Abstract
Literature pertaining to youth development has identified the importance of understanding the physical, intellectual and emotional needs of adolescents prior to, during, and after their peak height velocity (PHV) period. The purpose of this study was to compare the use of a ‘traditional’ and ‘progressive’ coaching style to train a general male youth population to improve sprint and jump performances whilst assessing enjoyment to comment on long-term application. Maximal sprint times, sprint kinematics, unilateral jump distances and repetitive tuck jump scores were measured alongside anthropometric variables to characterise performance. The results revealed significant (p < 0.05) pre/post differences in anthropometric variables across all maturation groups, and each of the maturational levels displayed a tendency to favor a particular coaching or control condition. Pre-PHV groups responded most effectively to the progressive style of coaching, displaying improvements in horizontal jump performances, and −0.7% to −2.7% improvements in all sprint times, despite also showing the largest increase in tuck jump scores (25.8%). The circa-PHV group produced their greatest improvements in the traditional intervention, as displayed through significant improvements (p < 0.05) in 20-m sprint times and dominant-leg horizontal jump performance, whilst also revealing the greatest deterioration in tuck jump scores (14.2%). Post-PHV displayed the greatest improvements in the control setting, suggesting that the natural benefits gained through adolescent development were greater than the influence of the training interventions. In conclusion, the results suggest that matching coaching strategies and delivery techniques to the period of biological maturation may have implications for both performance and athlete safety.
Highlights
The use of long-term athlete development (LTAD) models has become widely discussed and implemented by coaches within sporting programmes working in youth settings [1,2,3]
A summary of the findings from the current study has revealed a variety of aspects worthy of consideration when implementing intervention and coaching strategies across various levels of maturation
The use of a progressive coaching style incorporating elements of problem solving, competition, group interaction and guided feedback has shown to be more effective for individuals within the pre-peak height velocity (PHV) growth-phase
Summary
The use of long-term athlete development (LTAD) models has become widely discussed and implemented by coaches within sporting programmes working in youth settings [1,2,3]. The need for variety and individualisation within training regimes is critical due to the variable onset of peak height velocity (PHV) during the adolescent growth spurt. This gene-based, hormone-driven biological process dictates the rate and timing of physical and neurological maturation [5,6]. Due to the unpredictability in the length and intensity of this growth phase, it is common to see a large range of physical, psychological and emotional aptitudes within individuals of Sports 2019, 7, 186; doi:10.3390/sports7080186 www.mdpi.com/journal/sports
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