1. Trainability in Rugby Union Sharief Hendricks

2. Introduction Applied adult based forms of training to children Knowledge and understanding of human development 3. Introduction producing expert performance increase sport participation 4. Developmental Models Deliberate Play Deliberate Practice Speed Strength 5. Introduction The distinct stages, as well as the limitations and strengths that characterise each model will now be briefly overviewed. understanding of human performance and training, HumanPerformance Training 6. Long Term Athlete Development Model 6 Stages of development Windows of Trainability o Stamina o Strength o Speed o Skill o Suppleness Concerns about the lack of empirical evidence to support such a model 7. Developmental Model for Sport Participation 2 or 3 Stages of development Deliberate Practice o Undertaken with the specific purpose of increasing performance o Requiring cognitive and/or physical effort, and o Relevant to promoting positive skill development Deliberate Play o Sporting activity that is intrinsically motivating, o Provide immediate gratification, and designed to maximise enjoyment DMSP originates from qualitative interviews, training questionnaires, and retrospective/quantitative interviews. 8. Psycho-behavioral Model Extension of DMSP Addition of maintenance stage Determinates of Potential e.g. transferable motor or perceptual elements or psycho-behavioural Determinates of Performance e.g sport specific skill elements Ability of an athlete to successfully transfer from one stage of development to another 9. Bio-psycho-social approach and Three-World Continuum Holistic Approach biological psychological social elements Dependent on the Objectives and motives of the individual Participation for Personal Well-being (PPW) Personal Referenced Excellence (PRE) Elite Referenced Excellence (ERE) Depending on which world the athlete finds himself/herself in, and their stage in life, the relative contribution of biological, psychological or social factors varies. 10. Sport Specificity The aforementioned developmental models are descriptive or prescriptive models for sport in general and lacks the specificity that coaches and practioners requires in practice. Open SkilledClosed Skilled Invasion games Net/wall games Striking/fielding Invasion contact team sports Rugby Union Complex and dynamic in nature, Require a different skill set in contrast to a closed skill sport 11. Rugby Union Popular international team sport Played by two team teams consisting of 15 players for 2 periods of 20 min (under 13) 30 min (under 16) 35 min (Under 18) 40 min (Seniors) Highly demanding physical, technical and tactical team sport. Physical attributes o strength o power o speed o agility o aerobic o anaerobic conditioning o body composition Skill Requirements o catching and passing the ball o tackling o carrying the ball into contact o rucking/cleaning o position specific (e.g scrumming) o tactical proficiency 12. Trainability of Junior Rugby Players Demand to reproduce successful performances has seen an increase in the early identification, investment and development of players from an early age. Biological developmental aspects that have a considerable impact on training needs to be explored Terminologies used with regards to trainability of junior players need to be clarified. However, current development programs in rugby union are largely based on traditional practices and content from adult based studies. In view of the long-term developmental models mentioned earlier, and the requirements to succeed in rugby, The purpose of this project was to review the current scientific literature on trainability and apply it to rugby players. 13. Puberty Biological Development Growth and Maturation Neurodevelopment Metabolic and Hormonal GF and GH PHV PWV Growth Spurt PostMiddle Childhood Pre Dynamic Non-linear Varies for Individual and sex Multifactorial cant be explained by physiology alone Periods of accelerated growth Periods of increase sensitivity to external stimuli 14. Windows of Trainability, Critical Periods and Sensitive Periods A unique, special and otherwise unobtainable advantage to the effective exploitation of the period so described Critical period Windows of Trainability Windows refers to a critical period of development of a specific capacity when training has an optimal effect. Trainability, refers to the faster adaptation to stimuli and the genetic endowment of athletes as they respond individually to specific stimuli and adapt to it accordingly Sensitive period Finite time periods during which a child is most sensitive to learning a particular skill Increase responsiveness and adaptability 15. Puberty Training Implications The existence of periods of increase responsiveness and adaptability is appealing as it has direct implications on the training of the developing athlete. Aerobic Strength and Power Speed and Agility Rugby Specific Skill Aerobic Strength and Power Speed and Agility Rugby Specific Skill Aerobic Strength and Power Speed and Agility Speed and Agility Fundamental Skills Technical Refinement and Mastery Depending on the objectives of the athlete(s), the training structure and design needs to be considered and adapted accordingly. 16. Summary and Conclusions Although athlete developmental models suggests that the appropriate application of training stimulus during specific periods in childhood and adolescence will influence athletic potential, recent available literature contends that this concept is inconclusive and requires further investigation The complexity of sport and human development makes it difficult to attribute increase responsiveness and adaptability to training to changes in physiology alone As mentioned earlier, other contributing factors such psychological and social factors, also play a major role in the trainability of a rugby player Furthermore, it is now well established that all physical training components are trainable throughout childhood and adolescence and into adulthood Depending on the objectives of the athlete(s), the training structure and design needs to be considered and adapted according to the developmental or training stage of the athlete. 17. Thank You!