Long-Term Athlete

Development
The Timings and Sequence of Changes During
Adolescence and the Windows of Trainability
Aims
 Aims
• Indicators of maturity status
 Aims
• Indicators of maturity status
• Adolescent growth spurt
 Aims
• Indicators of maturity status
• Adolescent growth spurt
• Sexual maturity
 Aims
• Indicators of maturity status
• Adolescent growth spurt
• Sexual maturity
• Sequence of sexual and somatic maturity
 Aims
• Indicators of maturity status
• Adolescent growth spurt
• Sexual maturity
• Sequence of sexual and somatic maturity
• Peak Weight Velocity
 Aims
• Indicators of maturity status
• Adolescent growth spurt
• Sexual maturity
• Sequence of sexual and somatic maturity
• Peak Weight Velocity
• Growth spurts in performance
 Aims
• Indicators of maturity status
• Adolescent growth spurt
• Sexual maturity
• Sequence of sexual and somatic maturity
• Peak Weight Velocity
• Growth spurts in performance
• Performance relative to menarche
 Aims
• Indicators of maturity status
• Adolescent growth spurt
• Sexual maturity
• Sequence of sexual and somatic maturity
• Peak Weight Velocity
• Growth spurts in performance
• Performance relative to menarche
• The windows of trainability
Indicators of maturity
status
Indicators of maturity
status
• Skeletal
Indicators of maturity
status
• Skeletal
• Sexual
Indicators of maturity
status
• Skeletal
• Sexual
• Somatic
Indicators of maturity
status
• Skeletal
• Sexual
• Somatic
• Dental
Adolescent growth spurt
 Adolescent growth spurt
• Peak Height Velocity: velocity of growth when in
reaches its maximum
 Adolescent growth spurt
• Peak Height Velocity: velocity of growth when in
reaches its maximum
• Most common used indicator of somatic
maturity
 Adolescent growth spurt
• Peak Height Velocity: velocity of growth when in
reaches its maximum
• Most common used indicator of somatic
maturity
• Differential timing
 Adolescent growth spurt
• Peak Height Velocity: velocity of growth when in
reaches its maximum
• Most common used indicator of somatic
maturity
• Differential timing
• Differential tempo
 Adolescent growth spurt
• Peak Height Velocity: velocity of growth when in
reaches its maximum
• Most common used indicator of somatic
maturity
• Differential timing
• Differential tempo
• Individual differences
 Adolescent growth spurt
• Peak Height Velocity: velocity of growth when in
reaches its maximum
• Most common used indicator of somatic
maturity
• Differential timing
• Differential tempo
• Individual differences
Parameters of PHV
 Parameters of PHV
• Age at ‘take off’ (TO)
 Parameters of PHV
• Age at ‘take off’ (TO)
• The range among the mean ages at TO is is 2 years
and 1 year at PHV in girls and boys
 Parameters of PHV
• Age at ‘take off’ (TO)
• The range among the mean ages at TO is is 2 years
and 1 year at PHV in girls and boys
• TO is between 8.2 & 10.3 years in girls and
10.0-12.1 years in boys
 Parameters of PHV
• Age at ‘take off’ (TO)
• The range among the mean ages at TO is is 2 years
and 1 year at PHV in girls and boys
• TO is between 8.2 & 10.3 years in girls and
10.0-12.1 years in boys
• PHV is between 11.3 & 12.2 years in girls and 13.3
& 14.4 years in boys (European)
 Parameters of PHV
• Age at ‘take off’ (TO)
• The range among the mean ages at TO is is 2 years
and 1 year at PHV in girls and boys
• TO is between 8.2 & 10.3 years in girls and
10.0-12.1 years in boys
• PHV is between 11.3 & 12.2 years in girls and 13.3
& 14.4 years in boys (European)
• TO & PHV occur earlier in girls than in boys, the
sex difference is approximately 2 years
 Parameters of PHV
• Age at ‘take off’ (TO)
• The range among the mean ages at TO is is 2 years
and 1 year at PHV in girls and boys
• TO is between 8.2 & 10.3 years in girls and
10.0-12.1 years in boys
• PHV is between 11.3 & 12.2 years in girls and 13.3
& 14.4 years in boys (European)
• TO & PHV occur earlier in girls than in boys, the
sex difference is approximately 2 years
• Limitations to data
Sexual maturity
 Sexual maturity

• The assessment of sexual maturity is based

upon the development of secondary
characteristics
 Sexual maturity

• The assessment of sexual maturity is based

upon the development of secondary
characteristics
• Differing assessment- Photos, clinical, self-
assessment
 Sexual maturity

• The assessment of sexual maturity is based

upon the development of secondary
characteristics
• Differing assessment- Photos, clinical, self-
assessment
• Girls - 9.5 years to 11.5 years
 Sexual maturity

• The assessment of sexual maturity is based

upon the development of secondary
characteristics
• Differing assessment- Photos, clinical, self-
assessment
• Girls - 9.5 years to 11.5 years
• Boys - 8.6 years to 12.9 years
Menarche
 Menarche

• Most commonly reported secondary sex

characteristic for girls
 Menarche

• Most commonly reported secondary sex

characteristic for girls
• 13.2 years (median)
 Menarche

• Most commonly reported secondary sex

characteristic for girls
• 13.2 years (median)
• Variation from country to country
 Menarche

