A ten-year-old female who solely participates in the sport of swimming and trains up to eighteen hours per week is complaining of muscle soreness and is frequently injured. From a health perspective, what type of training has there probably been too great an emphasis placed on?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The emphasis on early specialization (focusing solely on one sport at a young age) is likely the reason for the muscle soreness and frequent injuries in this ten-year-old swimmer. Eighteen hours of training per week is a significant amount of time for a young athlete to be engaging in one specific activity without allowing for rest and recovery. Additionally, early specialization has been linked to burnout and decreased enjoyment of the sport later in life. Deliberate practice and deliberate play are important components of athletic development, but they should be balanced with rest and cross-training to prevent overuse injuries. Deliberate outcome is not a recognized training term in sports science.

A Ten-Year-Old Female Who Solely Participates in the Sport of Swimming