Read the book: «Varied handball shooting drills»

Introduction

Shooting is a central component of team handball and must be practiced and improved regularly. Therefore, it is reasonable to integrate shooting series into training units from time to time. This collection of exercises contains 60 comprehensible practical drills focusing on this subject. They can be integrated in every training unit.

The exercises are divided into the following six categories and three difficulty levels (easy, medium, difficult):

- Technique

- Shooting at fixed targets

- Series of shots at the goal

- Shooting training for specific playing positions

- Complex series of shots

- Shooting competitions

With these options, you can easily make your shooting trainings more diverse and create new approaches for every age group. Additional notes and possible variations should inspire you to further modify the exercises and to adjust them to your players’ level of performance.

Sample figure:

1st English edition released on 18 Mar 2017

German original edition released on 04 Nov 2015

Published by DV Concept

Editors, Design and Layout: Jörg Madinger, Elke Lackner

Proofreading and English translation: Nina-Maria Nahlenz

ISBN: 978-3-95641-087-1

The book and its contents are protected by copyright. No reprinting, photomechanical reproduction, storing or processing in electronic systems without the publisher’s written permission.

Key

Cone

Hoop

Large safety mat

Small gym mat

Small vaulting box

Small vaulting box, upside down

Foam noodles: foam bars of approx. 60 cm length

Large vaulting box

Medicine ball

tennis ball

Balance bench

Hurdle

Coordination ladder

Large safety mat

Dice

Pole

Difficulty level

Easy:

Medium:

Difficult:

1. Technique
No. 1 Wrist technique

Category: Technique

Minimum number of players: 2

Difficulty level:

Equipment required: 1 handball per player

Setting:

- Two players, each holding a handball, stand face-to-face at a distance of about 4 to 5 meters.

- Both players do the exercise in parallel.

Preparation:

- Before starting the exercise, the players should rotate their wrists (clockwise and counterclockwise), hinge them back and forth, and finally stretch them slightly.

Course 1:

- The players lift their arms to the side at an angle of 90°, hinge the wrist back as far as possible (figure 1), and pass the ball to the other player by only moving their wrists (figure 2).

- Change the throwing hand after 20 to 30 passes.

^{(Figure 1)}

^{(Figure 2)}

The players should pass the ball in such a way that their teammate can catch it at chest height.

Course 2:

- The players lift their arms straight up, hinge back their wrists (figure 3), and pass the ball to the other player by only moving the wrist. The players should hinge their wrists back (figure 3) and forth (figure 4) as far as possible.

^{(Figure 3)}

^{(Figure 4)}

Course 3:

- The players hold their arms down and to the side, hinge their wrists back as far as possible (figure 5), and pass the ball to the other player by only moving their wrists (figure 6).

^{(Figure 5)}

^{(Figure 6)}

The pass should be played by only moving the wrist – this applies to each of the three arm positions; the arm must not be moved but rather kept in the respective position.

No. 2 Passing and shooting technique

Category: Technique

Minimum number of players: 2

Difficulty level:

Equipment required: 1 handball per team of two, 6 cones, large vaulting box, balance bench, 3 medicine balls

Setting of course 1:

- Two players stand face-to-face, each pair having one handball.

Course 1:

- The players keep passing the ball while moving back and forth (A and B).

Variant:

- The players run a slight curve to the left (right) (C) and then pass the ball to their teammate (D).

Make sure that the toes point towards the teammate while passing the ball.

Course 2:

- The players shoot at medicine balls on top of a balance bench (E).

Course 3:

- The players shoot at cones on top of a large vaulting box (F).

Course 4:

- The players shoot at cones on the floor (G).

Observe the following:

The right-handed player moves forward and plants his left foot firmly on the ground observing the three-step rule. His toes must point towards the teammate (shooting target) (figure 1). For left-handed players, the movement is done the other way around.

The hip and upper body are rotated backwards. The upper arm and elbow must be in line with the shoulder (figure 1).

(Figure 1)

The players must keep their elbows up while moving forward. The hip and upper body are rotated forward (figure 2).

(Figure 2)

The players must move the backmost foot forward and rotate the arm forward as well (while keeping the elbow up however) in order to get a smooth rotation movement (hip, upper body, and arm) (figure 3).

(Figure 3)

The backmost foot moves forward, the arm swings forward, and finally the ball is being passed to the teammate (shot at the target) by hinging the wrist (figure 4).

