Handball: goalkepeer

April 2026 Sportplan Coaching

Modern handball requires athletes to be powerful, quick, and durable. The physical demands include explosive jumping for shooting, rapid direction changes in defence, and the strength to absorb and deliver contact. Conditioning programmes must be handball-specific to develop these qualities effectively.

Power Development

Explosive performance foundations:

Jump training: Plyometrics develop vertical explosiveness for shooting and blocking.

Throwing power: Medicine ball and resistance training for shot velocity.

First-step speed: Acceleration training for offensive and defensive transitions.

Landing mechanics: Safe deceleration to prevent knee and ankle injuries.

Endurance for Handball

Sustaining performance throughout matches:

Intermittent capacity: Repeated high-intensity efforts with brief recovery.

Active recovery: Maintaining movement quality as fatigue accumulates.

Match simulation: Training at game intensity for appropriate durations.

Tournament readiness: Multiple matches over consecutive days.

Strength Training

Upper body: Shoulder stability and arm strength for throwing and contact.

Core strength: Transfer power from legs to arms, maintain balance under contact.

Lower body: Explosive legs for jumping, cutting, and absorbing contact.

Grip strength: Ball control and secure catching.

Injury Prevention

Shoulder care: Rotator cuff strengthening for throwing demands.

Knee stability: ACL prevention programmes for landing and cutting.

Ankle strength: Proprioception training for court surfaces.

Recovery protocols: Sleep, nutrition, and active recovery between sessions.

Key Coaching Points

  • Conditioning must be handball-specific, not generic fitness
  • Power development supports all handball actions
  • Injury prevention is training, not optional extra work
  • Recovery is part of the conditioning programme
  • Monitor training load to prevent overtraining

Drills for Physical Development

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Handball: Keeper Circuit Train...

1. 10 meter running:<br /><br />Between 2 lines spaced 10 metres apart get your keepers to run 2 sets of 6 runs.<br /><br />You can mix this up by getting players to run a mixture of -<br />Forward runs, Backward runs, Sprints, Side-steps and Crossovers<br /><br /> 2. Flexibility - Straddle stretch:<br /><br />Stand upright with arms out to the side and touch your left foot with your right hand and your right foot with your left arm. Players should keep their arms and legs straight and bend and rotate their torso to touch their feet. Repeat 10 times on both sides. <br /><br />Stand upright with arms slightly in front and out to the side. Keepers must raise their feet to try and touch their hands. Left foot to left hand and right foot to right hand. Repeat 10 times on both sides.<br /><br />3. Improving Reactions<br /><br />Player A stands behind player B who sits on the floor. Player B puts their arms out wide at shoulder height. Player A drops the ball in front of B, who must catch the ball with their legs. Repeat 10 times and then swap roles.<br /><br />Place two benches on their sides, with the top side in-court on a small playing area (approx 3-5 meters). <br /><br />A tries to score with a tennis ball by getting their balls to hit the flat side of the bench. B must try to block as many balls as possible. A throws 30 balls and then players swap roles. Which keeper has the better record?<br /><br />4. Power<br /><br />Get players to lie on the floor on their back. In this position players must sit up and touch their left foot with their right hand and then touch their right foot with their left hand. Repeat 15 times on each side.<br /><br />Squat down low and walk like a frog for 15 meters. Repeat 3 times.<br /><br />Hampelmann (jumping jacks - raise arms and legs). Try to raise the leg you jump off as high as possible. Repeat 5 times for - Hampelmann left, squat jump, Hampelmann right.

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