Neuromuscular Coordination and Proprioceptive Training in Young Handball Players

Specialized sensory receptors in the muscles, joints and connective tissues enable the body to process information from a variety of stimuli, and turn that information into action. The key to creating what specialists refer to as movement intelligence involves individuals becoming consciously aware of their movements, and of the information their body is absorbing. To do this, stimuli are created to elicit a movement reaction through a variety of tasks or exercises. As skill improves, more stimuli are needed to continue improvement. So, the aim of this study was to prove the utility of complex and specific drills using additional materials in young handball players. The study has been developed on a sample of 10 young female handball players from CSS. Bacau, aged between 13-14 years. The evaluation of the subjects has been performed using the "T - Test", the "Slalom Test" and the "ZIGZAG Run Test", taken from the book "Functional Testing in Human Performance". The working protocol consisted in 8 coordinative and proprioceptive drills that were used during the training sessions and during warns-up, before official matches. An improvement in all values was recorded, as compared to the reference values. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.