TY  - GEN
A1  - Nevill, Alan M.
A1  - Negra, Yassine
A1  - Myers, Tony D.
A1  - Duncan, Michael J.
A1  - Chaabene, Helmi
A1  - Granacher, Urs
T1  - Are Early or Late Maturers Likely to Be Fitter in the General Population?
T2  - Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe
N2  - The present study aims to identify the optimal body-size/shape and maturity characteristics associated with superior fitness test performances having controlled for body-size, sex, and chronological-age differences. The sample consisted of 597 Tunisian children (396 boys and 201 girls) aged 8 to 15 years. Three sprint speeds recorded at 10, 20 and 30 m; two vertical and two horizontal jump tests; a change-of-direction and a handgrip-strength tests, were assessed during physical-education classes. Allometric modelling was used to identify the benefit of being an early or late maturer. Findings showed that being tall and light is the ideal shape to be successful at most physical fitness tests, but the height-to-weight “shape” ratio seems to be test-dependent. Having controlled for body-size/shape, sex, and chronological age, the model identified maturity-offset as an additional predictor. Boys who go earlier/younger through peak-height-velocity (PHV) outperform those who go at a later/older age. However, most of the girls’ physical-fitness tests peaked at the age at PHV and decline thereafter. Girls whose age at PHV was near the middle of the age range would appear to have an advantage compared to early or late maturers. These findings have important implications for talent scouts and coaches wishing to recruit children into their sports/athletic clubs.
T3  - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - 695 
KW  - youth
KW  - fitness tests
KW  - allometry
KW  - body shape
KW  - biological age
Y1  - 2021
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-489928
SN  - 1866-8364
IS  - 695
ER  -