Physical fitness spurts in pre-adolescent boys and girls: Timing, intensity and sequencing

ABSTRACT

We aim to (1) estimate age of attainment of the peak mid-growth spurt in stature (age-at-peak MGS) in pre-adolescent boys and girls; (2) identify the timing, intensity, and sequences of physical fitness (PF) spurts aligned by the age-at-peak MGS; and (3) identify any sex differences in PF spurts aligned by age-at-peak MGS. The sample included 180 Portuguese children (90 girls) aged 6 to 10 years at study entry who were followed annually for 4 years. Height, health-, and performance-related PF were assessed. Age-at-peak MGS and PF spurts were estimated using a non-smooth mathematical procedure. Boys’ and girls’ age-at-peak MGS occurred at 7.8 ± 0.47 years and 8.0 ± 0.72 years, respectively. PF spurts’ timing aligned by age-at-peak MGS were as follows: (1) before age-at-peak MGS: boys – static strength, aerobic capacity, explosive leg strength, and flexibility; girls – speed, agility, aerobic capacity, and upper body strength; (2) coincident with age-at-peak MGS: girls – explosive leg strength and flexibility; (3) after age-at-peak MGS: boys – abdominal strength, upper body strength, agility, and speed; girls – abdominal strength and static strength. Boys and girls attained their MGS at relatively similar ages. However, the timing and sequences of PF spurts, aligned on age-at-MGS, were different between boys and girls.

KEYWORDS:

• MID-growth spurt
• children
• longitudinal
• motor performance

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank all children, school teachers and parents for their participation. Further, in the Azorean study we acknowledge the support from the Azorean Regional Department of Physical Education and Sport.

The results of the current study are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. The authors received no funds for covering costs to publish in open access.

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.