The interest in exercise in young people is constantly growing. Coaches need to know in detail the basic principles of the physiological development of a person. An understanding of these principles and an appreciation of how they affect training adaptations and influence the results of the relevant scientific research is essential for the creation of a safe and effective exercise programme.

Adolescence

By the term puberty, means a distinct developmental phase due to rapid biosomatic changes and new developments:

in terms of mental abilities
in terms of sexuality.

Puberty reflects the physiological & hormonal changes that occur in girls at around 10-11 years of age and in boys at around 11-12 years of age. In girls puberty is completed at around 15-17 years of age and in boys at around 16-17 years of age. It refers to the period of time when the secondary sex characteristics are developed and the child enters adulthood.. During puberty, therefore, remarkable changes occur in both physical composition and physical performance!

Exercise and adolescence

Individual differences in physical abilities and previous training experiences are important for children starting an exercise programme. A 14-year-old girl with early maturation may feel ready to participate in a sport that requires physical strength while a boy of the same age with slow maturation may not. Therefore, personalisation also plays a key role here.

Bone & muscle growth

As children grow older, muscle mass increases gradually. During puberty, testosterone production in boys increases 10 times (!), which leads to a large growth of muscle tissue. In girls, increased estrogen production causes an increase in fat deposition, breast growth, and hip enlargement.

However, the rate of muscle growth in girls, while increasing in adolescence, is slower than in boys, which is due to hormonal differences. However, throughout this stage, there is muscle hypertrophy, which may well benefit further from engaging in exercise, particularly the type of exercise that requires the development of various forms of strength.

A common myth around training in childhood and adolescence is that it can hinder height development. The exercise in which:

uses many muscle groups
has movements that cause the forces generated to pass through the spine and hips
has movements that load the target areas with compressive & tensile forces (tensile image)
has jumps
has different levels and axes of bone loading
requires strength

Exercise enhances the highest possible level of bone mass in children & adolescents! Training, when combined with a diet high in calcium, has been shown to increase the deposition of minerals in the bones of adolescents. This is particularly important for the rest of life, as young women who do not exercise regularly are more likely to develop osteoporosis later on. Osteoporosis is characterised by low levels of bone density and an increased likelihood of fracture.

Points of attention

During the Peak High Velocity, great attention must be paid to the training plan by the coaches. It usually occurs between the ages of 12 and 14 years, and at this stage certain physiological factors such as relative bone weakness, muscle imbalances between flexor and extensor muscles around the joints and the relative shrinkage of the myotendinous set in continuously growing bones are risk factors for injury in children.

So, the coach at this stage, must be aware of these symptoms and possibly modify some training parameters, to enhance flexibility, correct muscle imbalances or reduce the volume and intensity of training.

In children and adolescents who are not involved in osteogenic sports (without compressive loads) such as swimming, it is recommended to simultaneously engage in strength training and plyometric training. Increasing performance factors from these workouts, such as strength and speed, will increase their performance in their sport and at the same time increase their confidence and reduce the risk of low bone density.

Epilogue

Exercise, among other things, frees children from staying at home and dealing with a screen. Socialisation, contacts, self-confidence and the gradual maturation of the person increases automatically. Exercise is a means to become better. Whether young, adult, or older. It's never too late. But then again, it's never too early!

By Pavlos Kothonidis, gymnast, Kavala