Human Motor Development: a Lifespan Approach

Now in its Eighth Edition, this topically organized text provides a comprehensive introduction to lifespan motor development and includes the most current research findings available in the field. The text takes a lifespan approach to development, with thorough coverage of prenatal, childhood, adolescent, and adult development. Theoretical concepts are conveyed through language appropriate for undergraduate students. This is the only lifespan motor development text that presents both the component approach and the total body approach for analyzing the basic fundamental and object control skills of childhood.

Larry D. Isaacs is Professor Emeritus and former Director of the Exercise Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics at Wright State University. Since receiving his doctorate in 1979 from the University of Maryland, Dr. Isaacs has served as a reviewer for many scholarly journals. In addition, he has published numerous scholarly articles and has written sixteen textbooks. Over the past thirty-five years, his writings have been recognized by many organizations, including the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, where he was awarded the status of Fellow by the Research Consortium. Dr. Isaacs holds international certifications with the American College of Sports Medicine. Currently his research is examining the physiological changes that accompany aerobic exercise and resistance training in cardiac rehabilitation patients. Since retirement from the university, Dr. Isaacs has returned to part-time employment and serves as a clinical exercise physiologist at Hilton Head Regional Medical Center. Dr. Isaacs currently lives on Hilton Head Island with his wife Joy. His daughter, Brooke, and son, Timothy, both attend the University of South Carolina – Beaufort Campus and also live on Hilton Head Island.

V. Gregory Payne is a professor in the Department of Kinesiology at San Jose State University, where he specializes in human motor development with interests ranging from aging and physical activity to children's sports and fitness. He received a B.S. degree from Western Illinois University and that institution's Distinguished Alumni Award. He earned an M.A. from the University of Iowa and a P.E.D. from Indiana University. After receiving the B.S. degree, Dr. Payne lived and worked in Venezuela for two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer assigned to the Venezuelan Ministry of Education. Since that time he has produced over 150 publications including numerous refereed articles and fourteen editions of four books. In 2000, Dr. Payne was elected to fellowship in the prestigious Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education (AAKPE), generally regarded to be the top tier of leaders in the discipline who have made long-term contributions primarily through scholarship. He was also a member of the task force that developed the physical education national standards published in 1995, as well as a member of the 2004 California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Task Force on Childhood Obesity, Type II Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease. Dr. Payne has made over 250 presentations at state, national, and international conferences. He was the first Distinguished Honorary Professor of the Shenyang Institute of Physical Education in China, received the Distinguished Service Award from the California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the Southwest District AAHPERD Scholar Award, and the AAHPERD Honor Award. He has been nominated several times for the Outstanding Professor and President's Scholar Awards at San Jose State University and received the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport Research Writing Award for work involving children's physical activity and VO2 max. Dr. Payne is a former President of the 22,000 member National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE); former Chair of the National Motor Development Academy of AAHPERD, and former President of the California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (CAHPERD). He was presented CAHPERD’s 2004 Verne Landreth Award, exemplifying the highest achievement in service, research, teaching, and administration, and was the 2004 SJSU Nominee for the California State University Wang Family Excellence Award for extraordinary commitment and dedication, distinction by exemplary contributions, and achievement in the academic discipline. He is a Fellow of the Research Consortium of AAHPERD, has chaired two editorial boards and has reviewed for journals including Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, International Journal of Sports Medicine, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sports, Gerontology, Strategies, Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, and Medicine, Exercise, Nutrition, and Health, and Perceptual and Motor Skills.