A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SELECTED PHYSICAL PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HANDBALL AND BASKETBALL PLAYERS

Abstract

The study examined the differences in the body composition of handball and basketball players. Specifically, comparisons were made on the physical and physiological characteristics which can be used to classify and identify sportsmen and women in related or similar competitive games. Participants for the study were 22 handballers and 23 basketballers, all of which are university players. The physical characteristics considered were percentage body fat, circumference of calf, thigh and biceps, lean bodyweight, height and skinfold measure, while the physiological characteristics were resting heart rate systolic blood pressure, blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and VO2 max. Results of t-test indicated that significant difference existed between handballers and basketballers in percentage body fat, biceps, circumference and skinfold measure at the triceps, subscapular and thigh. The result also showed that similarities existed in the body weight, height, lean body weight, thigh and calf circumference, and umbilicus supra-illine skinfold measures of both handballers and basketballers. These result suggested that physical composition of sportmen and women could be similar in players of games with similar body movements. The level of training in each game however affects the players’ physiological characteristics.