The aim of this study is to determine the intensity of competitive effort by measuring heart rate during beach handball in female players. We used a sample of six players belonging at the same team.

During the course of 13 national level category matches, heart rate was recorded for all players by telemetry in periods of 5seconds.

The average heart rates recorded in the first half was 149.94±11.96 bpm representing 80% reference HRmax (Heart Rate maximum) with a minimum of 113.20±13.65 bpm and maximum 172.16±9.97 bpm, while in the second half it was 156.08±11.43 bpm representing 83% reference HRmax, with a minimum 125.16±14.99 bpm and maximum of 175.94±8.94 bpm.

Following the classification of intensity of physical activity proposed by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) we registered that 41.57±19.7% was defined as vigorous activity during the activity time in first half and 26.1±26.5% as very vigorous; while in the second half the percentage of moderate activity was reduced as the percentage of very vigorous activity increased to 40.8±25.5%.

The results suggest that the practice of beach handball is a vigorous and very vigorous activity in the 70% of the total activity time. Heart rates were maintained between 150 and 157 bpm, representing 80-83% reference HRmax.