Sprint Mechanical Properties in Handball and Basketball Players

To quantify possible differences in sprint mechanical outputs in handball and basketball players according to playing standard and position.

Sprint tests of 298 male players were analyzed. Theoretical maximal velocity (v0), horizontal force (F0), horizontal power (Pmax), force-velocity slope (SFV), ratio of force (RFmax), and index of force application technique (DRF) were calculated from anthropometric and spatiotemporal data using an inverse dynamic approach applied to the center-of-mass movement.

National-team handball players displayed clearly superior 10-m times (0.03, ±0.02 s), 40-m times (0.12, ±0.07 s), F0 (0.1, ±0.2 N·kg-1), v0 (0.3, ±0.2 m·s-1), and Pmax (0.9, ±0.5 W·kg-1) than corresponding top-division players. Wings differed from the other positions in terms of superior 10-m times (0.02, ±0.01 to 0.07, ±0.02 s), 40-m times (0.07, ±0.05 to 0.27, ±0.07 s), F0 (0.2, ±0.1 to 0.4, ±0.2 N·kg-1), v0 (0.1, ±0.1 to 0.5, ±0.1 m·s-1), Pmax (0.7, ±0.4 to 2.0, ±0.5 W·kg-1), and RFmax (0.6, ±0.4 to 1.3, ±0.4%). In basketball, guards differed from forwards in terms of superior 10-m times (0.03, ±0.02 s), 40-m times (0.10, ±0.08 s), v0 (0.2, ±0.1 m·s-1), Pmax (0.6, ±0.6 W·kg-1), and RFmax (0.4, ±0.3%). The effect magnitudes of the substantial differences observed ranged from small to large.

The present results provide an overall picture of the force-velocity profile continuum in sprinting handball and basketball players and serve as useful background information for practitioners when diagnosing individual players and prescribing training programs.