Effect of Handball Specific Aerobic Training on Aerobic Capacity and Maximum Exercise Heart Rate of Male Handball Players

The aim of our study is to assess the effect of handball specific aerobic training on aerobic capacity of male handball players. Sixteen (16) handball players were selected and randomly classifieds into two groups namely handball specific aerobic training (HSAT = 8) and control group (CON = 8). Sixteen handball players were tested before, at middle and after six weeks of training. The aerobic capacity of handball players was measured through Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level II and por heart rate monitor was used to measure maximum exercise heart rate. The HSAT group performed 4 × 4 min small sided game at an intensity of 90-95% of heart rate maximum (HRmax), separated by 4 minutes of active recovery during which handball passing drill was performed at 60-65% of HRmax.. To assess the training effect 2 × 3 repeated measure ANOVA on last factor repeated was performed. When interaction is significant simple effect was calculated and followed by Scheffe S post hoc test. The result of our study showed that six weeks of HSAT significantly improved aerobic capacity of handball players. The training intervention showed 4.75% of improvement in first three weeks and 8.83% after six weeks of handball specific aerobic training. The maximum exercise heart rate showed statistically significant interaction effect but it failed to show difference between the groups and within the groups at different testing conditions. Therefore, this study shows that handball specific aerobic training programs might be appropriate enough to improve aerobic capacity of handball players in short duration but it failed to show any alterations in maximum exercise heart rate