• Most commonly reported secondary sex

characteristic for girls
• 13.2 years (median)
• Variation from country to country
• Generally a decrease in age from 1960s -
1990s
Sequence of sexual and
somatic maturity
 Sequence of sexual and
somatic maturity
• Budding of breasts in girls (B2) & initial enlargement of
genitals in boys (G2) are normally the first signs of sexual
maturity although in some children pubic hairs coincides or
even precedes
 Sequence of sexual and
somatic maturity
• Budding of breasts in girls (B2) & initial enlargement of
genitals in boys (G2) are normally the first signs of sexual
maturity although in some children pubic hairs coincides or
even precedes

• PHV tends to occur earlier in the sequence of puberty for

girls than boys
 Sequence of sexual and
somatic maturity
• Budding of breasts in girls (B2) & initial enlargement of
genitals in boys (G2) are normally the first signs of sexual
maturity although in some children pubic hairs coincides or
even precedes

• PHV tends to occur earlier in the sequence of puberty for

girls than boys

• Menarche is a late event in the pubertal sequence, about 1

year or more after PHV and when most girls are in B4 &
PH4
 Sequence of sexual and
somatic maturity
• Budding of breasts in girls (B2) & initial enlargement of
genitals in boys (G2) are normally the first signs of sexual
maturity although in some children pubic hairs coincides or
even precedes

• PHV tends to occur earlier in the sequence of puberty for

girls than boys

• Menarche is a late event in the pubertal sequence, about 1

year or more after PHV and when most girls are in B4 &
PH4

• Variations in the sequence are partly genuine and partly

methodological
Peak Weight Velocity
 Peak Weight Velocity

• Peak Weight Velocity- At PHV for boys &

approximately between 0.3 & 1.0 year after
PHV in girls
• PWV is between 4.6 & 8.6 in girls and 10.1
and 12.2 in boys (very approx!)
Any Questions?
Growth spurts in
performance
 Growth spurts in
performance
• Age-related trends in strength, motor
performance, and anaerobic power suggest
acceleration in growth during adolescence in
males but not consistently in females
 Growth spurts in
performance
• Age-related trends in strength, motor
performance, and anaerobic power suggest
acceleration in growth during adolescence in
males but not consistently in females
• Most boys show a clear adolescent growth spurt
in performance
 Growth spurts in
performance
• Age-related trends in strength, motor
performance, and anaerobic power suggest
acceleration in growth during adolescence in
males but not consistently in females
• Most boys show a clear adolescent growth spurt
in performance
• Corresponding longitudinal data in girls that spans
adolescence is limited
Strength
 Strength
• Boys reach peak gains in
strength on average
about 1.2 years after
PHV and 0.8 years after
PWV (after in 77%,
coincide in 11%, and
before in 12%)
 Strength
• Boys reach peak gains in
strength on average
about 1.2 years after
PHV and 0.8 years after
PWV (after in 77%,
coincide in 11%, and
before in 12%)
• Girls reach peak strength
development near PHV
and 0.6 years before
PWV (precedes PHV in
40%, coincides in 11%
and follows PHV in 49%)
 Strength
• Boys reach peak gains in
strength on average
about 1.2 years after
PHV and 0.8 years after
PWV (after in 77%,
coincide in 11%, and
before in 12%)
• Girls reach peak strength
development near PHV
and 0.6 years before
PWV (precedes PHV in
40%, coincides in 11%
and follows PHV in 49%)
Motor performance
 Motor performance
• During adolescence boy tend to
demonstrate an awkwardness in motor
performance.
 Motor performance
• During adolescence boy tend to
demonstrate an awkwardness in motor
performance.
• This is not seen as much in girls
 Motor performance
• During adolescence boy tend to
demonstrate an awkwardness in motor
performance.
• This is not seen as much in girls
• Strength and power outputs still show large
increase
 Motor performance
• During adolescence boy tend to
demonstrate an awkwardness in motor
performance.
• This is not seen as much in girls
• Strength and power outputs still show large
increase
• Not always in girls....
Aerobic power
 Aerobic power
• ⩒O 2max increases in
the years preceding
PHV and continues to
increase through
adolescence
 Aerobic power
• ⩒O 2max increases in
the years preceding
PHV and continues to
increase through
adolescence

• Relative ⩒O2 max (ml/

kg/min) decreases in
the year or so
proceeding PHV and
continues to decline for
several years after PHV
Performance relative to
menarche
Performance relative to
menarche
• Menarche is a late event in the sequence of
adolescent changes
Performance relative to
menarche
• Menarche is a late event in the sequence of
adolescent changes
• There is no difference in motor
performance
Performance relative to
menarche
• Menarche is a late event in the sequence of
adolescent changes
• There is no difference in motor
performance

• Absolute ⩒O 2max increases from 2 years

before to 2 years beyond menarche
whereas relative ⩒O2 max decreases
Performance relative to
menarche
• Menarche is a late event in the sequence of
adolescent changes
• There is no difference in motor
performance

• Absolute ⩒O 2max increases from 2 years

before to 2 years beyond menarche
whereas relative ⩒O2 max decreases
Any Questions?
The windows of
trainability
Any Questions?