Building a Foundation for Long-Term Athletic Development David F. Stodden University of South Carolina

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Building a Foundation for Long-Term Athletic
DevelopmentDavid F. Stodden University of
South Carolina
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LTAD Long Term Initiate Early

• A Developmental Perspective

Models for Physical Development
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What do All Models Have in Common?

• Develop Deep Grammar Movement Principles
  (Clark, 2005)
• Weight Shift
• Dynamic Balance
• Dynamic Stability
• Rotational Capability
• Linear Translation of COM
• Symmetrical Movement Coordination
• Perturbation Response Mechanisms
• Concentric/eccentric Muscle Action
• Relative Timing of Sequential Movements
• In essence Functional Movement Capability
• The ability to coordinate control your COM and
  extremities in a gravity-based environment to
  effectively accomplish a goal.

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How can Early Development of Coordination Skill
Impact LTAD in Childhood? Direct vs. Indirect
Mechanisms

• Place a high demand on the neuromuscular system
  (Direct)
• Demonstrate high muscle activity/loading levels
  and resultant force/power outputs (Direct)
• Repeated high force/power outputs associated with
  practice and performance promote muscular
  endurance (Direct)
• Persistence in games and sports (i.e., running,
  dance, softball, swimming, soccer, basketball,
  tennis) promote cardiorespiratory endurance and
  PA (indirect)
• Increased persistence in activities inherently
  demanding skill development of muscular
  strength/endurance and cardiorespiratory
  endurance and influence body composition
  (indirect direct)
• Improved skill development impacts perceived
  competence/self efficacy across time (direct)

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Early Development Force/Strength

• Strength is a multidimensional construct
• Physiologic
• muscle fiber characertistics
• Muscle mass
• Neural
• Intra-muscular coordination/control
• Inter-muscular coorindation/control
• What are we developing in children?
• Neural coordination control
• Motor unit recruitment
• Motor Unit synchronization
• Rate of firing
• Decreased co-activation of agonists antagonists

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How does Development of Coordinated Movement
Patterns in Early Childhood Relate to Athletic
Development?

• Deep Grammar Principles
• Principles take years to Develop
• If not developed early, will participation
  continue into middle/late childhood? Lack of
  early success leads to decreased participation-
• perceived competence
• self-efficacy
• motivation

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Motor Coordination and Fitness Trajectories -
6-10 yrsRodrigues, Stodden Lopes, submitted
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Motor Coordination PA - 6-9 yrsLopes VP,
Rodrigues LP, Maia JA, Malina RM. 2010. Motor
coordination as predictor of physical activity in
childhood. Scand J Med Sci Sports 21663-9
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Motor Coordination BMIDhondt, E.D., Deforche,
B. Vaeyens, R. et al., 2011. Gross motor
coordination in relation to weight status and age
in 5- to 12-year-old boys and girls A
cross-sectional study. International Journal of
Pediatric Obesity, 6 (2), 1-9
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Faigenbaum et al., 2011 Pediatric Exercise
Science, 2011, 23, 573-584

• INT (N 40) 7-8 yrs.
• 12 min 2/wk for 8 weeks (presses, jumps, gross
  coordination activities)
• Progressed in complexity of BW exercises across 8
  weeks.

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Long-Term effects? Proficiency Barrier?Stodden,
et al. (2013). Associations among selected motor
skills and health-related fitness Indirect
evidence for Seefeldts proficiency barrier?
RQES, 84, 397-40.
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When do we need to start LTAD?What is missing? A
Foundation!

• Early Childhood 3 to 6 yrs
• Develop Deep Grammar
• FUNdamental motor skills - functional movement
  capabilities
• Coordination Control Neuromotor Development
• Perceived competence is always high so keep it
  high
• If FMS is low in middle childhood (7-9 yrs),
  perceived competence, self efficacy, motivation
  to participate will follow
• What if 7-9 year-old is lacking Deep Grammar?
• Are they still participating? It may already be
  too late
• Consequences for LTAD, but also for lifespan
  health trajectories
• Future injury risk?