Aerobic power profile in young athletes according to age and bio banding
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v72.117430Keywords:
Maximum oxygen consumption, PHV, somatic maturation, sports, VO2 maxAbstract
Introduction and Objective. VO₂ max values can be obtained either through direct measurement using laboratory tests or estimated indirectly via field tests. However, evaluative cut-off points are also necessary, which must be adjusted to the individual characteristics of the subjects, including the sport discipline practiced. The aim of this study was to design a profile to evaluate aerobic power in young athletes of both sexes, according to chronological age ranges and biological maturation bio-bands.
Methodology. A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted with a sample of 613 athletes aged 11 to 20 years. Maximum oxygen consumption (VO₂ max) was estimated through the 20 m shuttle run test, while anthropometric variables were assessed using the ISAK protocol. Somatic maturation bio-bands were determined using peak height velocity. To construct the aerobic power profile, cut-off points were established using the mean and standard deviation, with data processed in SPSS 28.0.
Results. Findings showed that male athletes presented higher VO₂ max values than females. Across all age groups and maturity levels, athletics participants of both sexes demonstrated the highest VO₂ max values, with an average of 60 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ for males and 51 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ for females. An exception was observed in boys aged 11 to 12.9 years practicing wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling, who showed lower values of 57.4 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹.
Discussion. The results highlight the influence of sex, sport discipline, and maturation stage on aerobic power. Athletics athletes consistently outperform other groups, underscoring the sport-specific demands and training effects. The findings also suggest that establishing bio-band-based cut-off points allows for a more individualized and accurate evaluation of aerobic capacity in youth athletes.
Conclusions. The constructed cut-off points serve as a valuable reference for evaluating aerobic power and qualifying aerobic physical fitness levels in young athletes. These references take into account both the sport practiced and individual characteristics, providing coaches and sports scientists with a more tailored tool for athlete monitoring and development.
References
Almeida-Neto, P., Silva, L. F. D., Miarka, B., De Medeiros, J. A., de Medeiros, R. C. D. S. C., Teixeira, R. P. A., Aidar, F. J., Cabral, B. G. D. A. T., & Dantas, P. M. S. (2022). Influence of Advancing Biological Maturation on Aerobic and Anaerobic Power and on Sport Performance of Junior Rowers: A Longitudinal Study. Frontiers in Physiology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.892966
Aubert, S., Barnes, J. D., Demchenko, I., Hawthorne, M., Abdeta, C., Nader, P. A., Sala, J. C. A., Aguilar-Farias, N., Aznar, S., Bakalár, P., Bhawra, J., Brazo-Sayavera, J., Bringas, M., Cagas, J. Y., Carlin, A., Chang, C. K., Chen, B., Christiansen, L. B., Christie, C. J. A., … Tremblay, M. S. (2022). Global Matrix 4.0 Physical Activity Report Card Grades for Children and Adolescents: Results and Analyses From 57 Countries. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 19(11), 700–728. https://doi.org/10.1123/JPAH.2022-0456
Bailey, D. A., Mirwald, R. L., & Faulkner, R. A. (2003). Bone growth and exercise studies: The complica-tions of maturation. J Musculoskel Neuron Interact, 3(4), 335–337.
