The idea behind the GBPT
Team handball is a fast-paced sport with specific movements of all kinds. To train the necessary skills and abilities to meet those specific demands you cannot train only in a general manner, you have to train specifically. The same applies to testing: if you want to investigate specific performance you cannot conduct solely general tests, you need a specific test design. For that reason, the team handball game-based performance test (GBPT) was carefully developed, and its reliability and validity were checked and confirmed. Subsequently, the GBPT has been carried out in several projects, and the obtained research results have been published in various articles.
Structure of the GBPT
The GBPT consists of eight heats including defense, defense to offense, offense, offense to defense, and active breaks. While the athletes have to carry out the given tasks as quickly as possible, the rest of the process is precisely timed and always follows a given scheme.
During defensive actions, the athletes have to tackle padded roll mats (marked target area at chest height), one central at 6m, two at the left and right backcourt positions at 9m (with a distance of 6m between these two), which creates a triangle starting central, tackling twice left side, one time right side for right-handed players, and vice versa for left-handed players. There are two different defense actions, called „defense“ and „defense with screen“, which differ only in an additional return to the central padded roll mat to simulate a pass interference movement (to defend a bounce pass to the line player, marked target area at knee height).
Running route (for right-handed players):
Defense: central – left side – central – right side – central – left side
Defense with screen: central – left side – central – right side – central – left side – central (screen)
In offense, the athletes have to catch and pass the ball during sprinting between the 9m line (backcourt positions, with a distance of 6m between these two) and 12m (central), where they have to touch 0.5×0.5 marked fields on the floor starting at 12m, finishing at the 9m line, twice right side, one time left side for right-handed players, and vice versa for left-handed players. There are two different offensive actions, called „offense“ and „offense with shot“, which differ only in an additional jump shot at the end of the sequence. Both actions start with a pass to each side and only walking/jogging halfway towards the passer before the sprinting sequence starts. In case of the additional shot, the athletes have to throw as fast as possible to the lower-left corner of the goal after maximal take-off from the left foot (for right-handed players, and vice versa for left-handed players).
Running route (for right-handed players):
Offense: central – jogging halfway to the right side – catch and pass to the right – central – jogging halfway to the left side – catch and pass to the left – central – sprint to the right – catch and pass – central – sprint to the left – catch and pass – central – sprint to the right – catch and pass
Offense with shot: central – jogging halfway to the right side – catch and pass to the right – central – jogging halfway to the left side – catch and pass to the left – central – sprint to the right – catch and pass – central – sprint to the left – catch and pass – central – sprint to the right – catch and jump shot
The changes between „defense to offense“ as well as „offense to defense“ count as active breaks. The athletes have a certain amount of seconds to reach the other side of the field and get in position to start on the following signal. However, two times (in heats 3 and 6) the athletes have to perform a sprint from defense to offense (simulation of a fast break) and finish it off with a jump shot from the marked 9m position. Likewise in „offense to defense“, the athletes have to run back home (simulation of a fast retreat after a lost ball) two times (in heats 4 and 6) as fast as possible, both times right after a jump shot.
Defense to offense: active break (in heats 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8) and fast-break sprint with jump shot (in heats 3 and 6)
Offense to defense: active break (in heats 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 8) and running back sprint after jump shot (in heats 4 and 6)
As mentioned before, the GBPT is timed and follows a given scheme. Breaks hereby are 15s between two defense or two offense actions, 20s between defense and offense and vice versa, and 20+40s between the single heats.
Overall, the structure looks as follows:
Heat 1: Defense – 20s – Offense- 20s – 40s
Heat 2: Defense with screen – 20s – Offense with shot – 20s – 40s
Heat 3: Defense – 15s – Defense with screen – Fast break – 20s – Offense – 15s – Offense with shot – 20s – 40s
Heat 4: Defense – 15s – Defense with screen – 20s – Offense – 15s – Offense with shot – Running back – 20s – 40s
Heat 5: Defense – 20s – Offense – 20s – 40s
Heat 6: Defense – 15s – Defense with screen – Fast break – 20s – Offense – 15s – Offense with shot – Running back – 20s – 40s
Heat 7: Defense – 20s – Offense – 20s – 40s
Heat 8: Defense with screen – 20s – Offense with shot – 20s – 40s
To ensure the athletes understand the GBPT and its demanded tasks, a theoretical explanation by the test leader in advance is mandatory as well as a practical familiarization. That means, the athletes carry out a „Heat 0“ right before the start of heat 1. All actions within heat 0 are to be carried out at a low-moderate intensity level.
Heat 0: Defense – 15s – Defense with screen – 20s – Offense – 15s – Offense with shot – 20s – 40s
Measurements during the GBPT
During the GBPT, different measurements can be conducted. In general, a portable respiratory gas exchange analysis system is used to measure values such as oxygen uptake. Blood lactate concentration measurements can be done within the 40s breaks between all heats. To track the position of the athletes and measure values like speed and acceleration a local position measurement system is needed. Light barriers or stopwatches are needed to measure defense and offense time as well as sprinting times. To film and analyze jump height and throwing velocity a high-definition camera is needed.