External and internal load of playing positions of elite female handball players (U19) during competitive matches

Background: Effective training depends on knowledge of the sport's requirements. Physical (external load) and physiological (internal load) analyses will provide valuable data that can be used for other research and to improve specific training requirements. Handball is an intermittent sport game, and it is important discover the factors, that affect the performance in a handball match. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze and compare motion and heart rate of playing positions of female handball players during competitive matches. Methods: Heart rate and motiontime analyses were examined during six competitive matches of the Czech elite female handball league (U19). The average (+/- SD) age of the fourteen participants was 17.9 +/- 0.3 years; their average weight 65.4 +/- 6.9 kg, and their average height was 169.6 +/- 6.9 cm. Results: During the matches, the longest average distance was covered by backs (7,138.3 +/- 334.4 m), followed by wings (6,915.3 +/- 362.2 m) and pivots (6,337.1 +/- 477.3 m). A statistically significant difference was found only between backs and pivots (p = .01). The average heart rate of players in the most loaded position, pivots, was 185.3 +/- 9.2 beats . min(-1), corresponding to 90.1 +/- 4.3% of HR max. The second most loaded playing position were wings with the average heart rate of 183.8 +/- 6.2 beats . min(-1), corresponding to 89.9 +/- 3.5% of HR max. The average heart rate of backs was 182.9 +/- 8.4 beats . min(-1), corresponding to 89.2 +/- 4.4% of HR max. Conclusions: The results from the presented study show that handball is a game of intermittent high intensity and physiological profile where more than 80% of each game is spent in load-intensity above 85% HR max. Between playing positions are differences in intensity of load, covered distance and in speed categories.