Baquet, G., Twisk, J. W. R., Kemper, H. C. G., Van Praagh, E., & Berthoin, S. (2006). Longitudinal follow-up of fitness during childhood: Interaction with physical activity. American Journal of Human Biology, 18(1), 51–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.20466
Baxter-Jones, A. D. G., & Sherar, L. B. (2007). Growth and Maturation. In Paediatric Exercise Physiolo-gy: Advances in Sport and Exercise Science series (pp. 1–26). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-10260-8.50006-0
Baxter-Jones, A. D. G., Thompson, A. M., & Malina, R. M. (2002). Growth and maturation in elite young female athletes. Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review. https://doi.org/10.1097/00132585-200210010-00007
Bayley, N., & Pinneau, S. R. (1952). Tables for predicting adult height from skeletal age: Revised for use with the greulich-pyle hand standards. The Journal of Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(52)80205-7
Beunen, G., & Malina, R. M. (2008). Growth and biologic maturation: Relevance to athletic perfor-mance. In The Young Athlete. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470696255.ch1
Beyer, K. S., Stout, J. R., Redd, M. J., Baker, K. M., Church, D. D., Bergstrom, H. C., Hoffman, J. R., & Fu-kuda, D. H. (2020). Effect of somatic maturity on the aerobic and anaerobic adaptations to sprint interval training. Physiological Reports, 8(9). https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14426
Bojikian, L. P., Teixeira, C. P., Böhme, M. T. S., & Ré, A. H. N. (2005). Relações entre crescimento, des-empenho motor, maturação biológica e idade cronológica em jovens do sexo masculino. Re-vista Brasileira de Educação Física e Esporte, 19(2), 153–162. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1807-55092005000200006
Brito, E., Ruiz, J., Navarro, M., & García, J. (2009). Valoración de la condición física y biológica en esco-lares (Vol. 1). Wanceulen editorial deportiva.
Chimera, N. J., Falk, B., Klentrou, P., & Sullivan, P. (2024). Is Biobanding the Future of Youth Sport Par-ticipation? Pediatric Exercise Science, 36(4), 181–191. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.2024-0021
Coyle, E. F. (1995). Substrate utilization during exercise in active people. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 61(4 SUPPL.). https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/61.4.968S
Cumming, S. P., Lloyd, R. S., Oliver, J. L., Eisenmann, J. C., & Malina, R. M. (2017a). Bio-banding in sport: Applications to competition, talent identification, and strength and conditioning of youth ath-letes. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 39(2), 34–47. https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000281
Cumming, S. P., Lloyd, R. S., Oliver, J. L., Eisenmann, J. C., & Malina, R. M. (2017b). Bio-banding in sport: Applications to competition, talent identification, and strength and conditioning of youth ath-letes. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 39(2), 34–47. https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000281
de Almeida-Neto, P., de Matos, D. G., Pinto, V. C. M., Dantas, P. M. S., Cesário, T. M., da Silva, L. F., Bulhões-Correia, A., Aidar, F. J., & Cabral, B. G. A. T. (2020). Can the neuromuscular perfor-mance of young athletes be influenced by hormone levels and different stages of puberty? In-ternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(16), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165637
de Macedo, J. F. S., Laerte Lopes Ribeiro, B., de Morais Ferreira, A. B., Oliveira, R. S., & Mortatti, A. L. (2025). Effects of biobanding on training loads and technical performance of young football players. PLoS ONE, 20(2 February). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317432
Domínguez Montes, J. A., Sánchez Medina, L., Rodríguez Rosell, D., & González Badillo, J. J. (2015). Va-riables antropométricas y de rendimiento físico en niños y niñas de 10-15 años de edad (Anth-ropometrics variables and performance in children of 10-15 years old). Retos, 27, 86-92. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v0i27.34353
Esparza-Ríos, F., Vaquero-Cristóbal, R., & Marfell-Jones, M. (2019). Protocolo internacional para la valoración antropométrica. Consideraciones preliminares.
