POSITION-SPECIFIC MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FEMALE YOUTH HANDBALL PLAYERS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/spectrum/2026-1-5Keywords:
handball, playing role, morphological characteristics, component composition of the bodyAbstract
The aim of our study was to determine the morphological characteristics of under-17 (U17) and under-19 (U19) female handball players, depending on their playing position, namely, the offense (first line) and defense (second line). Materials and methods. 37 female junior handball players of the members of the national handball team of Ukraine were involved in the research. The body length was measured in a standing position using a telescopic mechanical stadiometer. The body composition was determined by a Tanita-BC-418MA 8-electrode bioimpedance analyzer. The results. Players of both the first and second lines of different age groups did not have statistically significant differences in terms of basic anthropometric indicators. However, the first-line players in the U19 group, had lower relative fat content, and greater lean mass and water content than did players in the U17 group. These differences were mainly due to differences in the fat-free and predicted muscle mass of the lower limbs. In the second-line players of different age groups, differences in the component composition of the body were more pronounced. The U19 athletes had a statistically significantly lower fat content in their entire body, but the water content, lean mass and its index were higher than such U17 handball players. Segment analysis showed that while the relative fat content in the upper and lower limbs of U19 athletes was lower than in the U17 group, but the U19 group had higher lean and predicted muscle masses. Knowledge of positional differences in body composition can expand the possibilities for developing specialized training programs for handball players of various age groups, including cadets and juniors.
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