Relationship between anthropometric parameters and throwing speed in amateur male handball players at differentages

Abstract

The objectives of this study were: (i) to analyse anthropometric parameters and throwingspeed from seven meters in amateur male handball players of different ages; (ii) to know therelationship between anthropometric parameters and throwing. One hundred seventy-six malehandball players (16.5±5.1 years old) participated in the study, classified according to their age:senior (n=35), U18 (n=30), U16 (n=37), U14 (n=50) and U12 (n=24). All participants wereevaluated by anthropometric measurements (height, weight, body mass index, arm span, hand width)and throwing speed from 7 m standing. A one-way analysis of variance with a Bonferroni post hoctest was used to establish the differences between teams. Pearson’s simple correlation coefficientswere calculated between analyse anthropometric parameters and throwing speed. Multiple linearregression was used to predict the throwing speed. Only BMI was related with throwing speedin all age groups (0.506>r<0.813,p<0.05). Throwing speed was predicted (24–72%) with onlyone or two variables in each model. The selected variables were: BMI, arm span in U16 model andheight U14 model, and the BMI, arm span and height are proved to be good predictors of TS in malehandball players