tion is directed to favour HK trans#ort through the trans#ort chain to recharge )TP from C)2 and A)2 and to favour the ori

cycle through &hich lactate is converted to glycogen% :hen the e,ercise intensity is very high' it is very difficult for our biological system to kee# u# &ith hydrogen ions formation and lactate removal' in this case' hydrogen ions bind &ith Pyruvic acid 4end #roduct of glycolysis8 forming lactic acid &hich is then transformed to lactate in the blood and accumulating HK' determining a lo&ering of the #H of the muscle cell &hich is im#aired in its normal functions% These &ell;kno&n biological #rinci#les should re#resent the basic kno&ledge for every coach for the develo#ment of an effective training #lan% 2uring handball matches lactate levels have been sho&n to be belo& 50 mmol #er litre;5 this re#resents not a very high amount as com#ared for e,am#le to >00 meters run or 500 meters run 4i%e% Hirvonen et al% 56638% It means that lactate it is not a limiting factor in handball' ho&ever it should be #ointed that in any case' training should contain drills able to #roduce this amount of lactate to determine s#ecific ada#tations in handball #layers% In a research &ork of 2elamarche et al% 4567=8' lactate levels measured during a handball match in the Arench league' reached values bet&een > and 6 mmol #er litre;5% "f course the highest value &as reached by the #layers most active in the game 4backcourt #layers8% Similar values 4=;50 mmol #er litre;58 &ere found during international matches of a #rofessional team 42ukla Praga' Bolek @ 9iska' 56758% In conclusion' based u#on these findings' it can be affirmed that handball is a s#ort characterised by the involvement of both aerobic and anaerobic

metabolic #ath&ays in &hich the effort is of intermittent characteristics and e,#losive ty#e of movements are re#eated over time at high intensity during game situations%

Handball Metabolic Training

)s #reviously #ointed out' handball re.uires intermittent activities in &hich high;intensity ty#e of movements 4s#rinting' *um#ing' diving on the ball8 are follo&ed by lo& intensity activities% Training #lans should then be based on this conce#t &hatever they are general drills or game; like activities% In the #ast' but also no&adays' metabolic training devoted to im#rove endurance ca#abilities of handball #layers' &as based u#on the a##lication of long steady state running of various distances% The #re;com#etition #hase &as then based u#on an increase in the volume of running and by aerobic ty#e drills aimed to increase aerobic ca#acity% This kind of training is of course effective in enhancing cardiovascular ca#abilities and re#resents a form of general training &ell acce#ted' ho&ever it should be #ointed that' &hen referred to handball #layers' it is not the most a##ro#riate &ay of training for enhancing endurance' and' most of all' the IabuseI of such forms of training could be detrimental for the #erformance itself and for the effects of concurrent ty#e of training usually im#lemented in the #re;com#etitive #eriod 4i%e% strength training8% :e &ill no& see &hy% 2uring aerobic ty#e activities such as cyclic running' lo& intensity movements are #erformed re#eatedly over time% These kind of muscular activities rely mostly on the recruitment of slo& t&itch fibers 4!orris' 56/78% In this &ay' if &e use for many days this a##roach' &e &ill of course train the neuromuscular system to a #referential recruitment of slo& fibers% Cot only that' in fact' in this &ay' &e &ill train only the o,idative #ath&ays and not the anaerobic neither the )TP; P system% 2uring handball #erformance' game situations are never steady;state ty#e and involve a combination of different motions 4running back&ards' for&ards' side&ard' sideste##ing' *um#ing and so far and so forth8% Then' &hy not training handball #layers &ith intermittent e,erciseL +esearch has sho&n that' during the re#etition of high;intensity;short duration movements' the aerobic demands are very high' as indicated by the rise of o,ygen u#take 4Hamilton et al% 5665H Balsom et al% 5663H Balsom et al% 5661H Balsom et al% 566>8% In fact' during lo& intensity actions follo&ing high;intensity short burst;ty#e movements' )TP is furnished through aerobic #ath&ays% This observation is su##orted by the fact that' &hen recovery actions are relying on anaerobic #ath&ays' )TP turnover is very lo& and #ho#shocreatine resynthesis is inhibited 4Harris et al% 56=<H Quistroff et al% 56638% In fact' a direct relationshi# has been found in in;vitro muscles bet&een o,ygen u#take and #ho#hocreatine resynthesis 4Idstrom et al% 567<8% In this connection' it can be then affirmed that aerobic metabolism is mainly involved in the

