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Visual Perception Training to Improve Reaction Spe

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    Posted: 03/15/2019 at 11:16am
Recently, I have incorporated Visual Perception Training into my Coaching Program using Vima Strobe Glasses.  Here is the link to an article on video about the training process.

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Table-Tennis/Features/2019/March/15/Visual-Perception-Training-for-Table-Tennis-Athletes

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I hope the following won’t pollute the main thread idea. On the Champs Elysées decades ago Renault was showing their F1 race car off, it was the times of 1.5l turbo motors Renault was good at building. For visitors, a reaction training machine was available to play with, I did 8/20 when pro racers hit 20/20 on a bad day, one like this:



Could such a machine help the table tennis player? I did not pay attention to F1 for decades but there is a series on Netflix atm and one of the “poor” teams (those having only a 120 million budget instead of 600) had one in their barracks on the track and they built it themselves, I could see duct tape holding the lights.

Aging players are hit so bad with eyesight going down, I am starting to suffer from it, those balls that slip or that I don’t even touch...

More about eye tracking and reaction time from the world of F1 that may fit in the thread.




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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote wturber Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/17/2019 at 2:25am
I have a real problem with the claims at the beginning of the article where the problem of reactions times is set up.  Specifically this:

"Table Tennis is among the sports requiring the fastest reaction speed for an athlete to
reach the High Level. The distance between two competing Table Tennis Players is
normally about 9-10 feet. A smash hit at 80 mph would cover that distance in about
75 milliseconds. A player’s capacity to react to a visual signal is about 200
milliseconds. So how then can High Level Athlete return this ball."

This perpetuates a few myths.  The first one is that quality players who hit fast shots stand 9-10 feet away from each other.  That is seldom true because it almost guarantees that you will lose the point.  The table is 9 feet long and players probably start out at a distance closer to 12-13 feet from each other (1-2 feet from the edge and they usually start at opposite corners.  The other myth is that 80 mph smash.  It is rare and for practical purposes non-existent.  70 mph is a more realistic top speed and even those kinds of shots are generally low in number.  But even at 80 mph initial speed, a table tennis ball only covers about 7.5 feet in 75 milliseconds since the ball slows down rapidly due to its light weight and air resistance.  A more realistic look at intervals encountered is more like this:

Rare 70 mph smash at 9.5 feet - 115 milliseconds
Fast 60 mph smash at 9.5 feet - 135 milliseconds
Hard 50 mph hit at 9.5 feet - 162 milliseconds
Hard 40 mph hit at 9.5 feet - 200 milliseconds

All of those are atypically high speeds, but nonetheless, players must find ways to try to deal with this.  The first approach is to avoid the situation to begin with. Try to keep your opponent from opening up with hard shots.  The second is that you simply don't stand 9-10 feet away - especially when your return creates opportunities for your opponent to hit hard. Top players almost always look to work a few feet back off of the table.  Here's what that means.

Rare 70 mph smash at 15 feet - 205 milliseconds
Fast 60 mph smash at 15 feet - 240 milliseconds
Hard 50 mph hit at 15 feet - 290 milliseconds
Hard 40 mph hit at 15 feet - 360 milliseconds

15 feet is only three feet off the table straight away and less than that when you are on a diagonal. Moving just 2-3 feet back puts just about every ball outside that 200 millisecond reaction time window. And that's what actually happens in matches.  Or to be more precise, what high level players do extremely well is to use their footwork and experience in an attempt to give themselves about 500 milliseconds on average to respond to their opponent.  I've looked at a LOT of ITTF footage, and that's the typical interval.  When it gets much shorter, the error rate goes up quickly.

So the lead-in to the article overstates the problem by a factor of about three to four or even more depending on how you look at it.  But still, half a second is pretty darned quick - thought it is well within human reaction time - especially when you factor in that experience helps you to anticipate.

