Anaerobic Power Cycling Training and Lower-Extremity Performance in Elite Female Handball Players: A Predictive Model Based on Morphological Indices

Objective: Handball requires high levels of anaerobic power, explosive strength, and repeated sprint ability.This study aimed to evaluate the effects of power cycling training on anaerobic capacity and explosive performance in elite female handball players.

Methods: Forty-three elite female handball players who had participated in the Bangladesh National Female Handball League and had at least five years of continuous handball experience were recruited.Participants were allocated to either a control group (n = 21) or a training group (n = 22).All data were recorded in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 25.0.

Results: Between-group comparisons revealed no statistically significant differences in most power cycling variables at baseline (all p > 0.05), confirming group homogeneity.However, significant within-group improvements in mean power and peak power relative to body weight were observed in the training group following the intervention (p < 0.05).Strong positive correlations were identified between peak power performance and lower-extremity skeletal muscle mass as well as thigh circumference (r = 0.91, p < 0.001).Multiple linear regression models explained 86.6% of the variance in peak power and 82.8% of the variance in mean power, indicating that lower-limb morphological indices are reliable predictors of anaerobic cycling performance.

Conclusion: The training group demonstrated improvements in key Wingate performance variables despite the absence of significant between-group differences.Lower-extremity skeletal muscle mass and thigh circumference were strong predictors of anaerobic cycling performance, and the proposed regression models may offer a practical approach for monitoring anaerobic capacity in female handball players.