PHYSICAL GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

It is a matter of common experience that a wide variation exists between the physiques of children of the same age. In fact, chronological age is an unreliable guide to physical ability and is therefore an unsatisfactory method of classifying both boys and girls for athletic competition. Growth: A child grows most rapidly after birth. Its first year adds 10 inches (25 cm) in height, and 15 pounds in weight; in the second year, it grows 5 inches (12.5 cm) and gains 6 pounds, and in the third year there are increases of 3.5 inches (9 cm) and 5 pounds respectively. Average figures indicate a gradual slowing down until, somewhere between the age of 18 and 25 years, growing ceases. During adolescence (usually between 11 to 14 for girls, and 13 to 16 years for boys), however, children undergo another period of accelerated growth. At this time a boy develops at the rate of a two year old, gaining from 4 to 12 inches in height (average 8 inches or 20 cm) and adding between 15 and 65 pounds in weight (average 40 pounds). Although a girls growth at this time is less dramatic, she will gain an average of 6 inches and put on 25 pounds. It is interesting to note that during adolescence there is a particular order in which parts of the body accelerate, for both boys and girls; and this growth sequence is unaltered, even when the whole development is slowed down, e.g. by malnutrition. First, legs grow long, and then hips increase in width, followed by a broadening of the chest. About a year after the peak of leg-growth, the trunk begins to grow more rapidly that at any time since earliest childhood. Then, the chest deepens and the muscles develop, coinciding with (or being slightly ahead of) the marked increase in weight of the typical adolescent. The strength-spurt attains its maximum only about a year later, i.e. towards the end of adolescence. Among a group of 14 year old boys, some may not have started this period of accelerated growth when others will have almost completed it. And whereas the boy late developer tends to remain physically weaker than a boy who matures early (although the difference at pubescence diminishes in time), the late maturing girl eventually makes good her lost ground.

These and other individual differences which can be neither eliminated nor altered appreciably, call for a considerable understanding and flexibility on the part of the teacher and coach, who should be aware of their social and emotional implications for the young. For the needs and interests of a mature boy and girl will often be quite different from someone physically immature, but of the same age. Generally speaking, it would seem advisable in physical training to encourage competition between physiological equals, or to restrict each individual to competing against his or her own earlier achievementsas is possible for example in highly measurable activities like Track & Field athletics and Swimming. Strength: In boys, strength increases naturally, i.e. without special training, at a progressively slower rate up to the mid-20s, after which, at about 30 years it tends to decline. In girls, however, this natural strength increase ends at about 15 years. It can be argued, convincingly, that one can build upon natural strength by intensifying specific progressive-resistance training during this critical growth period..when the exercises will be in harmony with the natural body rhythm. And as J.M.Tanner. (Education and Physical Growth: University of London Press Ltd.), points out, it can be further argued that such an opportunity may never occur again. For just as, in the life of an animal, there are limited periods during which environmental stimulation evokes a particular behaviour or ability (which can remain for life, but may never appear at all if not encouraged at this time), so this may well apply to human beings and their development. There is some evidence of a seasonal wave of strength development for both boys and girls, in the spring (particularly) and the summer months. ** It is almost certain that the retention of strength is more likely after a long, gradual period of training.** On the other hand, it can be lost quickly if it is gained quickly Although Hettinger maintains that a small part of the increased strength remains indefinitely, raising the normal-strength level. Since the skeleton strengthens and adapts itself but slowly to changing stresses put upon it, an excessive intensive strength training regime in adolescence could possibly be injurious. This type of physical training should therefore be applied and supervised by the well informed and experienced coach / teacher.

Growth Mechanisms: There appears to be three mechanisms responsible for the marked difference of physical growth and development between boys and girls. (Tanner) 1. / 2. / A general genetic factor The action of specific hormones during adolescence (responsible for the greater shoulder development, breadth of chest and length of trunk of boys as compared to girls) The delayed adolescent spurt of boys, which gives them two extra years of growth.