In the video presented, Timothy is getting little bit more than 500 milliseconds to respond to the ball that Coach McAfee is hitting to him and Timothy's fairly sharp forehands are starting off at around 35 mph and have an average speed of 28 mph with a speed at the end of the table of about 23 mph.  If the ball goes much faster, you are very likely to start giving yourself more distance in order to deal with the speed.

I think reaction time in table tennis is an over-rated factor.  But it is still a factor and therefore worth considering in training. But I'd like to see more than the subjective and anecdotal reporting on the efficacy of the glasses before embracing them. Almost no objective scientific data is presented in the referenced article and video.  We only get subjective impressions.

The video on the Vima website "see the science" is just a music video and presents zero science.  Below that we get snippet summaries from some science papers, but apparently have to sign up in order to get access to the actual papers.  The one paper on this general technology that I found online wasn't particularly positive though it referenced other papers that had reported positive results but not necessarily positive results that were long lasting.  There's a whole lot of research that still needs doing.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41465-017-0038-z

...........................................................................................
My statements about speeds for smashes and hard hit balls is based on the World Record from about 15 years ago as well as the analysis I made of a Timo Boll smash and countless frame-by-frame timings of various table tennis smashes and hard hit balls. 

Time and speed calculations were made using my online Table Tennis Ball Speed Calculator.



Edited by wturber - 03/17/2019 at 2:28am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lula Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/17/2019 at 2:54am
I think every way to become better can be a good way. But i think alot of us have limited time, so maybe that time is better to spend playing tabletennis. I think you get better reaction from playing tabletennis. Maybe exercises there you block all over the table against a pretty hard loop, and you do not know where the ball is coming can train this. I also reaction maybe is most important when blocking, so it is proably about technique aswell. Having the racket high when blocking, and looking at the opponent i think is important to save time. 

Also no not know if the exercise in the first video is good, because the guy is running such a long distance. Is this happening in tabletennis? better with short distance i think. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tinykin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/17/2019 at 4:02pm
There's a video somewhere on MYTT of a player doing a footwork version in an arcade in Asia.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Ieyasu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/17/2019 at 5:15pm
wturber, thanks for posting your excellent analysis.

It's another example of why one should not blindly trust what a coach says.
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Hello All,

The video on you tube was met to just show some simple examples of drills that can be done with Strobe Glasses.  It also was first posted on-line at the USATT Website which contained an article with more explanation.  Strobe glasses are being used by many sports and in this regard table tennis is somewhat behind.  Here is the article (below) that I also posted so perhaps it can add some more information about how this type of training can be helpful.  You can argue the math (came for the ITTF) but the bigger picture is how important visual training is for sports.  FYI, this is nothing new as Olympic Athletes in all sports have been involved in this type of training for more than 20 years (including many past table tennis athletes).  Sean O'Neil is a big exponent of visual training.  The only thing new here is the technology.  

Again, the video was not any kind of scientific study or proof.  Just an example of two simple drills done with the glasses.  Once standard reaction drill off the table (done all over the World) and one simple drill on the table.  

I hope to execute a more scientific study with before and after tests during the ITTF Courses that I will be conducting in India next month.  I will certainly make more demo videos with different drill possibilities.

As a full-time professional coach for more than 30 years and a 15 year ITTF Trainer of Coaches in more than 30 countries and more than 1,500 coaches, I am always looking for ways to improve athletes.  That is my job.  To be an effective coach, I have to keep an open mind for new ideas and new technologies.  No coach knows everything but good coaches are always eager to learn.  

Visual Perception Training for Table Tennis Athletes

By: Richard McAfee, Sponsored Joola Coach, ITTF Course

 Conductor and Trainer, Author of “Table Tennis, Steps for

 Success”, USA Table Tennis “Hall of Fame” Member

Table Tennis is among the sports requiring the fastest reaction speed for an athlete to reach the High Level.   The distance between two competing Table Tennis Players is normally about 9-10 feet.  A smash hit at 80 mph would cover that distance in about 75 milliseconds.  A player’s capacity to react to a visual signal is about 200 milliseconds.  So how then can High Level Athlete return this ball. 

