More often referred to as simply ‘training age’, this is a relatively straightforward classification. ![]() athletes should be placed into groups with others who have a similar biological maturity. However, often like their technical training schedules whereby athletes are often moved up or down age groups based on technical qualities, similar principles should perhaps also be applied for their physical training programmes – i.e. This allows young athletes to be categorised based upon their physical and psychological status and/or training goals (4).Īvailability is often the primary issue with categorising athletes based upon their biological age, especially when working with youth team-based athletes who have set sport-specific (technical) training times based on their chronological age. By objectively measuring the maturity offsets of a group of young athletes, training groups can be restructured according to their biologic status as opposed to their chronologic age. On the other hand, the biological age or maturity offset of youths can be determined using non-invasive anthropometric measures that require minimal equipment (3).Īnalysing the biological status of a young athlete is typically done by calculating the maturity offset of the individual (predicted years from peak height velocity) by using several anthropometric measures – in most circumstances by using: age, standing height, sitting height and leg length (3). Though the biological status of adults can be accurately estimated, this requires medical expertise and extensive assessments (1, 2). ![]() This form of age is often determined differently depending on whether the exercise professional is calculating the biological age or status of a pre-adolescent, adolescent or adult. In comparison to chronological age, the classification of biological age is far more complex. This can lead to large variances in physical and psychological maturity, and thus limit the physical potential of the athletes by potentially increasing the risk of injury, reducing inter-group competition and generating distractions, not to mention failing to cater for each individuals own training necessities. For example, in an under-17 boys’ rugby team, some players may have almost reached full physical maturity, whilst others may have yet to undergo their peak height velocity. However, the primary issue with doing so is the large variance between individual abilities, and this variance is often exaggerated in young athletes due to differences in both their biological and psychological maturity. This form of categorisation is often the most commonly adopted when working with athletes. In most circumstances, particularly in team sports, this athlete will be compiled into a group with other athletes of a very similar age (e.g. For example, if the current date is February 2016 and an athlete was born in January 2000, then this would make them 16 years of age, or more specifically 16 years and 1 month. ![]() Chronological age is simply the age of the individual by date of birth. This form of age is simple and is the primary category coaches would subconsciously categorise their athletes into. Whilst this principle should theoretically still apply for adult athletes, it may be suggested that it has only really begun to gain momentum in young athletes. In knowledge of this, exercise specialists have begun to categorise their athletes not only on their chronological age but also by their biological and technical training age – something often referred to as ‘bio-banding’. These variances mean that training programmes must be individualised in order to maximise the athleticism of each athlete and protect them from any personal predisposing injuries. One of which is the understanding of ‘individuality’, this infers that no two athletes are the same and that they can vary by gender, age, ability, physical and psychological maturity, anthropometrics, and training necessities – to name just a few. In the past two decades sports science and strength and conditioning have become increasingly popular professions, this growth has led to many practical and scientific progressions.
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