The Effect of Fluid Restriction and Intake Conditions on the Shooting Performance of Competitive Adolescent Handball Players

Abstract

Abstract: (1) Background: This study aimed to investigate the effects of fluid restriction and intake (water vs. sports drink) on shooting accuracy and speed in adolescent handball players, a population with high sensitivity to hydration levels yet understudied in this context. (2) Methods: A total of 47 adolescent competitive handball players (15.04 ± 1.5 years) were included in this study, and the participants were divided into low, average, and high performance according to their shooting performance in the familiarization session. All participants were exposed to fluid restriction and intake conditions during handball training on different days. Before and after the training sessions, changes in shooting accuracy and speed were evaluated. (3) Results: The training protocol resulted in body mass loss in the Average Performer group (p = 0.001). Compared to fluid restriction, fluid intake (water intake and sports drink intake) post-training had a positive main effect on shooting accuracy, F(2, 88) = 34.32, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.44, and shooting speed, F(1, 61) = 4.05, p = 0.35, ηp2 = 0.84. (4) Conclusions: Hydration level plays an important role in shooting accuracy and speed performance in adolescent handball players. Therefore, fluid intake integrated into training or match sessions may contribute to the maintenance and improvement of shooting performance.