The Effect of Fitness-Based Exercise Training on Selected Physical and Skill Variables of Male Handball Players

Physical fitness plays a vital role in enhancing sports performance, particularly in fast-paced team games like handball. Handball requires a combination of speed, agility, strength, endurance, coordination, and sport-specific skills such as passing, dribbling, and shooting. Fitness-based exercise training programmes are widely used to improve these physical and skill components; however, systematic studies at the district level, especially in Raigad Tahasil, are limited. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to examine the effect of a fitness-based exercise training programme on selected physical and skill variables of male handball players. The study adopted an experimental pre-test and post-test research design with a single group. A total of 30 male handball players from Raigad Tahasil were selected as the sample using purposive sampling technique. The age of the subjects ranged between 17 and 23 years. The training programme was conducted for eight weeks, five days per week, with each session lasting approximately 60 minutes. The training included general fitness exercises such as running, calisthenics, flexibility exercises, strength drills, and basic skill-related activities. Selected physical variables included speed, agility, and muscular endurance, while selected skill variables included passing accuracy and dribbling ability. Data were collected using standardized physical fitness tests, questionnaires, and systematic observation schedules. Pre-test and post-test data were statistically analysed using descriptive statistics and the paired ‘t’ test to determine the significance of differences. The results of the study revealed significant improvement in all selected physical and skill variables after the training programme. The findings clearly indicate that fitness-based exercise training has a positive effect on the physical fitness and skill performance of male handball players. The study concludes that structured fitness training programmes should be an integral part of handball coaching at the district and college levels. The outcomes of this study may be useful for physical education teachers, coaches, and sports administrators in planning effective training programmes for handball players.