Impact of Hip Strength Training on Jump and Throw Performance in Young Female Handball Players

Handball is a complex and multifactorial team sport determined not only by each player's individual performance but also by the tactical components and interactions within the team. Therefore, defining the game and identifying the key factors influencing performance remain challenging. Handball players must effectively coordinate basic motor skills such as running, jumping, pushing, and changing direction, along with handball-specific skills like passing, catching, controlling, and blocking, to execute shots or create optimal scoring opportunities for teammates.

Since the winning team in handball is the one that scores the most goals, goal shooting is one of the most critical aspects of the game. A successful goal shot requires the ball to reach maximum velocity and be accurate enough to deceive the goalkeeper. The faster and more accurately the ball is thrown, the less time defenders and the goalkeeper have to react and intervene.

In addition to throwing speed and accuracy, jump distance is also a significant factor influencing performance in handball matches. The most frequently used shot type in handball competitions is the jump shot. The energy produced during a jump shot originates from the force exerted against the ground. The higher the player jumps, the longer the flight time, increasing the likelihood of avoiding defensive blocks.

Handball demands high levels of explosive strength, maximal strength, and muscular power in both the upper and lower extremities. While training programs are generally multidimensional, it is important to identify which muscle groups contribute most significantly to performance in order to optimize training approaches. This is because many handball-specific skills such as throwing, blocking, pushing, and holding require considerable strength and power output.

The hip plays a critical role in handball shooting by initiating upper body movement and transferring momentum from the lower to the upper extremities. It provides a stable base for the upper body during the shot, thereby playing a significant role in shot performance. Well-designed hip strengthening programs have been shown to yield not only improvements in strength but also positive effects on secondary outcomes such as linear sprinting, agility, change of direction, and sport-specific performance metrics.

The existing literature highlights a lack of sufficient research examining the relationship between physical capacity and throwing performance. There is a particular need for studies investigating the effects of muscle strength, jump distance, and overall physical fitness on throwing performance. Moreover, it has been noted that studies focusing on female handball players are relatively limited compared to those involving males, underscoring the need for further research in this area.

In this study, the researchers aim to investigate the effects of an 8-week Hip Strength Exercise Training program, implemented in addition to routine training, on hip muscle strength, jump distance, and three-step jump shot performance in female handball players aged 15 to 19. Additionally, the researchers aim to examine the relationships between throwing performance and anthropometric measurements, handgrip strength, and body fat percentage.

It is hypothesized that the Hip Strength Exercise Training program will positively contribute to throwing performance by improving hip muscle strength, throwing speed, throwing accuracy, and jump distance. Accordingly, it is suggested that low-cost, easily applicable hip strengthening exercises utilizing resistance bands can be integrated into training routines and contribute to the development of injury prevention strategies.

Based on the above, the hypotheses are as follows:

Hypothesis 1: Hip Strength Exercise Training in handball players has a positive effect on hip muscle strength.

Hypothesis 2: Hip Strength Exercise Training in handball players has a positive effect on throwing accuracy.

Hypothesis 3: Hip Strength Exercise Training in handball players has a positive effect on throwing speed.

Hypothesis 4: Hip Strength Exercise Training in handball players has a positive effect on jump distance.

Inclusion criteria

• Signing the Informed Voluntary Consent Form by agreeing to voluntarily participate in the study
• Being a handball player aged between 15-19 years
• Being female
• Having reached menarche
• Having the ability to understand and speak

Exclusion criteria

• Having sustained an extremity injury in the last 6 months
• Having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 kg/m² (obesity)
• Having a cardiovascular, neurological, or pulmonary disease
• Experiencing hip pain related to loading and fatigue, or hip pain due to muscle and spasms
• Presence of bursitis, synovitis, arthritis, or osteomyelitis in the hip