Sensitive periods; critical periods; training emphasize periods; training; youth; young; adolescent; athletes; LTAD; long-term athlete development

Why you shouldn’t use sensitive periods to train athletes according to science

Figure 2. Reductionist approach with general motor abilities (top) and a holistic approach (bottom) to sensitive periods. In the reductionist approach to sensitive periods used in many LTAD models, the physical attributes of sports (e.g., soccer) are simplified into five general motor abilities (latent variables): flexibility, speed, coordination, endurance and strength. Sensitive periods are proposed for each general motor ability. This implies that the sub-systems that mature and are involved in each general motor ability are different, resulting in separate sensitive periods for all general motor abilities (upper image). The first issue with sensitive periods for general motor abilities is that these can refer to many different motor skills. A sensitive period for speed can for example refer to a sensitive period to improve maximum sprinting speed, but also to improve change of direction performance or maximum swimming speed. However, the sensitive periods to train maximum speed for sprinting or swimming or change of direction performance may differ because these are partly distinct motor skills with different involved sub-systems that have sensitive periods at different times. If sensitive periods exist, they are therefore likely largely task-specific with each motor skill integrating a network of abilities and sub-systems, potentially resulting in task-specific sensitive periods (lower image). Whether a sub-system is sensitive to certain training methods however also depends on the exact training method used, and the prior experience and genetic predisposition as indicated by the dashed arrows.

This blog provides three scientific reasons why you shouldn’t use sensitive periods to train youth athletes