The answer contains several components.  The first is that High Level Table Tennis Players are anticipating their opponent’s returns and moving before the “visual signal” of the ball strike occurs.  This ability to anticipate largely comes from the learned experience of the effect of the quality of their previous stroke (speed, placement, spin) on the return of the opponent.  Some of this early anticipation also comes from a great many visual “cues” that the opponent gives before he/she strikes the ball (body and racket position).  All of anticipation occurs in the subconscious as the brain is always trying to help the athlete achieve the desired goal. 

Reaction speed consists of two major components.  It is helpful to think of them as input (data coming in) and output (motor related activities).  Current science opinion is that it is visual perception that is the “key” factor in the chain of events that impact reaction speed. 

What does all this mean regarding training athletes?  If we can improve the brain’s ability for sensory detection, and processing, along with the ability to focus on the correct inputs, then we can greatly improve an athlete’s reaction speed, coordination, dept perception, timing, and more.  Not only can we help the brain become quicker and more effective with visual perception but we can retrain the brain to continue to work at this higher level.

There are many general athletic drills designed to help improve an athlete’s reaction speed but until recently most of them were geared on improving the motor related activities (output) that occur after the brain processes the visual information.  While these “classic” reaction drills do help they are limited.

Recently I have come across a new type of technology that now allows a Coach to provide Visual Perception Training for the Brain.  Just like we do resistant training for the body, now we can do resistant training for the brain.  The technology that now makes this type of training possible are Strobe Glasses.   Sometimes they are referred too as “shutter glasses”.  These glasses allow the Coach to remove a percentage of the visual impute to the brain while the athlete is doing either general athletic drills or sport specific drills for Table Tennis.  Think of it like watching a movie and then the coach removes 1 frame in ten.  Then 2 frames in ten and so on.  The brain still can watch the picture but must work harder to understand what is happening.  When the athlete returns to seeing all the frames in the movie, he/she will feel like the movie is in slow motion. 

The Brand of the Glasses, I have been using with my local athletes are the Vima Glasses.  They are very high quality and can be controlled from an app on a cell phone or tablet.   So far in limited testing, I have observed that the effect is almost immediate.  After an Athlete wears the glasses for 10 to 20 minutes and removes them, they feel like they are laser focused, the ball is moving slower, and they have more time to make movements.  It is like their brains are speeded up. 

When doing drills with the Vima Glasses, the process is:

1.      First do the drill without the glasses, normally pushing the athlete to a point where they are having problems reacting fast enough to be successful.

2.      Repeat the drill starting at a low (easy setting) normally a 10% reduction in vision.  Do the drill at this first level for several minutes.

3.      Repeat the drill several times and each time gradually increase the reduction rate (15%, 21% and up) until that athlete cannot do the drill at a 50% success rate.

4.      Remove the Glasses and repeat the drill at high speed.  Both you and the Athlete will notice a marked improvement.  With regular use (once or twice a week) the athlete will continue to improve his/her reaction speed. 

In the accompanying video, Matt Hetherington, USATT Media and Communications Director and Timothy Wang, 3x US Men’s Singles Champion (Olympian) were kind enough to help demonstrated a couple of simple drills using the Vima Glasses.

Finally, I would like to recommend that every Club should consider adding this type of training for all serious Table Tennis Athletes.  It is my belief that Visual Perception Training using Strobe Glasses will soon become a regular part of every Table Tennis Training Program.  



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CoachMcAfee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/17/2019 at 9:43pm

The ITTF recently published a report from the Luxembourg International Table Tennis Congress.  In that report was the following:

On Saturday afternoon, it was left to Professor Andreas Mierau from LUNEX University (Luxembourg) to end the series of short lectures in the table tennis congress. The expert for neuroscience in the field of sport has dealt for some time with the neurophysiological determinants of reaction speed. The German academic, who works in the Grand Duchy, outlined that in principle visual perception and not motor-related processes, determine how fast an athlete can respond to visual motion stimuli. In the recent past, Mierau and his colleagues could confirm this assumption in the course of a study with young table tennis players. Looking at sports practice, it became clear that methodological and diagnostic consequences arise from this focal insight.