re#lenishment of )TP stores and P% Training endurance for an handball #layer means train hisMher ca#abilities to #erform high;intensity motions for the &hole duration of the match% !ost of all it is im#ortant to say that intermittent training is the most effective &ay for training effectively kee#ing in mind these sim#le guidelines: high;intensity motions' &ith lactate levels belo& 50 mmol%l;5% )erobic #o&er training conducted through re#etitions of running on various distances 4>00;3000 meters8' has been often utilised &ith the aim of im#roving aerobic #erformance and delay the occurrence of fatigue% This a##roach has been sho&n also to be &rong in light of the observations conducted by Bosco 456768' &hich demonstrated an absolute inde#endence bet&een e,#losive #o&er and aerobic #erformance% The above;mentioned systematic analysis conducted by Bosco has sho&n that these t&o variables are characterised by different biological #rocesses% In fact' there &ere no correlations bet&een #erformances in aerobic tests and the ones in e,#losive #o&er% Since it is an acce#ted fact that handball #erformance at highest levels is determined by the re#etition of e,#losive;ty#e motions' it should no& be clear that training mainly the aerobic ca#abilities in handball #layers &ith track running or high volume running is *ust a time;consuming task useless for enhancing handball #erformance itself% )t this #oint it is im#ortant to define &hat must be the #ro#er direction to an effective handball;training #lan% $ndurance in handball #layers must be trained &ith general and game;like drills of intermittent #attern% "n this #rinci#le' some e,ercises have been develo#ed in &hich handball #layers #erform drills in &hich they alternate .uick high;intensity actions 4s#rinting' *um#ing' side ste##ing movements8 &ith lo& intensity activities 4running' side;ste##ing8% :ell;kno&n drills used in handball have been also analysed in order to assess their metabolic characteristics and their #ossible effectiveness in im#roving endurance in to# handball #layers% )ll the data have been collected during training cam#s of the Italian Cational Team or during training sessions of an Italian Handball Team #laying in the first league8% The aim of a conditioning coach in modern ball games should be to develo# an effective training #lan through the o#timisation of game;like activities% This is the main conce#t of s#ecificity of training' &hich should be ke#t in mind in any s#ort% Handball #layers do not like to run for hours outside' under the rain or in the &oods' they like *ust to #lay handball' run &ith the ball' move to catch the ball' and *um# and shot to score% $verything else is of course not &ell acce#ted and sometimes it is not very effective in #roducing the right ada#tations% In figures >'< and / it is #ossible to see actual measurement of heart rate during this ty#e of drills in &hich athletes &ere re.uired to #erform movements similar to the game situation' or some game;like activities% )lso some general e,ercises of intermittent &ork &ere #erformed and heart rate collected% )lso it is #resented a gra#hic sho&ing heart rate in one athlete during 5000 meters running on track and during a circuit of handball drills in &hich the athlete &as #erforming little s#rints' *um#s' side;ste##ing movements and active recovery running at #re; determined #ace and time% This com#arison has been made mostly because a lot of coaches

use running on distances bet&een /00 and 3000 meters on track to train aerobic #o&er in handball #layers% :ith this com#arison and &ith other data #resented &e are &illing to sho& that &ith a &ell;#lanned indoor drill it is #ossible to #roduce the same ada#tations' not only that' also that &ith intermittent training it is #ossible to enhance aerobic #o&er &ithout im#airing e,#losive strength% :ith this &e &ant to introduce a conce#t in training handball #layers: endurance to s#eed;strength% $ndurance to s#eed;strength is of course influenced by metabolic 4o,ygen consum#tion and lactate #roduction8 and neuromuscular factors 4AT versus ST recruitment8 ho&ever it is the most im#ortant characteristic of modern handball% The best team is the team able to #lay high;intensity handball for the &hole duration of the match% The fittest handball #layer is the one able to run fast breaks' *um# high and shoot fast for the &hole duration of the match% This goal can be reached &ith general intermittent;ty#e drills aimed to enhance s#eed endurance or &ith s#ecific drills constituted by alternance of short s#rints' side ste##ing and *um#ing in different directions over time% "f course de#ending on the rest intervals bet&een sets and re#s the target can be s#eed strength or more general metabolic enhancement%