(Figure 4)

2. Shooting at fixed targets
No. 3 Shooting at medicine balls

Category: Shooting at fixed targets

Minimum number of players: 8

Difficulty level:

Equipment required: 4 small vaulting boxes, 4 medicine balls, 8 cones, sufficient number of handballs

Setting:

- The players form pairs. Each team of 2 gets a small vaulting box with a medicine ball on top that serves as the target. Define the shooting distance with two cones.

Course 1:

- starts as the shooter, starts as the feeder.

- plays three passes to (A).

- makes a well-controlled rotation movement and shoots (B).

- tries to hit the medicine ball.

- Switch tasks after three shots.

- The other groups do the drill in parallel.

- Repeat the drill four times until each player has shot 12 times.

Course 2:

- The basic course remains the same as course 1.

- The shooters shoot three times – from the front center (B), from next to the left cone, and from next to the right cone (C) in order to change the shooting angle.

Make sure that the shooting movement is performed correctly (rotate hip and body backwards, elbow in line with the head/shoulder, body rotation, target focus, toes point towards the shooting direction).

No. 4 Drill: Shooting at different targets

Category: Shooting at fixed targets

Minimum number of players: 8

Difficulty level:

Equipment required: 2 small vaulting boxes, 1 large vaulting box, 1 balance bench, 1 large safety mat, tape, 9 cones, 2 ropes or hoops, 1 handball per player

Overall course:

- The course consists of several exercises and must be done twice.

- The players do the exercises in groups (no more than 4 players per group).

- The exercises are changed on command after a defined time period.

Exercise 1:

- Put two small vaulting boxes into the goal and attach targets to the upper goal corners, such as ropes or hoops.

- The players run a few meters, shoot and try to hit one of the four targets in the goal (A).

Exercise 2:

- Position a large safety mat upright on the wall. Define several individual fields on the mat using white or colored tape. Also define a shooting line in front of the mat from which the players are allowed to shoot.

- The players shoot alternately and try to hit each field consecutively (B).

- Who hits each field at least once first?

Exercise 3:

- Build up a large vaulting box and draw a circle around it.

- The players try to hit the individual parts of the vaulting box consecutively from outside the circle, first on the long side (C), then on the short side (D).

Exercise 4:

- Array cones on top of a balance bench. Define a shooting line in front of the bench from which the players are allowed to shoot.

- Both players shoot alternately and try to hit the cones (E).

- Who hits more often?

Make sure the players perform the shooting and passing movements correctly.

Adjust the target distance and the shooting variants to the players’ level of performance.

The exercises are also suitable for video analysis – the players can be shown their mistakes on the computer immediately after the drill.

No. 5 Shooting at targets

Category: Shooting at fixed targets

Minimum number of players: 8

Difficulty level:

Equipment required: 6 cones, 4 small vaulting boxes, 2 large vaulting boxes, 4 medicine balls, 2 ball boxes with sufficient number of handballs, 2 score cards, 2 pens

Setting:

- Make two teams; each team gets a score card and a pen.

- For each team, position two medicine balls, two small vaulting boxes, and one large vaulting box as targets. Define shooting lines using cones (see figure).

Course:

- and start with a ball and shoot from the shooting line.

- They either try to hit a medicine ball (A), a small vaulting box (B), or the large vaulting box.

- Once they have hit one of the targets, the respective item may be crossed out on the score card (M for medicine ball, B for the small vaulting box, LB for the large vaulting box).

- The player who has shot runs back and exchanges a high-five with the player who is next in line.

- If the team wishes, they may put the medicine balls back into their original position after a hit.

- Which team is first to hit all the targets on the score card (or has scored highest at the end of the playing time)?

Make sure that the players do the shooting movements correctly.

The teams may decide who shoots at which target in order to develop a strategy.

Score card: M: medicine ball, B: small vaulting box, LB: large vaulting box

No. 6 Competition: Shooting at fixed targets

Category: Shooting at fixed targets

Minimum number of players: 8

Difficulty level:

Equipment required: 10 cones, 6 small vaulting boxes, 2 medicine balls, 2 foam dices, 2 ball boxes with sufficient number of handballs

Setting:

- Make two teams. For each team, position three small vaulting boxes and define a shooting line using cones (see figure).

- Put a medicine ball each on top of the two first boxes, a foam dice each on top of the two second boxes (if no dices are available, use cones or medicine balls), and a cone each on top of the two last boxes.

Course:

- On command, and start and play a pass to and , respectively (A).