Thus, Professor Mierau’s work is part of a school of thought whose representatives have repeatedly argued that the visual perception of table tennis athletes should be trained explicitly. One promising approach in this context may be stroboscopic training (or sports vision training). Here, special eyeglasses (so-called shutter glasses) are used. The Academic Director from Luxembourg and his colleagues assessed this training method among German top-level badminton players.

After an intervention period of four weeks, it was noted by neurophysiological measurements and behavioural testing (smash defence) that this modern training method was superior to traditional training. Mierau’s investigations give hope that, by the use of encephalography, relevant neural visual processes sooner or later may be converted into visuomotor performance profiles as standard features. This measurement technique may be useful in future, just as physiological performance analysis and physical fitness test batteries already fulfil their function currently on a daily basis.”

Here are some other scientific studies on the use of Strobe Glasses to improve sports performance.  There are many studies. 

 

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41465-017-0038-z

 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279628856_Effects_of_stroboscopic_visual_training_on_visual_attention_motion_perception_and_catching_performance

 

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-01-stroboscopic-vision-sports-efficacy.html

 

https://dibs.duke.edu/scholars/stephen-mitroff

 

https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1264&context=gradreports

 


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NextLevel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/17/2019 at 10:35pm
Great analysis and this is my impression of TT - most men take the ball later than they say they do and play further from the table than they say they do.

Originally posted by wturber wturber wrote:

I have a real problem with the claims at the beginning of the article where the problem of reactions times is set up.  Specifically this:

"Table Tennis is among the sports requiring the fastest reaction speed for an athlete to
reach the High Level. The distance between two competing Table Tennis Players is
normally about 9-10 feet. A smash hit at 80 mph would cover that distance in about
75 milliseconds. A player’s capacity to react to a visual signal is about 200
milliseconds. So how then can High Level Athlete return this ball."

This perpetuates a few myths.  The first one is that quality players who hit fast shots stand 9-10 feet away from each other.  That is seldom true because it almost guarantees that you will lose the point.  The table is 9 feet long and players probably start out at a distance closer to 12-13 feet from each other (1-2 feet from the edge and they usually start at opposite corners.  The other myth is that 80 mph smash.  It is rare and for practical purposes non-existent.  70 mph is a more realistic top speed and even those kinds of shots are generally low in number.  But even at 80 mph initial speed, a table tennis ball only covers about 7.5 feet in 75 milliseconds since the ball slows down rapidly due to its light weight and air resistance.  A more realistic look at intervals encountered is more like this:

Rare 70 mph smash at 9.5 feet - 115 milliseconds
Fast 60 mph smash at 9.5 feet - 135 milliseconds
Hard 50 mph hit at 9.5 feet - 162 milliseconds
Hard 40 mph hit at 9.5 feet - 200 milliseconds

All of those are atypically high speeds, but nonetheless, players must find ways to try to deal with this.  The first approach is to avoid the situation to begin with. Try to keep your opponent from opening up with hard shots.  The second is that you simply don't stand 9-10 feet away - especially when your return creates opportunities for your opponent to hit hard. Top players almost always look to work a few feet back off of the table.  Here's what that means.

Rare 70 mph smash at 15 feet - 205 milliseconds
Fast 60 mph smash at 15 feet - 240 milliseconds
Hard 50 mph hit at 15 feet - 290 milliseconds
Hard 40 mph hit at 15 feet - 360 milliseconds

15 feet is only three feet off the table straight away and less than that when you are on a diagonal. Moving just 2-3 feet back puts just about every ball outside that 200 millisecond reaction time window. And that's what actually happens in matches.  Or to be more precise, what high level players do extremely well is to use their footwork and experience in an attempt to give themselves about 500 milliseconds on average to respond to their opponent.  I've looked at a LOT of ITTF footage, and that's the typical interval.  When it gets much shorter, the error rate goes up quickly.

