Motor Development in Adolescence

All 5 Terms & Definitions

Growth clumsiness

The transient reduction in coordination that many adolescents experience during the peak of the pubertal growth spurt, as rapid changes in limb length and body proportions disrupt established perceptual-motor calibrations. The motor system must effectively re-learn the spatial properties of the changed body. In most individuals this resolves within months as growth velocity slows; persistent clumsiness beyond the growth spurt warrants assessment.

Sex differences in motor performance

By mid-to-late adolescence, males substantially outperform females on tasks requiring strength, speed, and power, driven by testosterone-induced increases in muscle mass and bone density. Females show advantages or parity in tasks requiring fine motor control, balance, and flexibility. These are population-level differences with substantial individual overlap and large within-sex variation.

Physical activity decline

A robust epidemiological finding that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity declines across adolescence, with the sharpest decline typically in girls and in early-to-mid adolescence. Associated with psychosocial (body image, peer norms), structural (competitive sport exclusion), and developmental (sedentary demands) factors. Motor skill competence is one of the strongest predictors of whether an individual remains physically active through adolescence.

Early vs. late specialisation

Early specialisation (focusing on one sport before age 12–14) is associated with higher rates of overuse injury, burnout, dropout, and, paradoxically, lower rates of elite attainment. Late specialisation, preceded by an early sampling phase involving multiple sports, produces more elite athletes and better lifelong physical activity. Roger Federer (tennis), Wayne Gretzky (hockey), and most elite endurance athletes specialised relatively late after broad early sampling.

Deliberate play vs. deliberate practice

Deliberate play is unstructured, intrinsically motivated physical activity where children freely explore movement (street football, backyard games). Deliberate practice is organised, purposeful training focused on improving specific skills. Both are important across adolescence: deliberate play builds broad motor foundations and intrinsic motivation; deliberate practice refines domain-specific skills. Ericsson's emphasis on deliberate practice has been critiqued for undervaluing the role of deliberate play, particularly in sport.