Vertical jumping height and horizontal overhead throwing velocity in young male athletes

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of calendar and skeletal age, anthropometric dimensions, training history and their interactions on vertical jumping height and horizontal overhead throwing velocity in a cross-section of 318 young male athletes (age range 9-16 years) participating in cross-country skiing (n = 70), basketball (n = 40), apparatus gymnastics (n = 19), ice hockey (n = 50), track and field (n = 89) and wrestling (n = 50). Vertical jumping height was measured with four different loads held on the shoulders and then interpolated for loads representing 0 and 40% body mass. Horizontal overhead throwing velocity using both hands was determined for seven balls of different weights and then interpolated for weights representing 1 and 5% body mass. Both vertical jumping height and overhead throwing velocity were found to increase (P < 0.01) from the skeletally youngest to the oldest cohort when the effects of body height and mass were controlled. The inter-event comparisons did not reveal statistically significant differences in respect of vertical jumping height. Also in the overhead throwing tests, the inter-event differences were small, although the analysis of variance revealed statistically significant (P < 0.001) differences for the skeletal age cohorts of 13 and 14 years. While the quantity of training had no effect on vertical jumping height, it explained the results in the overhead throwing test. The effects of training on vertical jumping and horizontal overhead throwing among adolescent athletes were considered to be small, while maturational processes and anthropometric development followed by increase in calendar age were deemed to be of greater importance.