The purpose of this study was to examine the association between physical fitness components and motor fitness among urban and rural handball players of Jharkhand. A total of 90 male players (45 urban and 45 rural), aged 18–25 years, were selected using purposive sampling. Physical fitness variables included cardiovascular endurance, explosive strength, and muscular endurance, while motor fitness variables included agility, balance, speed, and flexibility. Standardized and widely accepted tests were used for data collection.

Pearson’s product moment correlation revealed a significant negative relationship between explosive strength and agility (r = -0.287, p < 0.01), balance (r = -0.244, p < 0.05), and speed (r = -0.227, p < 0.05). Since agility and speed are measured in time, this negative relationship indicates improved motor performance with increased explosive strength. The independent samples t-test showed significant differences between urban and rural players in explosive strength, agility, balance, speed, and cardiovascular endurance (p < 0.05), whereas no significant differences were found in muscular endurance and flexibility (p > 0.05).

It is concluded that explosive strength significantly influences motor fitness performance, and differences exist between urban and rural handball players.