3. /

During adolescence the whole body joins in the process of growth acceleration. Only the lymphatic glands and fat decrease after puberty; the bodys fat-content then remains comparatively steady until, with some, decreasing physical activity, ect., lead to an increase later in life. In boys, blood volume increases, mainly through a marked increase in oxygen-carrying red blood cells..4.7 million per cubic millimetre at 4 years: 4.9 million per cubic millimetre at 13 years: 5.4 million per cubic millimetre at 25 years. And the bloods haemoglobin increases to about the same extent. But these effects are less pronounced in girls. There are marked cardio-vascular changes in adolescence. The heart grows at a much greater rate. During puberty, the resting heart rate (which has slowed up gradually since birth) remains steady: but it drops again, afterwards, at an even slower rate of about 1 or 2 beats per annum until the early 20swhen the resting pulse of men is about 10 beats to the minute less than that of women. After the adolescent-spurt, both male and female evince an improved ability to cope with the waste products of muscular exercise; but man can tolerate much higher concentrations of lactic acid and carbon dioxide than can the woman. Mention of these cardio-vascular changes in adolescence poses the important question as to the type and advisability of endurance training at such time. In fact, do adolescents adapt to Interval Running, Fartlek, Circuit Training, ect., as well as adults. Here, expert opinion is divided. Whilst some maintain that the adolescent lacks the aerobic power of the adult, that his nervous system needs longer recovery periods, others say that progressively applied training brings about the same beneficial cardio-vascular adaptations. It is generally agreed however, that previous performance and the state of development of an individual should be important determining factors in devising endurance-training schedules.

All available evidence indicates that children, nowadays, are bigger than they were even as little as 20 years ago; that they are maturing more rapidly and growing into bigger adults: A child of Five now, is, in all physical and probably a good many psychological respects, equivalent to a child of Six, 30 years ago. (Tanner) This secular trend in growth, as it is called, is bound to have far reaching medical, psychological, educational and sociological consequences. And in the world of sport it may prove to be an important factor in the improvement of performance in activities where bigger, taller people enjoy obvious physical advantages. (The above article compiled by Trevor Lawton is a summary of a paper presented by the late Geoffrey Dyson January 2010)

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT STUDY 1980-1986

The techniques of coaching sports to children could be reviewed because of the results of a University of W.A. growth and development study. The six year study which commenced in 1980 by the Department of Human Movement and Recreational Studies; was the first in the World to compare a group of young athletes undertaking intensive sports training with a control group of children not involved in competitive sport. The study involved 450 male and female children, including 115 swimmers and 105 tennis players, all at State level, and a control group of 230 children who participated only in some type of casual sport or school physical education classes. Over the six year period, the children were put through a comprehensive battery of tests, lasting three and a half hours, every six months, since they were aged eight years old. Their growth and development, physiologically, anatomically, and psychologically, were tested from pre-adolescence, through adolescence, to post adolescence. The tests included, physical assessments such as, body type rating, strength, flexibility, speed, maturity, posture, blood pressure and lung function, a standard medical examination, and physical exercise capacity tests, and also psychological assessments, such as aggression, introversion, extroversion, arousal, power, independence and excellence.

The study was of special interest to sports coaches, because it compares the effects of intensive training for two totally different sports. Whilst tennis contains a large element of skill, swimming concentrates on hard cardio-vascular training. The findings of the study were quite controversial and revealing! - Results showed that there were no differences in height, weight, power, strength, and flexibility between all the pre-adolescent children. Even though the swimmers were given flexibility training four times a week, they were no more flexible than the control group of children with no training. Which raises the question: Why give such training when it makes so little difference ? It seems a waste of time!, and The time could be better spent on the development of skills!. Flexibility and strength training may be important factors in later stages of development However! The results did show that both swimmers and tennis players had a higher level of cardio-vascular fitness than the control group. Pre-adolescent males were fitter, more muscular and had less body fat than the females, but there was no difference in height, weight, power, strength, flexibility or speed. The study concluded that there seems to be no physiological reason that boys and girls of this age cannot compete against one another. These results would indicate that the sports coach of pre-adolescent children should provide a foundation programme of all round Skill development, the emphasis being on the Fun & Games concept of training exercises which develop motor- skills, coordination and range of movement, whilst at the same time including some type of progressive-resistance component. The object being to provide a solid base of cognitive skills upon which to build future sports performance. Knowledge is gained by experience, not with words. We Remember: 10% of what we hear: 40% of what we see: 70% of what we say: 90% of what we do: Children learn by watching, listening, noticing, feeling, handling, and trying things out.