Reliability of Throwing Velocity during Non-specific and Specific Handball Throwing Tests

Abstract

Throwing velocity is one of the most important factors for scoring goals in handball. This study aimed to identify the type of throw and procedure for selecting the final test outcome that provide throwing velocity with the greatest reliability. Fifteen experienced handball players and 33 non-experienced participants were tested in two sessions. Each session consisted of 4 trials of 3 different throwing tests (unspecific, 7-meters, and 3-steps). The maximum value of 4 trials, average value of 4 trials, and average value of the 3 best trials were considered. Throwing velocity was highly reliable (coefficient of variation [CV]≤3.3%, intraclass correlation coefficient≥0.89) with the exception of the unspecific throw for the non-experienced group (CV≥5.9%, intraclass correlation coefficient≤0.56). The 3-steps throw (CV=1.7%) was more reliable than the 7-meters throw (CV=2.1%) (CV_ratio=1.19) and unspecific throw (CV = 3.8%) (CV_ratio=2.18), the 3 procedures provided a comparable reliability (CV range=2.4−2.6%; CV_ratio≤1.07), and the experienced group (CV=1.0%) presented a higher reliability than the non-experienced group (CV=4.0%) (CV_ratio=3.83). These results support the 3-steps throw to maximise the reliability of throwing velocity performance.