So the lead-in to the article overstates the problem by a factor of about three to four or even more depending on how you look at it.  But still, half a second is pretty darned quick - thought it is well within human reaction time - especially when you factor in that experience helps you to anticipate.

In the video presented, Timothy is getting little bit more than 500 milliseconds to respond to the ball that Coach McAfee is hitting to him and Timothy's fairly sharp forehands are starting off at around 35 mph and have an average speed of 28 mph with a speed at the end of the table of about 23 mph.  If the ball goes much faster, you are very likely to start giving yourself more distance in order to deal with the speed.

I think reaction time in table tennis is an over-rated factor.  But it is still a factor and therefore worth considering in training. But I'd like to see more than the subjective and anecdotal reporting on the efficacy of the glasses before embracing them. Almost no objective scientific data is presented in the referenced article and video.  We only get subjective impressions.

The video on the Vima website "see the science" is just a music video and presents zero science.  Below that we get snippet summaries from some science papers, but apparently have to sign up in order to get access to the actual papers.  The one paper on this general technology that I found online wasn't particularly positive though it referenced other papers that had reported positive results but not necessarily positive results that were long lasting.  There's a whole lot of research that still needs doing.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41465-017-0038-z

...........................................................................................
My statements about speeds for smashes and hard hit balls is based on the World Record from about 15 years ago as well as the analysis I made of a Timo Boll smash and countless frame-by-frame timings of various table tennis smashes and hard hit balls. 

Time and speed calculations were made using my online Table Tennis Ball Speed Calculator.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BRS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/17/2019 at 11:23pm
I might buy a pair of these except for one thing.  I wear prescription glasses.  Could use contacts I suppose.  Or just play without my glasses on and remove about 60% of the visual information.  I'm nearsighted.  The ball would disappear into a haze and then reappear a couple feet away.  That's actually worth trying since it's free.  I'd have to get used to predicting where the return will come.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CoachMcAfee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/17/2019 at 11:47pm
I would not suggest that individual players run out and purchase $400 Strobe Glasses.  The likely people that these will appeal too are coaches who can use them for many students.  For a coach or a club, any tool that improves training is a cost-effective investment when spread out over a number of users.  I currently have 1 pair (soon to buy a second pair) and I have several students using them during their lessons.  Normally, each student will wear the glasses for only 10-15 minutes during a lesson.  So far, the results are encouraging. 

At my club, I have a locker full to training tools, the Strobe Glasses are just one more addition.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lineup32 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/18/2019 at 12:47am
Recently at my weight training workouts someone was using a mask to reduce his air intake, the Strobe Glasses reducing vision reminded me of these breathing masks seems to be a similar concept without much science backup.

"Elevation TrainingMask 2.0® brings the power of Respiratory Resistance Training (RRT®) to your workouts. Using the TrainingMask 2.0® consistently in your exercise routine will improve respiratory power and breathing mechanics (how you breathe) which equates to enhanced air turnover during each full breathing cycle (inhale & exhale). Better breathing while training leads to increased stamina, endurance, workout capacity, and enhanced recovery. Stay stronger longer and reach your goals faster with TrainingMask®."







Edited by lineup32 - 03/18/2019 at 12:50am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CoachMcAfee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/18/2019 at 2:39am
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4879455/

Just one of many studies done on Elevation Training Masks.

Never used them in training but seems to be a lot of science out there, both pro and con.




Edited by CoachMcAfee - 03/18/2019 at 2:45am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lineup32 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/18/2019 at 11:25am
These results from the study you provided:
Key points


"Wearing the ETM during a 6-week high-intensity cycle ergometer training program may improve performance variables, such as VO2max, PPO, VT, PO at VT, RCT and PO at RCT.

