Learning How to Hit a Hand Ball

The biggest complaint amongst new handball players is sore hands. Sore hands take a long time to heal so it is important to take the proper measures to protect your hands when learning how to play handball. Proper technique, warm up, and selecting the right gear are critical to protecting your hands.

Proper technique is the best way to avoid sore hands when hitting a handball. The technique is broken down into hand position prior to stroking the ball and the motion of your stroke.

Hand position should be gently cupped like shaking hands. Your hands and wrists should be loose and relaxed. Your fingers should be gently curled, and your hand should not be flat with the skin tight.

Stroking the ball isn’t a hit, swat, or paddle as much as it is a flick. Hitting a handball is the same motion as throwing a ball. The wrist and hands should remain loose and supple. During the stroke the elbow should lead the wrists. When the hands come through, they should be loose like a whip. If done properly, the ball strikes the sweet spot on your hand and rolls up and off your fingers or hand.

After good technique, warming the hands properly is the second best thing for hand protection. First, run your hands under warm/hot water for a few minutes. Dry them thoroughly before you wear your gloves. Once on the court start by throwing the ball against a wall with both an overhand and sidearm stroke. Next, toss the ball off the back wall and let it bounce once before you hit the ball to the front wall. Make sure you use both your dominant and non-dominant hand. After that, Progress to drop and hit drills with both hands. Lastly, Rally with yourself off the front wall. Continue to warm up with various strokes until your hands feel warmed up. Warm up until there is no pain when you hit the ball. Improper warm up can lead to sore hands very quickly.

The best gear for a novice handball player to protect their hands is the US Handball Association’s starter handball kit on their website for about $40. In addition to eye protection, it also provides gloves (padded and non-padded) and glove liners which are recommended for beginners. Glove liners provide a lot of extra protection for your hands, but they reduce the ‘feel’ in your shot. Thin glove liners are available which give less protection, but improved feel.

Even if you take protective measures, you may still develop sore hands. If this occurs, then you will need to take some extra protection to allow them time to heal. Place four or five layers of tape across the knuckles at the base of the palm of your hands. Apply them in strips. Don’t wrap the tap all the way around your hands, and make sure you don’t inhibit the movement of your fingers.

March 12, 2009 Posted in: Handball