Seasonal changes in selected physical and physiological variables in male handball players

Abstract

© 2018 Ljubomir Pavlović et al., published by Sciendo 2018. Literature search shows that there is a shortage of studies that have investigated the relationships between the physical conditioning markers monitored over the course of a season and the quantitative assessments of training and competition in elite handball players. Thus, the aim of our work was to follow changes in speed, strength, power and endurance of elite male handball players during an entire season. The study was performed within a group of 14 elite male senior handball players who were tested four times during season (T1, T2, T3, T4). The testing consisted of the following procedures: 1) measuring anthropometric characteristics (body height, body weight, body fat, % of fatty tissue), 2) measuring motorical (physical) capabilities (maximal muscle force and power, speed, explosive strength), 3) measuring physiological characteristics (anaerobic capacity, cardiorespiratory endurance). Explosive strength decreased at the end of season compared to the first part of season (T1 vs T4: p = 0.00, T2 vs T4: p = 0.00), as well as the total work done on modified Wingate test (T1 vs T4: p = 0.01). In contrast, blood lactate levels after the third (T1 vs T2: p = 0.00, T1 vs T3: p = 0.02; T1 vs T4:p = 0.00) and fourth (T1 vs T3: p = 0.02) stage of endurance test were the highest at the beginning of the season. Our results suggest that anaerobic capabilities of players were the ones mostly affected by long season and inadequate training program, while on the other side, aerobic capabilities improved by the end of season. Explanation for such results may be found in insufficient strength training or interference of endurance training with strength development.