- and pass the ball to and , respectively (B).

- and choose a target and shoot (C and D).

- When hitting a target, the players receive points as follows:

-- Medicine ball: 2 points

-- Dice: number of points on the dice after it has been hit

-- Cone: 5 points

- The coach writes down the points of each team. The targets that have been hit must be put back on top of the boxes.

- After they have played the pass, the players take over the position to which they passed the ball (E and F).

- and play the next pass.

- After they have shot, and line up next to the respective ball box (G).

- Each player must shoot 5 (10) times. The team with the most points wins the game.

- Consider a second round.

Variant:

- Limit the playing time. Which team has scored highest after 5 (7) minutes?

Make sure the players perform the shooting and passing movements correctly. Revise constantly.

The players may be given some time before the game in order to develop a team strategy.

If no foam dice is available, the players may shoot at a cone or a medicine ball instead. Once they have hit the respective target, the team may roll a small dice to figure out the number of points.

No. 7 Shooting at targets defined by playing cards

Category: Shooting at fixed targets

Minimum number of players: 9

Difficulty level:

Equipment required: 11 cones, 4 small vaulting boxes, 3 medicine balls, 1 balance bench, 1 deck of playing cards

Setting:

- Array cones on top of a balance bench and define a shooting line.

- Position three small vaulting boxes on the opposite, put a medicine ball each on top, and define a shooting line.

- Put a deck of playing cards upside down on top of the small vaulting box at the center line.

Course:

- There are three shooting targets, of which each is assigned one card suit:

-- Cones on the bench (Diamonds)

-- Medicine balls (Hearts)

-- Goal (Clubs)

- For Spades, the players may choose the shooting target.

- Make two teams. The teams stand on the right and left side of the backmost vaulting box.

- starts, flips a card (here Diamonds) (A), runs to the respective shooting line (B), and shoots at the respective target (C).

- If the player hits the target, he gets a point.

- As soon as runs to the shooting target, starts, flips a card (D) (here Clubs), runs to the shooting line (here the 6-meter line) (E), and shoots (F).

- And so on. Which team scores highest?

No. 8 Shooting at fixed targets inside the goal

Category: Shooting at fixed targets

Minimum number of players: 6

Difficulty level:

Equipment required: 4 small vaulting boxes, 2 bibs, 1 handball per player

Setting:

- Put a small vaulting box next to each goalpost.

- Pile up 2 to 3 small vaulting boxes in the center of the goal.

- Tie a bib each on the left and right side of the crossbar so that it hangs down into the goal.

Course 1:

- starts to run with the ball and shoots, while running, from the 6-meter line at one of the targets in the goal (A and B).

-- If he hits the 2 to 3 small vaulting boxes in the center of the goal, he gets 1 point.

-- If he hits one of the two small vaulting boxes next to the goalposts, he gets 2 points.

-- If he hits one of the bibs, he gets 3 points.

- Afterwards, it is the next players’ turn.

- Who has scored highest after 10 shots?

Course 2:

- starts to run with the ball and makes a jump shot from the 9-meter line at one of the targets in the goal (C and D).

The players should perform the shooting movement correctly.

3. Series of shots at the goal
No. 9 Continuous shooting from different positions

Category: Series of shots at the goal

Minimum number of players: 6

Difficulty level:

Equipment required: 10 cones, ball box with sufficient number of handballs

Setting:

- Position cones as shown in the figure.

Course A: (black)

- starts from the center, dribbles around the left cone, and makes a jump shot at the goal from the back position (here LB).

- Immediately before shoots at the goal, starts, dribbles around the right cone, and also makes a jump shot at the goal.

- starts slightly delayed and does the same drill.

- After they have shot, the players run back to the starting point as fast as possible (they should pick up the handballs lying around) and repeat the drill until no handballs are left in the ball box (about 25 to 30 shots).

Course B: (red)

- starts from the center, dribbles around the left cone, keeps dribbling until he arrives the wing position, and shoots.

- Since the goalkeeper must cover a longer distance now, must time his start accordingly (by the time the player shoots, the goalkeeper should be in a proper position).

- Repeat until no handballs are left or until the players have shot 25 to 30 times.

Course C: (green)

- starts from the center, dribbles around the left cone, dynamically dribbles towards the center, and makes a jump shot.

- Immediately before shoots, starts the same drill.

- Repeat until no handballs are left or until the players have shot 25 to 30 times.

The players should run around the cones and approach the goal in a highly dynamic manner.