Fransen, J., Bush, S., Woodcock, S., Novak, A., Baxter-Jones, A. D. G., Deprez, D., Vaeyens, R., & Lenoir, M. (2018). Improving the prediction of maturity from anthropometric variables using a maturi-ty ratio. Pediatric Exercise Science, 30(2), 296–307. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.2017-0009
García, D., Giacoman, A. von O., Gittermann, L. M. T., & Barahona, A. A. (2025). Potencia aeróbica máx-ima y perfil fisiológico de jugadoras del equipo chileno femenino de hockey césped. Journal of Movement & Health, 22(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.5027/JMH-VOL22-ISSUE1(2025)ART244
Garcia-Tabar, I., Eclache, J. P., Aramendi, J. F., & Gorostiaga, E. M. (2018). Quality control of open-circuit respirometry: real-time, laboratory-based systems. Let’s spread “good practice.” Euro-pean Journal of Applied Physiology, 118(12), 2719–2720. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3990-0
Garn, S. M., & Tanner, J. M. (2006). Assessment of Skeletal Maturity and Prediction of Adult Height (TW2 Method). Man. https://doi.org/10.2307/2802657
Geithner, C. A., Thomis, M. A., Vanden Eynde, B., Maes, H. H. M., Loos, R. J. F., Peeters, M., Claessens, A. L. M., Vlietinck, R., Malina, R. M., & Beunen, G. P. (2004). Growth in peak aerobic power during adolescence. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.MSS.0000139807.72229.41
Guillén del Castillo, M., & Linares Girela, D. (2002). Bases biológicas y fisiológicas del movimiento hu-mano. (Vol. 1). Editorial Panamericana.
Handelsman, D. J., Hirschberg, A. L., & Bermon, S. (2018). Circulating testosterone as the hormonal basis of sex differences in athletic performance. Endocrine Reviews, 39(5), 803–829. https://doi.org/10.1210/er.2018-00020
Hunter, S. K., Angadi, S. S., Bhargava, A., Harper, J., Hirschberg, A. L., Levine, B. D., Moreau, K. L., Nokoff, N. J., Stachenfeld, N. S., & Bermon, S. (2023). The Biological Basis of Sex Differences in Athletic Performance: Consensus Statement for the American College of Sports Medicine. Med-icine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 55(12), 2328–2360. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000003300
Hunter, S. K., & Senefeld, J. W. (2024). Sex differences in human performance. Journal of Physiology, 602(17), 4129–4156. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP284198
Katch, V. L., McArdle, W. D., & Katch, F. I. (2015). Fisiología del Ejercicio Fundamentos. In Fisiología del Ejercicio Fundamentos. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2014.12.024
Kozieł, S. M., Suder, A., Chrzanowska, M., Králík, M., & Malina, R. M. (2024). Growth status and age at peak height velocity among youth participants in several sports: the Cracow longitudinal study. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 16(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/S13102-024-00905-6/TABLES/3
Landgraff, H. W., Riiser, A., Lihagen, M., Skei, M., Leirstein, S., & Hallén, J. (2021). Longitudinal changes in maximal oxygen uptake in adolescent girls and boys with different training backgrounds. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 31(S1), 65–72. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13765
Lang, J. J. (2018). Exploring the utility of cardiorespiratory fitness as a population health surveillance indicator for children and youth: An international analysis of results from the 20-m shuttle run test. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism = Physiologie Appliquee, Nutrition et Me-tabolisme, 43(2), 211. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2017-0728
Lang, J. J., Tremblay, M. S., Léger, L., Olds, T., & Tomkinson, G. R. (2018). International variability in 20 m shuttle run performance in children and youth: who are the fittest from a 50-country com-parison? A systematic literature review with pooling of aggregate results. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(4), 276–276. https://doi.org/10.1136/BJSPORTS-2016-096224
Lang, J. J., Zhang, K., Agostinis-Sobrinho, C., Andersen, L. B., Basterfield, L., Berglind, D., Blain, D. O., Cadenas-Sanchez, C., Cameron, C., Carson, V., Colley, R. C., Csányi, T., Faigenbaum, A. D., Gar-cía-Hermoso, A., Gomes, T. N. Q. F., Gribbon, A., Janssen, I., Jurak, G., Kaj, M., … Fraser, B. J. (2023). Top 10 International Priorities for Physical Fitness Research and Surveillance Among Children and Adolescents: A Twin-Panel Delphi Study. Sports Medicine, 53(2), 549–564. https://doi.org/10.1007/S40279-022-01752-6/FIGURES/2
Leger, L., & Lambert, J. (1982). A maximal multistage 20-m shuttle run test to predict VO2 max. Euro-pean Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 49(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428958
Léger, L., Lambert, J., Goulet, A., Rowan, C., & Dinelle, Y. (1984). Aerobic capacity of 6 to 17-year-old Quebecois--20 meter shuttle run test with 1 minute stages. Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Sciences. Journal Canadien Des Sciences Appliquées Au Sport.
