Effects of in-season short-term plyometric training program on leg power, jump- and sprint performance of elite professional handball players

Our hypothesis was that the addition of an 8-week lower limb plyometric training program (hurdle and depth jumping) to normal in-season conditioning would enhance measures of competitive potential (peak power output [PP], jump force, jump height and sprint running velocity) in professional handball players. The subjects (age 23 ± 0.7 years, body mass 88.5 ± 4.7 kg, height 1.86± 0.06 m, body fat 14.7 ± 2.6%) were randomly assigned to a control (normal training) group (Gc; n = 12) and an experimental group (Gex; n = 12) that also performed biweekly plyometric training. A force–velocity ergometer test determined PP. Characteristics of the squat jump (SJ) and the countermovement jump (CMJ) (jump height, maximal force and velocity before take-off, and average power) were determined by force platform. Gex showed gains relative to controls in PP (p <0.01); SJ (height p < 0.01; velocity p < 0.001), CMJ (height p <0.001; velocity p < 0.001, average power p < 0.01) and all sprint velocities (p < 0.001 for V5m and Vmax, p <0.01 for VS). We conclude that biweekly plyometric training of professional handball players improved important components of athletic performance relative to standard in-season training. Accordingly, such exercises are highly recommended as part of an annual handball training program.