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Handball has become increasingly popular in Portugal over the years. Clubs and schools have played a crucial role in promoting and developing the sport among young people and children, giving them the opportunity to have contact with the sport from an early age.

The Portuguese handball team has been a more regular presence at major international competitions, including the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. This type of competitive participation helps to raise the level of play and promote the sport in the country, attracting new athletes.

Young talent development programs have also been implemented in Portugal. These make it possible to identify and develop talented players from an early age. This approach aims to ensure a constant flow of talent to national teams and handball clubs.

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What are the main physical characteristics of a handball player?

What are the main physical characteristics of a handball player?

Have you ever stopped to think about the combination of physical characteristics that handball players need to be able to withstand the demands of a game? Here are the 11 main ones:

1. Cardiovascular endurance

Handball is a high-intensity sport that requires cardiovascular endurance to withstand the fast pace of the game.

2. Muscular Strength and Power

Strength is crucial for holding, passing, shooting and dribbling the ball, while muscular power is essential for explosive movements such as shooting and jumping.

3. Speed and Agility

Speed is essential for moving quickly around the pitch, both to get forward quickly on the counter-attack and in defensive recovery movements. Agility, on the other hand, is essential for quick and efficient changes of direction in order to evade opponents.

4. Motor Coordination

Motor coordination is fundamental in handball, especially for ball control, dribbling and passing accuracy.

5. Flexibility

Flexibility is important to avoid injuries, especially during rotational movements and sudden changes of direction. In addition, in the case of goalkeepers, it is essential to be able to block opponents' shots

6. Muscular endurance

The ability to maintain muscle strength throughout the game is crucial to avoid fatigue and maintain consistent performance.

7. Jumping ability

Jumping is extremely frequent and necessary for shooting on goal, but also for blocking shots and passes, as well as for more effective block defenses.

8. Balance:

Good balance is essential for making controlled movements, especially during physical confrontations with opponents.

9. Resistance to Mental Pressure

Handball players need to deal with time pressure, quick decisions and tactical strategies during the game.

10. Specific Technical Skills

In addition to all the physical characteristics, handball players also need to develop some specific technical skills. For example, shooting technique, efficient passing and a thorough understanding of the rules of the game.

11. Adequate recovery

The ability to recover quickly between games and training sessions is fundamental to maintaining consistent performance throughout the season.

What are the different physical abilities specific to the different handball positions?

The different positions in handball require different specific physical capacities due to the different roles the players play on the pitch. Let's take a look at the specifics of each one.

1. Wing

Speed and Agility: they need to move quickly along the sideline to receive passes or create shooting opportunities.

Dribbling ability: crucial for getting past defenders and creating clearances and shooting opportunities.

Shooting ability: they are often responsible for accurate mid-range or long-range shots.

Cardiovascular endurance: the ability to maintain a fast pace throughout the game is important for leveraging counter-attacks and actively participating at both ends of the pitch.

2. Pivot

Muscular Strength and Power: they need strength to hold their position, resist pressure from defenders and make tackles to receive passes.

Ball-receiving ability: crucial for controlling passes and keeping possession.

Rotational Movements: essential for getting past defenders and positioning yourself for shots close to goal.

Localized Muscular Endurance: necessary to maintain effectiveness throughout the game, especially during position disputes.

3. Defense

Defensive Strength and Agility: to withstand attacks from opponents and agility to move quickly and intercept passes.

Tactical ability: tactical reading is fundamental for a defender to be able to anticipate opponents' movements, block shots and participate effectively in marking.

Cardiovascular endurance: like wingers, defenders need endurance to maintain an effective defense throughout the game.

4. Goalkeepers

Quick reflexes: they need to react quickly to block shots and keep the goal safe.

Agility and Flexibility: crucial for quick movement and the ability to make saves in different positions.

Hand and arm strength: needed to block powerful shots.

Tactical understanding: they need to understand their opponents' offensive strategies in order to anticipate and intercept shots.

Each position in handball has its own physical and technical demands. The specific training sessions for each position aim to develop the skills needed to efficiently perform their assigned roles on the pitch.

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