Leger, L., Mercier, D., Gadoury, C., & Lambert, J. (1988). The multistage 20 metre shuttle run test for aerobic fıtness. Journal of Sports Sciences, 6(2), 93–101.
Leite Portella, D., & De Arruda, M. (2011). Valoración del rendimiento físico de jóvenes futbolistas en función de la edad cronológica. Apunts Educación Física y Deportes, 105, 42–49. https://doi.org/10.5672/APUNTS.2014-0983.ES.(2011/4).106.05
Lozada-Medina, J. L., Padilla-Alvarado, J. R., Cortina-Nuñez, M. de J., & Baldayo-Sierra, M. (2022). Es-tadística utilizada en tesis doctorales de ciencias de la Actividad Física y el Deporte. Búsqueda, 9(1), e580. https://doi.org/10.21892/01239813.580
Mackelvie, K. J., & Khan, K. M. (2002). Is there a critical period for bone response to weight-bearing exercise in children and adolescents? a systematic review. In Br J Sports Med (Vol. 36). www.bjsportmed.com
Malina, R. M. (1978). Growth of Muscle Tissue and Muscle Mass. Human Growth, 273–294. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2622-9_10
Malina, R. M. (1986). Growth of muscle tissue and muscle mass. In Springer (Ed.), Postnatal Growth Neurobiology (pp. 77–99).
Malina, R. M., Bouchard, C., & Bar-Or, O. (2004). Growth, maturation, and physical activity. Growth, Maturation and Physical Performance.
Malina, R. M., Coelho-e-Silva, M. J., Figueiredo, A. J., Philippaerts, R. M., Hirose, N., Peña Reyes, M. E., Gilli, G., Benso, A., Vaeyens, R., Deprez, D., Guglielmo, L. F., & Buranarugsa, R. (2018). Tanner–Whitehouse Skeletal Ages in Male Youth Soccer Players: TW2 or TW3? Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0799-7
Malina, R. M., Cumming, S. P., Rogol, A. D., Coelho-e-Silva, M. J., Figueiredo, A. J., Konarski, J. M., & Kozieł, S. M. (2019). Bio-Banding in Youth Sports: Background, Concept, and Application. Sports Medicine, 49(11), 1671–1685. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01166-x
Mancera-Soto, E. M., Ramos-Caballero, D. M., Rojas J, J. A., Duque, L., Chaves-Gomez, S., Cristancho-Mejía, E., & Schmidt, W. F. J. (2022). Hemoglobin Mass, Blood Volume and VO2max of Trained and Untrained Children and Adolescents Living at Different Altitudes. Frontiers in Physiology, 13, 892247. https://doi.org/10.3389/FPHYS.2022.892247/BIBTEX
McArdle, W. D., Katch, F. I., & Katch, V. L. (2015). Fisiologia del ejercicio: nutricion, rendimiento y salud. Wolters Kluwer Health. https://elibro.net/es/lc/bibliocecar/titulos/125898
Mclaren-Towlson, P. (2016). The Maturity related Physical Phenotypes of English , Elite Youth Soccer Players : Exploring the Elite Player Performance Plan. University of Hull.
Mirwald, R. L., G. Baxter-Jones, A. D., Bailey, D. A., & Beunen, G. P. (2002). An assessment of maturity from anthropometric measurements. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 34(4), 689–694. https://doi.org/10.1249/00005768-200204000-00020
Padilla, J. (2014). Relación de la Potencia Aeróbica y la Sumatoria de Panículos Adíposos en Deportis-tas Jóvenes: ¿Influye la Maduración Somática? Revista Electrónica Actividad Física y Ciencias, 6, 1–17.
