INFLUENCE OF BODY COMPOSITION ON BASIC MOTOR ABILITIES IN HANDBALL PLAYERS

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of body composition on motor abilities in handball players. The sample involved 16 male handball players aged 15-20. Body composition variables included body mass (BM), the body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat (PBF) and percentage of muscle mass (PMM). For speed assessment, the 20m sprint test was used. The T-test, Slalom test and Zig-Zag test were used to estimate agility, while the squat jump (SJ), counter movement jump (CMJ) and counter movement jump with arm swing (CMJa) were used to assess the muscle strength of the lower limbs. Linear regression analysis was used to determine the influence of body composition variables on basic motor abilities. Negative, statistically significant correlations were observed between BMI, PBF, sprint speed and agility (r = 0,52 – 0,66, R2 = 0,27 - 0,44, p < 0,05). Muscle mass contributed to better performance on speed and agility tests (-0,55 < r < -0,67, R2 = 0,31 - 0,45, p < 0,05). There were no significant relationships between BM and motor abilities, as well as between the muscle strength and body composition variables. These findings indicate that obesity contributes to slower linear and multidirectional movement, while muscle mass makes handball players faster. More research is needed in order to determine the influence of body composition on muscle strength, and the influence of body mass on specific handball movements.