No. 10 Series of shots at defined targets

Category: Series of shots at the goal

Minimum number of players: 7

Difficulty level:

Equipment required: 1 large vaulting box, 2 cones, 1 deck of playing cards, 1 handball per player

Setting:

- Put two piles of cards upside down on top of the large vaulting box.

- The shooting corridor is defined with two cones.

- Each card suit is assigned a goal corner.

Course:

- starts and flips the first card (A).

- dribbles towards the cones and shoots at the goal (B and C). tries to hit the corner assigned to the card suit. If succeeds, he gets three points for his team. If hits one of the other corners, he gets one point for his team. If he does not hit the goal at all, he does not get a point.

- Afterwards, runs back to his team (D) and starts (E and F).

Competition:

- Which team gets the most points with their pile of cards?

No. 11 Series of shots with coordination exercise

Category: Series of shots at the goal

Minimum number of players: 7

Difficulty level:

Equipment required: 8 cones, 1 balance bench, 6 hoops, 1 small vaulting box, 2 ball boxes with sufficient number of handballs

Setting:

- Position the small vaulting box, bench, hoops, and cones as shown in the figure.

- Make two teams (shooters left and right). Each team has a ball box containing the same number of handballs.

Course:

- starts with a ball, dribbles towards the small vaulting box, and crosses it, still dribbling (A). Then he crosses the bench while bouncing the ball on the floor next to the bench (B).

- dribbles a slalom around the cones (C), bounces the ball into each hoop once (D), picks up the ball, and shoots from the left wing position (E).

- Once has arrived the hoops, the goalkeeper runs towards the coach, touches the handball the coach is holding, and finally gets in position for the shot from the wing position (F).

- If scores, he fetches the ball and puts it into the ball box of the other team. If misses, he puts the ball into his own team’s ball box. lines up again.

- starts the same drill once has left the bench; however, after crossing the bench, he runs to the right side and shoots from the right wing position.

- Which team has fewer handballs in their box after the time is up?

The players should do the coordination exercises in a concentrated manner and – if possible – without making mistakes; the players should speed up only after they have gained more and more confidence.

The coach holds the handball for the goalkeeper (F) in different positions – up, down, left, or right so that the goalkeeper must react accordingly.

Consider playing two rounds and changing the sides.

No. 12 Series of shots with simple crossing

Category: Series of shots at the goal

Minimum number of players: 6

Difficulty level:

Equipment required: 2 cones, ball box with sufficient number of handballs

Setting:

- Position cones as shown in the figure.

Course:

- dribbles to the cone (A).

- Once he has arrived at the cone, passes the ball to (B) and keeps running (C).

- makes a slight piston movement and passes the ball into the running path of (D).

- starts crossing (E), takes on the crossing, receives the pass (F), and shoots (G).

- immediately moves back to the position of (H) while dribbles towards him and starts the next round.

- lines up again with a ball.

- After several rounds, start the course over from the other side so that the players shoot from the LB position.

The players should start the crossing dynamically, take it on at full speed, and shoot.

The next player starts in time so that the previous player must catch the ball (B) immediately after he has moved back to the cone (H).

No. 13 Series of shots on several positions with defense

Category: Series of shots at the goal

Minimum number of players: 7

Difficulty level:

Equipment required: 8 cones, ball box with sufficient number of handballs

Setting:

- Position cones as shown in the figure.

- and feed who does a series of five actions.

Course:

- Action 1: receives a pass from to the left wing position into his running path and shoots (A).

- Action 2: After the 1st shot, moves back immediately and runs around the 1st cone. Afterwards, he receives a pass into his running path (B), plays 1-on-1 against , and finally shoots at the goal.

- Action 3: After the action, immediately moves back and runs around the 2nd cone. Afterwards, he receives a pass into his running path (C) and makes a jump shot over who serves as defensive block.

- Action 4: After the action, immediately moves back and runs around the 3rd cone. Afterwards, he receives a pass into his running path (D), plays 1-on-1 against , and finally shoots at the goal.

- Action 5: After the action, immediately moves back and runs around the 4th cone. He subsequently receives a pass to the right wing position into his running path (E) and shoots.

Subsequent course:

- The other players fetch the balls so that there is no break between the shots.

- After the last shot, the players (also the players who have fetched the balls) move on to the next position: e.g., becomes , becomes , becomes , becomes the feeder or fetches the balls, etc. The players move on to the next position clockwise.