Relationship between the Handball-Specific Complex-Test and Intermittent Field Test performance in professional...

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Team Sports Performance

Background:

• Investigating the validity of performance tests in elite handball.
• Assessing the relationship between a match-specific test and generic field tests.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the correlation between the Handball Complex-Test (HBCT) and Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test.
• To validate the use of generic field tests for monitoring handball player fitness.

Main Methods:

• Nineteen elite handball players from the German Professional League participated.
• Evaluated HBCT, RSA (best time, total time, decrement), and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test (total distance).
• Recorded heart rates throughout testing and assessed recovery at 0 and 10 minutes post-test.

Main Results:

• Strong correlations found between HBCT and fastest 10m/20m RSA sprint times (r=0.811, r=0.815).
• HBCT sprint times positively associated with RSA total times (r=0.70, r=0.63).
• RSA post-test heart rate strongly correlated with HBCT heart rate after round two (r=0.865).

Conclusions:

• The match-specific HBCT demonstrates a strong positive association with generic intermittent field tests.
• Generic tests are valid tools for monitoring fitness and training responses in handball players.
• Supports the use of RSA and Yo-Yo tests for assessing handball player conditioning.