ABSTRACT
Overt changes in body size, body composition, and body shape influence sport performance but within muscles less visible metabolic changes occur during growth and maturation which profoundly affect sport performance. This chapter outlines anaerobic and aerobic metabolism during exercise and critically reviews and synthesises invasive and non-invasive studies which have contributed to current understanding of paediatric exercise metabolism. The trainability of components of exercise metabolism is examined and the interplay of intramuscular energy sources during youth sport performance are explored with reference to individual and team sports.
