Handball Cheat Sheet

The key takeaways for beginners – rules, throwing from the kinetic chain and protecting shoulders & knees.

Equipment

Item	Priority	Tip
Ball size	High	Size 1–3 to match age and sex – the wrong ball ruins your throwing technique.
Indoor shoes	High	Stable cushioning protects knees and ankles during rapid changes of direction.
Knee pads	Medium	Soft protection against the hard court floor.
Resin	Low	Banned in many halls – ask first, then stick.

Rule check

Rule	What it means
3 steps, 3 seconds	Then you must dribble, pass or shoot – cover longer distances by dribbling.
6-metre crease	Belongs to the goalkeeper. Exception: jump before the line and shoot before landing.
Passing & catching first	The absolute foundation before any jump-shot dreams.

The 3 golden technique rules

Factor 1: Throw as a kinetic chain

Concept: Thrown from the arm alone there is no pace – and the shoulder pays the bill. Tip: Build power from the legs and torso rotation, whip the arm through like a lash.

Factor 2: Soft hands

Concept: Stiff arms when catching mean turnovers and finger injuries. Tip: Always catch with both hands and giving arms – move towards the ball.

Factor 3: Land softly

Concept: Hard one-legged landings after the jump shot punish knees and ankles. Tip: After every jump, land actively and ideally on both feet with bent knees.

First throws

Standing throw first: The basic throw from a standstill trains the interplay of torso and throwing arm.
Jump-shot rhythm: Practise the run-up rhythm to shoot over the defence – only once the standing throw is solid.
Precision before power: 50 placed throws into the corners beat 10 hard ones down the middle.
Dribble on the move: Cover longer distances legally by dribbling – get confident with both hands.

Athletics & protection

Warm up the shoulder: Activate shoulders and core dynamically before every session – overload is the classic.
Interval sport: Easy runs plus short sprints simulate real match load.
Take fatigue seriously: When strength fades, throwing form suffers – elbow and shoulder problems follow.

Pro tip: Never throw cold: two minutes of shoulder circles and easy warm-up throws before the first hard one are the cheapest shoulder insurance of your career.