Physiological and affective responses of 30s‒30s intermittent small-sided game in elite handball players: A new alternative to intermittent running

Objectives: To compare physiological and affective demands of a novel small-sided game designed in intermittent (30s-30s) regimen opposing 3-a-side field players with 30s-30s shuttle running and handball match play. Methods: Fourteen elite male handball players (age 23.8 4.4 y; body mass 84.0 7.4 kg; height 188 0.06 m) performed 2 periods of 10-min of each experimental exercise in separate occasions. Physiological demand was assessed using mean heart rate, time spent in heart rate intensity zones and postexercise blood lactate concentration. The difference between 'perceived exertion' and 'pleasure' determined the affective balance. Results: Small-sided game and shuttle running drills showed similar mean heart rate (88.8 2.4 and 90.4 2.8 % of peak heart rate, respectively) and time spent in heart rate zones. The match play elicited lower mean heart rate (86.9 3.4 % of peak heart rate, P 0.05, large ES) than small-sided game and shuttle running. Peak lactate for small-sided game (6.6 2.6 mmol/L) was lower than shuttle running (10 2.2 mmol/L, P 0.05, large ES) whereas no significant difference was observed with match play. The small-sided game showed lower affective balance than shuttle running (P 0.01, large ES). Conclusions: Coaches can be confident in prescribing the small-sided game as a suitable alternative to shuttle running to provide consistent aerobic stimulus with lower affective balance. The small-sided game may be considered as a specific training method in achieving relevant physiological adaptations for handball match play.