Young Athletes
The last entry introduced the topic of sensitive periods for speed development. Today I want to talk about when this period occurs and how to identify sensitive periods.
The graph below taken from the Canadian Long-Term Athlete Development website (http://www.ltad.ca) is an excellent resource.
We can see from the illustration that for the general youth population there are two speed “windows”.
For females between the ages 6 and 8, and then again between 11 and 13. For males, between 7 and 9 and then again between 13 and 16.
Caution should be expressed when using ages to express sensitive periods. Instead we can use an equation that requires measurements of standing height, sitting height, and age to calculate peak height velocity (PHV).
An excellent web page designed to estimate peak height velocity can be found here, along with measurement protocols
http://athena.usask.ca/growthutility/phv_ui.cfm?type=2
Now, if we know the estimated PHV and take regular recordings of standing height, it is possible to estimate with more accuracy what sensitive period our young athletes currently lie in.
If we know the estimate of PHV and the changes in height from week to week we can work forwards and backwards and estimate where the young athlete lies on the graph.
For instance if the estimated PHV occurs around age 14 for a male, and height is rapidly increasing from week to week then we have two reasons to suggest that the young athlete is within the second speed training window. (Note: Parents and coaches should be measuring height frequently, if not ask why not)
From this we can programme our training sessions with an emphasis on the particular sensitive period – in this case speed. And training for speed during this window will provide the greatest stimulus for speed development than at any other time during growth.
Alan Ruddock CSCS, YCS
Any training programme designed for young athletes should take into account speed development.
When designing programmes, good coaches will ask: When should I implement speed training during training sessions? and when should I schedule speed training in the context of long term athlete development?
The answer to the first question is, immediately after a dynamic warm-up.
The answer to the second question is slightly more complicated. Young athletes speed development is governed by their physical maturity.
Consequently, there are periods in maturation when athletes will adapt less to speed training and more to other variables such as strength, flexibility etc. and vice versa.
These periods have been termed sensitive periods. It is important that coaches working with young athletes are aware of these periods and how manipulating training variables to coincide with sensitive periods can produce favourable adaptations.
In my opinion speed development, that is not just pure speed but all aspects of speed, should be taught/trained in each training session.
So, rather than eliminating speed training from sessions when athletes are in a strength training sensitive period, tone down the amount of speed work in order to focus more on strength training.
When athletes are in a speed training sensitive period, increase the amount of speed work and tone down strength work, but never completely eliminate a variable from training.
Always develop speed and emphasise speed development when in the sensitive period.
More on sensitive periods in part 2.