Padilla-Alvarado, J. (2021). Capacidades Funcionales en Futbolistas Infantiles Masculinos: Hacia un Modelo Teórico De Evaluación Fundamentado en Bio-Bandas de Maduración Somática. UNI-VERSIDAD PEDAGÓGICA EXPERIMENTAL LIBERTADOR.
Padilla-Alvarado, J., & Lozada-Medina, J. L. (2012). Análisis Comparativo de la Condición Física Ae-róbica en Función de la Maduración Somática en Estudiantes de un Liceo Bolivariano del es-tado Barinas, Venezuela. Revista Electrónica Actividad Física y Ciencias, 1(4), 1–28. http://www.revistas.upel.edu.ve/index.php/actividadfisicayciencias/article/view/1097
Padilla-Alvarado, J. R., Lozada-Medina, J. L., & Torres, Y. (2018). Normas de referencia para la evalu-ación del consumo máximo de oxígeno en deportistas jóvenes. Revista Con-Ciencias del De-porte, 65–81. http://revistas.unellez.edu.ve/index.php/rccd/article/view/493
Pérez, B. M., Serrano, M. D. M., Martínez, C. P., Viramontes, J. A., & Armesillas, M. D. C. (2015). Assess-ment of somatic maturation of Venezuelan adolescents. Nutricion Hospitalaria, 32(5), 2216–2222. https://doi.org/10.3305/nh.2015.32.5.9566
Subiela, J. V. (2005). Introducción a la Fisiología Humana Énfasis en la Fisiología del Ejercicio. Fundaupel - IPB.
Subiela, J. V. (2019). Estimation of the maximum blood lactate from the results in the Wingate test. In Arch Med Deporte (Vol. 36, Issue 1).
Tomkinson, G. R., Lang, J. J., Tremblay, M. S., Dale, M., Leblanc, A. G., Belanger, K., Ortega, F. B., & Lé-ger, L. (2017). International normative 20 m shuttle run values from 1 142 026 children and youth representing 50 countries. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 51(21), 1545–1554. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2016-095987
Towlson, C., & Cumming, S. P. (2022). Bio-banding in soccer: past, present, and future. Annals of Hu-man Biology, 49(7–8), 269–273. https://doi.org/10.1080/03014460.2022.2129091
Towlson, C., MacMaster, C., Gonçalves, B., Sampaio, J., Toner, J., MacFarlane, N., Barrett, S., Hamilton, A., Jack, R., Hunter, F., Myers, T., & Abt, G. (2021). The effect of bio-banding on physical and psychological indicators of talent identification in academy soccer players. Science and Medi-cine in Football, 5(4), 280–292. https://doi.org/10.1080/24733938.2020.1862419
Ward, S. A. (2018). Open-circuit respirometry: real-time, laboratory-based systems. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 118(5), 875–898. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3860-9
Zhang. (2019). Body composition and bone mineral density of juvenile basketball players versus ordi-nary middle school students: Data from a middle school. Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research, 23(3), 341–347. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.0602
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 José R. Padilla-Alvarado, Jesús L. Lozada-Medina, Manuel de J. Cortina-Nuñez
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and ensure the magazine the right to be the first publication of the work as licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of authorship of the work and the initial publication in this magazine.
- Authors can establish separate additional agreements for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in the journal (eg, to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Is allowed and authors are encouraged to disseminate their work electronically (eg, in institutional repositories or on their own website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as to a subpoena more Early and more of published work (See The Effect of Open Access) (in English).
This journal provides immediate open access to its content (BOAI, http://legacy.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/boaifaq.htm#openaccess) on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. The authors may download the papers from the journal website, or will be provided with the PDF version of the article via e-mail.
