ABSTRACT
This investigation had two objectives: 1) to determine when significant maturation occurs in young elite swimmers and 2) to determine developmental differences in morphological and physiological characteristics. Three year longitudinal (L) and cross-sectional data (CS) were collected. All subjects were top 10 in the United States for their age group (ages: 13–17, and 14 – 18, for females and males, respectively). For the L and CS design 64 (males=32; females=32), and 960 (males=480 ; females=480) swimmers were tested. All the testing was done during the same time of the year, and during the same phase of training, in organized training camp. Tests conducted were: a) anthropometries, b) strength, c) aerobic and anaerobic capacity, and d) performance time trials. Peak growth velocity (PGV) for height and body segments were between 14–16 (males) and 13–14 (females). PGV’s for muscle area and strength were between 14–15 (females) and 15–16 (males). Maximal oxygen consumption PGV was between 14–15 for the females with no significant increase after the age of 16 (p>0.05). The same parameter for males showed PGV between 15–16 and did not change after the age of 17 (p>0.05). Anaerobic capacity growth rate peaked after the age of 15 for both males and females and did not plateau until the age of 17 and 18 for males and females, respectively. This information can be used to design developmentally specific training programs.