Key words

performance - physical test - reproducibility - team sport

Publication History

Received: 26 June 2020

Accepted: 21 September 2020

Article published online:
30 October 2020

• References

• 1 Hermassi S, Wollny R, Schwesig R. et al. Effects of in-season circuit training on physical abilities in male handball players. J Strength Cond Res 2019; 33: 944-957
• 2 Marques MC, van den Tilaar R, Vescovi JD. et al Relationship between throwing velocity, muscle power, and bar velocity during bench press in elite handball players. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2007; 2: 414-422
• 3 Aguilar-Martínez D, Chirosa LJ, Martín I. et al. Effect of power training in throwing velocity in team handball. Revista Internacional de Medicina y Ciencias de la Actividad Fisica y del Deporte 2012; 12: 729-744
• 4 Manchado C, Tortosa J, Vila H. et al. Performance factors in women’s team handball: physical and physiological aspects a review. J Strength Cond Res 2013; 27: 1708-1719
• 5 Debanne T, Laffaye G. Predicting the throwing velocity of the ball in handball with anthropometric variables and isotonic tests. J Sports Sci 2011; 29: 705-713
• 6 Ziv G, Lidor R, Vila H. et al. Anthropometric profile, vertical jump, and throwing velocity in elite female handball players by playing positions. J Strength Cond Res 2007; 28: 860-867
• 7 Gorostiaga EM, Izquierdo M, Iturralde P. et al. Effects of heavy resistance training on maximal and explosive force production, endurance and serum hormones in adolescent handball players. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1999; 80: 485-493
• 8 Hermassi S, Chelly MS, Tabka Z. et al. Effects of 8-week in-season upper and lower limb heavy resistance training on the peak power, throwing velocity, and sprint performance of elite male handball players. J Strength Cond Res 2011; 25: 2424-2433
• 9 Hermassi S, Ghaith A, Schwesig R. et al. Effects of short-term resistance training and tapering on maximal strength, peak power, throwing ball velocity, and sprint performance in handball players. PLoS One 2019; 14: e0214827
• 10 Hoff J, Almåsbakk B. The effects of maximum strength training on throwing velocity and muscle strength in female team-handball players. J Strength Cond Res 1995; 9: 255-258
• 11 Sabido R, Hernández-Davó JL, Botella J. et al Effects of 4-Week training intervention with unknown loads on power output performance and throwing velocity in junior team handball players. PLoS One 2016; 11: e0157648
• 12 Vila H, Ferragut C. Throwing speed in team handball: A systematic review. Int J Perform Anal Sport 2019; 19: 724-736
• 13 Hopkins W. Calculations for reliability (Excel spreedsheet). A New View of Statistics. 2000
• 14 Spieszny M, Zubik M. Modification of strength training programs in handball players and its influence on power during the competitive period. J Hum Kinet 2018; 63: 149-160
• 15 Schwesig R, Koke A, Fischer D. et al. Validity and reliability of the new handball-specific complex test. J Strength Cond Res 2016; 30: 476-486
• 16 Rousanoglou EN, Noutsos KS, Bayios IA. et al Self-paced and temporally constrained throwing performance by team-handball experts and novices without foreknowledge of target position. J Sports Sci Med 2014; 14: 41-46
• 17 Chelly MS, Hermassi S, Shephard RJ. Relationships between power and strength of the upper and lower limb muscles and throwing velocity in male handball players. J Strength Cond Res 2010; 24: 1480-1487
• 18 Aeder CHR, Ernandez JAFE, Errauti ALF. Effects of six weeks of medicine ball training on throwing velocity, throwing precision, and isokinetic strength of shoulder rotators in female handball players. J Strength Cond Res 2015; 29: 1904-1914
• 19 Riemann BL, Hipko N, Johnson W. et al. Effects of medicine ball mass on the intensity of 90°/90° plyometric throwing exercise. Phys Ther Sport 2019; 40: 238-243
• 20 Wagner H, Orwat M, Hinz M. et al. Testing game-based performance in team-handball. J Strength Cond Res 2016; 30: 2794-2801
• 21 Chelly MS, Hermassi S, Aouadi R. et al Effects of 8-week in-season plyometric training on upper and lower limb performance of elite adolescent handball players. J Strength Cond Res 2014; 28: 1401-1410
• 22 Machado C, Cortell-Tormo JM, Tortosa-Martínez J. Effects of two different training periodization models on physical and physiological aspects of elite female team hanball players. J Strength Cond Res 2018; 32: 280-287
• 23 Vuleta D, Sporiš G, Talović M. et al Reliability and factorial validity of power tests for handball players. Sport Science 2010; 3: 42-46
• 24 Ritti-Dias RM, Avelar A, Salvador EP. et al Influence of previous experience on resistance training on reliability of one-repetition maximum test. J Strength Cond Res 2011; 25: 1418-1422
• 25 Amarante do Nascimento M, Borges Januário RS, Gerage AM. et al. Familiarization and reliability of one repetition maximum strength testing in older women. J Strength Cond Res 2013; 27: 1636-1642
• 26 Janicijevic D, González-Hernández J, Gu Y. et al Differences in the magnitude and reliability of velocity variables collected during 3 variants of the bench press exercise. J Sports Sci 2020; 38: 759-766
• 27 Weakley JJS, Till K, Darrall-Jones J. et al. The influence of resistance training experience on the between-day reliability of commonly used strength measures in male youth athletes. J Strength Cond Res 2017; 31: 2005-2010
• 28 Bayios IA, Anastasopoulou EM, Sioudris DS. et al Relationship between isokinetic strength of the internal and external shoulder rotators and ball velocity in team handball. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2001; 41: 229-235
• 29 Cherif M, Chtourou H, Souissi N. et al. Maximal power training induced different improvement in throwing velocity and muscle strength according to playing positions in elite male handball players. Biol Sport 2016; 33: 393-398
• 30 Skoufas D, Kotzamanidis C, Hatzikotoylas K. et al. The relationship between the anthropometric variables and the throwing performance in handball. J Hum Mov Stud 2003; 45: 469-484
• 31 Rivilla-García J, Grande-Rodriguez I, Chirosa L. et al. Differences and relationship between standard and specific throwing test in handball according to the competitive and professional level. J Sport Health Res 2011; 3: 143-152
• 32 Rivilla-Garcia J, Grande I, Sampedro J. et al Influence of opposition on ball velocity in the handball jump throw. J Sports Sci Med 2011; 10: 534-539
• 33 Andrade MDS, Fachina R, Cruz W. et al. Strength field tests performance are correlated with isokinetic strength of shoulder rotator muscles in female handball players. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2014; 54: 403-409
• 34 Fleck SJ, Smith SL, Craib MW. et al. Upper extremity isokinetic torque and throwing velocity in team handball. Journal of Applied Sport Science Research 1992; 6: 120-124
• 35 Fieseler G, Hermassi S, Hoffmeyer B. et al. Differences in anthropometric characteristics in relation to throwing velocity and competitive level in professional male team handball: A tool for talent profiling. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2017; 57: 985-992
• 36 Claudino JG, Cronin J, Mezêncio B. et al. The countermovement jump to monitor neuromuscular status: A meta-analysis. J Sci Med Sport 2017; 20: 397-402
• 37 Harriss DJ, Macsween A, Atkinson G. Ethical standards in sport and exercise science research: 2020 update. Int J Sports Med 2019; 40: 813-817
• 38 Hermassi S, Delank KS, Fieseler G. et al. Relationships between olympic weightlifting exercises, peak power of the upper and lower limb, muscle volume and throwing ball velocity in elite male handball players. Sportverletz Sportschaden 2019; 33: 104-112
• 39 James LP, Roberts LA, Haff GG. et al. Validity and reliability of a portable isometric mid-thigh clean pull. J Strength Cond Res 2017; 31: 1378-1386
• 40 Fulton SK, Pyne D, Hopkins W. et al Variability and progression in competitive performance of Paralympic swimmers. J Sports Sci 2009; 27: 535-539
• 41 Hopkins WG, Marshall SW, Batterham AM. et al Progressive statistics for studies in sports medicine and exercise science. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009; 41: 3-13
• 42 Vila H, Manchado C, Rodriguez N. et al. Anthropometric profile, vertical jump, and throwing velocity in elite female handball players by playing positions. J Strength Cond Res 2012; 26: 2146-2155
• 43 Wagner H, Sperl B, Bell J. et al Testing specific physical performance in mael team handball players and the realaiontship to general testes in team sports. J Strength Cond Res 2019; 4: 1056-1064
• 44 Gutiérrez-Dávila M, Rojas-Ruiz F, Ortega-Becerra M. et al. Variabilidad funcional como factor de eficiencia en los lanzamientos a portería en balonmano. E-balonmano.com: Revista de Ciencias del Deporte 2012; 8: 121-134