Before you try handball, you have to get the proper gear. You will need protective eyewear, protective gloves and a ball.
When you play handball, you absolutely must wear gloves in order to protect your hands. You will not want to catch a ball that is coming fast at you with your bare palm. Playing without gloves can result in some nasty calluses and bruises, and you even run the risk of breaking some of the tiny bones in your hands. Many beginners make the mistake of wearing gloves that do not provide any protection from the force of the ball. A regular pair of winter gloves is not acceptable, and it is not safe. You should visit a sporting goods store to find a pair of gloves that is specifically geared towards playing handball. There are two basic styles to choose from. The first is full-coverage gloves, meaning gloves that cover your entire hand, including your fingers. The second is partial-coverage gloves, which cover your entire hand, except your fingers. For beginners, full-coverage gloves are best. Until you get the hang of catching handballs, you don't want to run the risk of hurting your fingers. When you get more experienced, you may decide that you want to switch over to the partial-coverage gloves because they offer a little more precision and control in catching and throwing the handball. You should make sure to choose gloves that are well-ventilated, because otherwise you will have sweaty palms underneath the gloves, and that could detract from your performance. The gloves that you purchase should also be padded and cushioned, yet closely-fit to your hands and flexible. Try on the gloves before you buy them, and make sure to check that you can move your fingers around freely with them on.
Eye protection is another essential piece of gear for handball playing. If you get hit in the eye with a ball that is traveling at a high speed, major damage could be done to your vision, possibly even permanent damage. The eye area is extremely delicate, and it has to be protected from injury with a pair of protective goggles. Protective sports eyewear is a big business, so you will have a wide selection to choose from. In general, the smaller, the better. Bulky sports goggles will impede your ability to maintain clear peripheral vision. However, you should make sure that the goggles you buy offer full protection, meaning that they are snugly fit against the skin, leaving no pockets between the frame of the goggles and your face. If the goggles are not fitted against the skin, then they could slam into your face if you got hit with a ball, and you could wind up with a nasty black eye. Just like with your handball gloves, you should try the goggles on before you buy them to make sure the fit is comfortable.
Last, but certainly not least, you will need to get a few handballs. You can get handballs at your local sporting goods store, or you can buy them on the internet. You will find that there is a wide assortment of colors ands styles to choose from. Don't get overwhelmed! As long as the ball that strikes your fancy is geared for handball, it is a fine choice. However, you should not substitute other types of balls for handballs, such as soccer balls, basketballs, volleyballs, or kickball balls. They may look similar, but the weight and air pressures for each one is unique. Using the wrong style of ball could result in injury.
