The Key to Improving in Handball: Ball Handling at Home!

Do you think handball practice only happens in the gym? While team practices and drills are incredibly important, they’re not enough if you truly want to excel. In fact, a shortcut to getting better is to increase the time you spend touching the ball at home.

Why is Ball Handling at Home So Important?

Touching a handball at home offers many benefits that you can’t get from gym practice alone:

You’ll get “Used to” the Ball

The handball is a bit unique compared to balls in other sports. It’s small, not very slippery, and can be hard to control initially. Since gym practice time is limited, it’s often difficult to dedicate ample time to basic ball handling. By touching the ball a little bit every day at home, your body will naturally get used to its weight, feel, and bounce, allowing you to “become friends with the ball.”

It Significantly Improves Your Fundamental Skills

Every play in handball—passing, catching, dribbling, shooting—is built on precise ball control. By repeatedly touching the ball at home, you can dramatically improve the accuracy of fundamental skills like:

Catching: Develop the feel for securely catching balls from various directions.
Passing: Practice using wrist snap and fingertip control to accurately send the ball to your target.
Dribbling: Learn to “feel” the ball rather than watching it, enabling you to dribble while keeping your eyes up.
Fakes: Train your body to move effectively while holding the ball.
It Builds Confidence and Broadens Your Play Options

When you can handle the ball freely, you gain more composure during play. This widens your court vision, allowing you to spot passing lanes, look for shooting opportunities, and make better play choices. This confidence directly impacts your game performance and will make handball even more enjoyable.

“Passive Practice” Leads to Efficient Improvement

Ball handling at home doesn’t require a special space. You can do it easily in small pockets of time while watching TV, listening to music, or just whenever you have a moment. By seamlessly integrating it into your daily life, it becomes easier to sustain, and over time, the difference will become remarkably clear.

Examples of Ball Handling Drills You Can Do at Home

You don’t need special equipment; just a ball is enough to get started.

Endless Wall Passes (Low, High, Left, Right): Pass the ball against a wall and catch it on the rebound. This develops wrist flexibility and fingertip feel. Start slowly and accurately, then increase the rhythm as you get comfortable.
Ball Rolls Around Your Body: Roll the ball around your head, waist, between your legs, etc. This practices smooth control while feeling the ball’s texture.
Fingertip Ball Taps (Dribbling Feel): Sit on the floor and control the ball using only your fingertips. This builds dribbling感覚 (dribbling feel) and improves your concentration on the ball.
Ball Toss & Catch: Toss the ball straight up and catch it. Once you’re comfortable, add variations like tossing it higher or catching it while changing your body’s direction.
One-Handed Ball Control: Practice gripping, throwing, and catching the ball with one hand, especially with your non-dominant hand, to become ambidextrous with the ball.

Tips for Consistency

Even Short Sessions are Fine: 5 or 10 minutes a day is perfectly okay. The most important thing is to do it consistently.
Set Small Goals: Setting small goals like “I’ll successfully complete 100 consecutive wall passes today!” or “I’ll be able to perfectly roll the ball with my non-dominant hand!” can help maintain motivation.
Make it Enjoyable: Approach it not as a chore, but with the desire to “get better!” or “play with the ball.”

By making consistent ball handling at home a habit, in addition to your team practices in the gym, your handball skills are sure to improve dramatically. Why not pick up a ball and start today?