Effects of a Short Term Recreational Team Handball Based Programme on Physical Fitness and Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health of 33 55 Year Old Men: A Pilot Study
Recreational team handball is an intermittent high intensity exercise mode with physiological demands in the range of those found to enhance health and physical fitness of sedentary adults. We examined the effects of a short term team handball based training programme on physical fitness and metabolic and cardiovascular health of sedentary 33 55 year old former male team handball players. Twenty four participants were divided into team handball (THG; n=15) and control groups (CG; n=9) and evaluated at baseline and postintervention. During 12 weeks, THG performed 2 3 60 min recreational team handball matches weekly (average: 2.2 0.7) and CG maintained an inactive lifestyle. Average heart rate (HR) during matches was 80 7%HRmax, with peak values of 91 6%HRmax. A time by group interaction was shown in aerobic performance (p=0.016) postural balance (p=0.019) maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) (p=0.023) resting HR (p<0.001) high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (p=0.048) and fasting blood glucose (p=0.052) in favor of THG. THG improved aerobic performance (80% p<0.001) VO2max (14% p<0.001) and postural balance (27% p=0.018) Decreases in resting HR (16% p<0.001) and fasting blood glucose (7% p=0.015) and increases in HDL cholesterol (11% p=0.002) were found in THG. Recreational team handball practice shows positive physical fitness and health related adaptations, with high attendance, which may contribute to the reduction of the risk of developing lifestyle diseases.
BioMed research international