LONG TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT

An IntroductionPresented by James Marshall

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I keep six honest serving men

They taught me all I know

Their names are What, Why and When

And How and Where and WhoRudyard Kipling

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• Talented young athletes need to be helped to reach the elite level

• A systematic approach to talent identification and development, led by governing bodies on a sport by sport basis.

• A single framework that avoids young people over-competing or specialising in single sports too early

• Co-ordination is key particularly between clubs and schools, to achieve this

DEVELOPING EXPERT PERFORMANCE

• Using the numbers 5,10,3,48 along with hours, weeks, years and days create an equation that dictates an elite athletes training

• 3 hours x 5 days x 48 weeks x 10 years

• It is generally regarded that it takes 10,000 hours or 10 years to develop expert performance (Bloom,1985; Ericsson,1993)

LONG TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT (LTAD)

• Achieving truly elite performance is a long term process – THERE ARE NO SHORT CUTS

• Rushing competition = poor preparation• Western Society has a ‘Peaking by Friday’

philosophy• Early specialization sports• Late specialization sports• Can you identify several early and late

specialization sports?

Long Term Training

• Early Specialisation Sports

– Gymnastics– Rhythmic Gymnastics– Figure Skating– Diving– Table Tennis

• Late Specialisation Sports

– Athletics– Rowing– Combat Sports– Team Sports

Athlete/Player Development

Multilateral Development

Specialisation

High Performance

AGE

20

14

11

STAGE 1 – FUNdamentals (6-9 years)

• Individual is involved in a wide range of sports

• Emphasis is always placed upon FUN and playing games

• Proper technique of athletic ABC’s– Running, jumping, throwing

• No periodization – Activities revolve around the school year

• A specific sport only 1-2 times per week– Emphasis remains upon Fun and game playing

STAGE 2 – TRAINING TO TRAIN (10-14 years)• Learn how to train

– Warm up, stretching, hydration, recovery, nutrition, taper and peak

• Competition vs Training ratio 25% to 75%

• Basic technical and tactical skills of a sport

• Play to win but emphasis is on training process rather than outcome

•  Placed in competitive situations daily but in training and drills

•  Over emphasis upon comp will cause plateau

STAGE 3 – TRAINING TO COMPETE (14-18 years)• 50% 50% split between comp specific training

and train

• Hi Individual and sport specific training is provided year round

• Develop basic and sport specific skills under pressure

• Programmes individualised to a greater degree to address individuals strength and weaknesses

STAGE 4 – TRAINING TO WIN (18-21 years)• Fully developed athlete

• Competition vs Training ratio is 75% to 25%

• Emphasis upon optimising competitive performance

• athletes trained to peak for specific competitions

• Training is high intensity and relatively high volume

THREATS TO LTAD• System of competition is based on traditions and

improvisation

• Talent ID and recruitment neglected

• The best and most knowledgeable coaches work at the elite level

• Developmental athletes tend not to get guidance

• Support structures at elite levels can’t make up for short comings in earlier stages

THREATS TO LTAD• Too much emphasis on competition, especially in

team sports

• Male programmes are superimposed on females and adults programmes onto children

• We ignore optimal periods of trainability

• Too much emphasis on winning

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Peak Height Velocity

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"Normal"

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Peak Height Velocity

CHANGE YOUR THINKING

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE-SULT OF MANY YEARS OF SCIENTIF-

IC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY YEARS

Emphases in Strength Development

• Body weight, partner weight, swiss & medicine ball

• As above, also dumb bells and cables. Introduce barbell lifting techniques. Introduce circuit training. Emphasize core stability and tendon strengthening

• Add exercise machines. Power techniques and set training is introduced. Volume and intensity are increased.

• A fully periodised programme is introduced.

• Initiation 6-10

• Athletic formation 11-14

• Specialisation 15-18

• High performance 18+

Emphases in Speed/Agility Development

• Coordination through play. Relays

• Training for acceleration and quickness.Low intensity plyometrics.

• Specific technique development. Resisted running.

• Introduce position specific speed training

• Initiation 6-10

• Athletic formation 11-14

• Specialisation 15-18

• High performance 18+

Emphases in Endurance Training

• Fun and multilateral. Not stressful

• The length of training sessions can increase. Longer (3km) runs can be introduced as can low intensity medium distance intervals

• Develop aerobic capacity as a priority. Sports specific drills and interval training can be used to develop both aerobic and

anaerobic endurance • Increasingly game and position

specific

• Initiation 6-10• Athletic formation 11-

14

• Specialisation 15-18

• High performance 18+

Emphases in Flexibility Training

• Static and dynamic. Increased flexibility through gymnastic type play

• Introduction of PNF. Take Growth Spurt into consideration

• As part of your weekly routine. Becoming individually specific

• Individual and position specific

• Initiation 6-10

• Athletic formation 11-14

• Specialisation 15-18

• High performance 18+