Aigure > Heart rate collected in t&o elite handball #layers #erforming general drills of intermittent training% In the first set' the athletes &ere #erforming high;intensity motions 4s#rint' side;ste##ing' *um#s8 lasting 1;<;7 seconds' follo&ed by lo& intensity movements% In the second set' the athlete #erformed side;ste##ing motions lasting <;7;50 seconds in s#ecific (ones of the court' follo&ed by lo& intensity running in different directions lasting 5<;30;/0 seconds%

Aigure < $,am#le of different heart rate #atterns bet&een general and s#ecific handball drills 4modified from ervar' 56678%

Aigure / )nalysis of heat rate during 5000 meters running on track and an intermittent drill in the same handball #layer% The data are #resented as an e,am#le of the data collected on 50 athletes members of the same team%

Conclusion
) modern a##roach to handball training is needed for being able to im#rove handball #layersB #erformances% This modern a##roach in metabolic training must be based on the assum#tion that steady state running &ith high volume is not s#ecific for enhancing handball #layersB endurance ca#abilities and #erformances% )n effective training #lan must be based u#on intermittent drills in &hich handball #layers have to #erform different motions &ith different #athsMmovements at the highest intensity #ossible' follo&ed by lo&er intensity #eriods% Feneral drills can be easily develo#ed using cones' circles' small obstacles and small circuits' but' &hat is most im#ortant' game;like drills need to be used in training% These game;like drills can be #erformed by a reduced number of #layers 4i%e% 1 vs%1' > vs%> and so far and so forth8 in reduced #art of the field% )ttacking and defensive tasks can be used also as training drills &ith time limits to #erform the tasks and &ith s#ecific rest #eriods% "f course' &hen develo#ing game;like or technical drills' the results cannot be easily generali(ed' ho&ever' it is im#ortant to say that through the measurement of heart rate and lactate #roduction it is #ossible to monitor effectiveness of every s#ecific drill and' from there' develo# a conditioning a##roach more s#ecific of modern handball demands 4see figure =8% !any coaches still #refer to train #layers on track and field courts' making them running different distances 4500 meters to 3000 meters8' &e should never forget that the handball court is long >0 meters' and the actual s#ace covered by #layers is never more than /000 meters% These distances are all covered &ith different s#eed' &ith different #aths and very often changing directions% Handball #layers have to be trained for .uickness on the court' and the ability to maintain high levels of s#eed endurance moving &ith and &ithout the ball% To our o#inion' #ur#osing uns#ecific training loads is a defeat' and there is a need for develo#ing a s#ecific handball training methodology% ) good coach need to .uestion himMherself about the effectiveness of every conditioning drill and if it is really matching the #erformance model' only in this &ay &e &ill finally have athletes trained to #lay attractive handball rather then com#eting in track and field%

Aigure = )n e,am#le of monitoring handball training and checking effectiveness of training drills

References

Balsom P%' Seger' NO' S*odin' B%' @ $kblom' B% 456638% !a,imal intensity intermittent e,ercise: effect of recovery duration% International Nournal of S#ort !edicine 51 4=8H <37: <11 Balsom' P%' $kblom' B%' Soderlund' ?%' S*odin' B%' @ Hultman' $% 456618% reatine su#lementation and dynamic high; intensity e,ercise% Scandinavian Nournal of !edicine and Science in S#ort' 1H 5>1;5>6 Balsom' P%' Faitanos' F% %' $kblom' B%'@ S*odin' B% 4566>8% +educed o,ygen availability during high intensity intermittent e,ercise im#airs #erformance% )cta Physiologica Scandinavica' 5<3H 3=6;37< Bolek' $%' @ 9iska' "% 456758% Inten(ita (ati(eni harenkaru #ri soute(ich turna*oveko ty#u% Trener' =H 131;13/ Bosco' Bosco' % 4566>8% 9a #re#ara(ione fisica nella Pallavolo femminile% +oma: SocietP Stam#a S#ortiva % 4566=8% 9a for(a muscolare% )s#etti fisiologici ed a##lica(ioni #ratiche% +oma: SocietP Stam#a S#ortiva%

