BODY COMPOSITION ANALYSIS OF FEMALE HANDBALL PLAYERS

The aim of this research was to determine and analyse the body composition of female handball players. On the sample of 22 female handball players age (age=17.13±3.07 years, body height=167.63 ± 6.81 , body weight=59.86 ± 7.49) who play in Bosnian Woman Premier League, following parameters was measured by bioimpedance method; Body Height (cm), Body Weight (kg), Body Mass Index, Body Fat (kg), Body Fat (%), Fat Free Mass (kg), Muscle Mass (kg), Total Body Water (kg), Total Body Water (%). The mean value of Body Mass Index was 21.27 ± 2.37, Body Fat (kg) was 13.86 ± 3.60, Body Fat in percentage (%) was 23.03 ± 4.26, Fat Free Mass (kg) mean value was 46.00 ± 5.52, Muscle Mass (kg) 43.72 ± 5.15, Total Body Water (kg) was 33.22 ± 3.57, and Total Body Water in percentage (%) 55.83 ± 2.96. We can conclude that body composition profile of female handball players in our research differs from those from elite female handball players, especially in body fat and fat free mas. The optimal solution for our participants appears to be increasing of Fat Free Mass while reducing the Body Fat, to be close to body composition profile of elite female handball players. We can also conclude that players at lower levels of competitions probably need a greater amount and intensity of training to achieve similar body composition profile to players from elite level.