Handball: 6-0, 5-1 and 3-2-1 defences and how to attack them
SportStudioLab · Published
In handball, defence is organised around two lines that never move: the goal-area line at 6 metres and the free-throw line at 9. Within that space, the defensive system decides how many defenders stand at each depth — and therefore which shots and passes are conceded. This guide compares the three most widely used systems and explains how to represent them on a board.
How to read a defensive system
The naming tells you how many defenders are in each line, starting from the one closest to goal. A 6-0 has six players in the first line and none advanced; a 5-1 has five in the first line and one in front; a 3-2-1 has three in the first line, two in a second line and one further forward. The deeper the defence, the more it pressures passes — and the more space it leaves behind.
The 6-0 defence
All six defenders set up near the 6-metre line, step out to the shooter who receives, then drop back into position. It's solid against the pivot and the wings, and lets several arms block shots from 9 metres.
Its weak spot is the long-range shot: if the opposing backs shoot well from distance, the defence has to step out a long way and gaps open between defenders. Against it, back-centre crosses, playing the pivot between the second and third defenders, and fast circulation to get the ball to the wing with an advantage all work.
The 5-1 defence
Five defenders in the first line and one advanced defender harassing the opposing centre back, usually around the 9-metre line. The advanced player cuts passing lanes, disrupts the playmaker and can force turnovers.
The trade-off is that the first line has one fewer defender to cover the same width. Attacks usually look for the space behind the advanced defender with a pass to the pivot, clear the centre for a one-on-one, or play with two centre backs so the advanced player doesn't know whom to press.
The 3-2-1 defence
The deepest and most active of the three: three defenders near the area, two in a second line and one advanced. It demands lots of mobility and understanding between defenders, because the slides are long and help is constant. Done well it forces many turnovers and fast breaks; done badly it leaves lanes to the pivot and space to penetrate.
Against a 3-2-1, playing with two pivots, circulation with many short passes, and successive penetrations that force the defence to close again and again until the gap appears tend to work.
How to choose
- 6-0: teams with tall defenders who block well, or opponents with a strong pivot and wings.
- 5-1: when the opponent relies heavily on their centre back, or to break up circulation without giving up a solid first line.
- 3-2-1: fast, well-coordinated teams looking for steals and fast breaks, or to change the rhythm of a match.
- Mixed defences (5+1): one defender marks the opponent's most dangerous player man-to-man while the rest defend zonally.
7v6 superiority with an empty net
When the attacking team swaps the goalkeeper for an outfield player, it attacks seven against six. It's a useful tool for breaking down a packed defence or chasing a result, but any turnover can end in an empty-net goal thrown from the other half. On the board it's worth drawing two things: the circulation to find the free player and the defensive reaction if the ball is lost. Both are included as templates.
Training it
- Explain the base position and the slides depending on where the ball is on the board.
- Train the defensive slides without the ball, in pairs and threes of defenders.
- Move to small-sided situations (3v3 on one side, 2v2 with a pivot) before 6v6.
- Add the transition: if the defence wins the ball, a direct fast break, so winning it has a reward.