ardinale !% 4566>;30008% -n#ublished data ervar' 9% 456678% 9a Pallamano secondo me% +oma: "CI;Scuola dello s#ort olli' +%' Introini' $%' Bosco' Nournal' 3 458H 36;1> uesta' F% 456658% Balonmano% !adrid: S#anish Handball Aederation 2anforth' :H' @ Helmerich' $% 456/>8% +egulation of glycolysis in muscle% The conversion of #ho#sho#rlyase b to #hos#hiorylase a in frog sartorious muscle% N% Biol% hem%' 316' 1511;1517 2elamarche' P%' Fratas' )%' Beillot' N%' 2assonville' N%' +ochcongar' P%' @ 9essard' O% 4567=8% $,tent of lactic anaerobic metabolism in handballers% International Nournal of S#ort !edicine' 7H <<;<6 Hamilton' )%9%' Cevill' !%$%' Brooks' S% @ :illiams' % 456658% Physiological res#onses to ma,imal intermittent e,ercise: % 4566=8% 9Ballenamento Intermittente: istru(ioni #er lBuso% oaching @ S#ort Science

2ifferences bet&een endurance;trained runners and games #layers% Nournal of S#ort Science' 6H 1=5;173 Harris ' +% %' Hultman' $%' ?ai*ser' 9%' @ Cordes*o' 9%;"% 456=<8% The effect of circulatory occlusion on isometric e,ercise ca#acity and energy metabolism of the .uadrice#s muscle in man% Scand N lin 9ab Invest' 1<H 7=;6< Hirvonen' N%' Cummela' )%' +usko' H%'m +ehunen' S%' @ Haerkonen ! 456638% Aatigue and changes of )TP' creatine #hois#hate' and lactate during >00 m s#rint% an N S#ort Sci' 5=438: 5>5;5>>

Hogan' ! ' Fladden' 9B' ?urdak' SS%' @ Poole' 2 % 4566<8% Increased lactate in &orking dog muscle reduces tension develo#ment inde#endent of #H% !ed% Sci S#orts $,erc%' 3=: 15=;13= Idstrom' N%P%' Subramanian' Q%H%' hance' B%' Schersten' T%' @ Bylund;Aellenius' )% % 4567<8% ",ygen de#endence of

energy metabolism in contracting and recovery rat skeletal muscle% )merican Nournal of Physiology' 3>7H h>0;h>7 9u#o' S%' @ Seriaco#i' 2% 4566/8% )nalisi dellBallenamento e della gara% Handball studi' 5H 35;1< !orris' %N% 456/78% Human Skeletal muscle fiber ty#e grou#ing% N Ceurol Ceurosurg Psych' 13H >>0;>>>

Cakamaru' O @ Sch&art( )% 456=38% The influence of hydrogen ion concentration on calcium binding and release by skeletal muscle sarco#lasmic reticulum% N% Fen% Physiol%' <6: 33;13 Quistorff' B%' Nohansen' 9%' @ Sahlin' ?% 456638% )bsence of #hos#hocreatine resynthesis in human calf muscle during ischaemic recovery% Biochemistry Nournal% 365H /75;/7/ Soderlund' ?%' @ Hultman' $%' 456658% )TP and #hos#hocreatine changes in single human fiber muscle fibers after intense electrical stimulation% )merican Nournal of Physiology' 3/5H $=1=;$=>5 :allace' B%!%' ardinale' !% 4566=8% onditioning for team handball% Strength and onditioning 56' 4/8H =;53

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