High Intensity Resistance Training Combined With Blood Flow Restricted Exercise in Elite Handball Players

Purpose of the study is: to investigate the effects of 8 weeks intervention of high intensity resistance training(HIRT) combined with Blood Flow Restricted Exercise (BFRE) compared to high intensity resistance training alone.

Detailed Description: 30 elite handball players will be randomized into 2 groups of 15 participants each. Participants will be evaluated in the week before and the week after an 8-weeks training intervention with 2 weekly sessions. Based on their baseline muscle strength the participants will be randomized into two groups: HIRT-BFRE or HIRT-HIRT. Participants in both groups will perform a full-body training programme of HIRT. After the Full-body programme, Back squat exercise with low intensity and Blood flow restriction will be performed to the HIRT-BFRE group and back squat exercise with high intensity without blood flow restriction will be performed by HIRT-HIRT. Evaluation protocol includes: muscle strength measurement with 1 repetition maximum of Back squat and knee extension, muscle mass with Dual-Energy X-ray absorptiometry, muscle thickness of the thigh with ultra sound measurement, vertical jump height with linear Encoder, sprint performance with 30m sprint time.