The Performance Demands of Netball and the Methods of analys

For example, adequate abdominal muscular strength is required to maintain correct torso alignment during skills such as shooting and landing from a jump. Adequate abdominal muscular strength also aids in preventing lower back pain, a common problem among netball players caused by repeated impact loading with hard court surfaces.
             Studies have shown that upper body strength of netball players, particularly defence players, tend to be low compared to sedentary populations (Chad &Steele 1990). However, development of upper body strength is required to enhance ball handling and goal shooting skills. Muscular strength is very important to the netball player due to its relationship to other fitness parameters such as muscular power and endurance. Development of muscular power will facilitate performance of the characteristic explosive movements to initiate attacking or defensive strategies and during elevating leaps to receive a high pass or to rebound a goal. Increased power of upper extremity muscles will also enhance ball handling and goal shooting skills. Muscular endurance is demanded to enable players to exert forces repeatedly over the duration of a match. Lack of muscular endurance is highlighted in the last quarter of many matches in which a player complains of "jelly legs". This is usually accompanied by decreased performance in skills requiring muscular strength or power. .
             During a game of netball the player is required to twist and turn her body. She has to cope with uneven landings, off balance situations and reaching out and stretching joints to their limits. This is why suppleness is a great requirement for a netball player. Suppleness refers to the "Range of motion of the joints" (Galsworthy, 1994).
             Just like every other sport, netball has a psychological side as well as physical one. In reference to Toy Martin, "The psychological aspect of netball can be roughly described as what goes on "upstairs" between the ears of a netball team" Coe (1999) supports this by saying, "an athlete can go a long way on a good physique and superb fitness, but to reach maximum potential the athlete must acquire the ability to always be in complete mental control when performing".