Application of plyometric training in handball games: How effective is it on throwing power and speed?

Introduction and Objectives. Handball requires a range of physical skills, with throwing power being essential for scoring goals, passing, and enhancing overall speed. Plyometric training, a type of exercise that merges strength and speed to boost athletic performance, is well-regarded for its ability to improve explosive power and agility. This study explores the use of plyometric training in handball and assesses its effects on players' throwing power and speed. Materials and Methods. This experimental study employed a one-group pretestposttest design. The participants were members of the Sambas district handball team, aged 17-22 years, chosen through total sampling, resulting in 15 athletes. The intervention involved plyometric exercises conducted over four weeks, with three sessions each week. Data were collected using the Medicine Ball Javelin Quadrathlon strength test, and the analysis was performed using SPSS version 26. Results. The data analysis showed a significant difference between the pretest average score of 19.93 and the posttest average score of 22.00, indicating an increase of 2.07. The significance level was 0.000, which is less than 0.05, confirming that plyometric exercises significantly improve throwing strength and speed in handball. Conclusions. The results indicate that plyometric exercises effectively enhance strength and speed in handball throwing. These findings suggest that including plyometric exercises in handball training programs can lead to significant improvements in athletic performance. Coaches and trainers are advised to incorporate plyometric training to enhance players' explosive power and speed, thereby improving their performance in competitive handball. Therefore, plyometric exercises are recommended for handball players to boost their throwing abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]