Wearing the ETM did not improve lung function, inspiratory muscle strength, or stimulate changes in hemoglobin or hematocrit levels.

The ETM does not simulate altitude, but works more like an respiratory training device."

This study along with the Strobe Glasses does not provide any information about the long term effect of using these devices. Both the Strobe and ETM mask are based on a simple idea that the human body will adapt to these limits and somehow provide an EDGE to participants in competitive situations as a basis for buying the product.

Given the lack of scientific information about either of these devices it would make no sense to use these on children for the purpose of increasing there responses as they are not professional players and their participation
in sport training is for recreational purposes.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CoachMcAfee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/18/2019 at 4:32pm
Fully agree that you should not use Strobe glasses with recreation players and no where in my article have I promoted doing so.  I also don't include weight training, aerobic training, anaerobic training, balance training, coordination training, speed training, reflex training, visual training, plyometics, or proceptivity training in programs that I conduct for recreational players that I work with.  However, most of my work is with serious players and all of the before mentioned training elements (as age appropriate) are included.  

I posted the information on Strobe Glasses to this forum as I though people here would be interested in a new coaching tool.  Obviously that was a mistake. 


Edited by CoachMcAfee - 03/18/2019 at 4:33pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lineup32 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03/19/2019 at 12:15pm
"I posted the information on Strobe Glasses to this forum as I though people here would be interested in a new coaching tool. Obviously that was a mistake."

You may think that since USATT has provided a forum for your views it should be taken as truth but in reality it is nothing more then advertising and pushing a product which is OK but don't expect everyone to lap up your talk and accept the Strobe Glasses marketing talking points.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote igorponger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04/09/2019 at 4:23pm
HOW ABOUT LEGALITY and FAIR PLAY ???

Dear coach McAfee,

Yes, I really feel wearing the Strobe Glasses would have a huge training effect in the sport of table tennis, and some therapical effect on the myopia, I believe..

Still, my special concern here is the matter of legality.    There is strong believe with some sports physicians that wearing the Strobe just prior to the event would be against the fair play principles; this device does directly affect the cerebral activity and is deamed to be some artificial performance enhancer much like the infamous practice of "bloodflow pressurizing" by inflicting sel-injuries on one's own body.
Bloodflow Pressurizing/Doping

    Yes, it got now unveiled that Japanese players regularly using Visionup Strobe (500 a pair ) while training in Tokyo National Olympic Academy camp and they now do better and better on international arena.
    
It is a real MENACE on CHINESE current hegemony.
The Strobe Glasses is a true menace on Chinese Reignance, and may be banned as a result, such is my own vision.

Here is a sufficient evidence of Japanese elite employing Strobe device..


Edited by igorponger - 04/09/2019 at 4:41pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote blahness Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04/09/2019 at 6:09pm
Originally posted by acpoulos acpoulos wrote:

The principle makes sense. I may try a pair. Anything that may help me focus on the ball!

You must be rich ;)
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FH: Hurricane 8-80
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GaryBuck View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote GaryBuck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04/10/2019 at 2:39pm
Originally posted by CoachMcAfee CoachMcAfee wrote:

I posted the information on Strobe Glasses to this forum as I though people here would be interested in a new coaching tool.  Obviously that was a mistake. 


With respect Coach, I do not think that was your mistake. To me, your mistake was to create the impression of pushing some new gimmick, without any serious attempt to evaluate its effectiveness.

Your demonstration with Matt Hetherington showed a small improvement in his performance on the task you gave him, which would have most likely occurred just through practicing the task without the glasses. The research you point to is sparse, but indicates that the glasses MAY have some short term effect, which is of doubtful use to most of us, but there is NO evidence at all of any long-term effect, which is what we want from our coaching.

In cases like this, a little bit of objective evaluation is prudent. I was very disappointed that you did not provide that, given your vast experience in coaching table tennis. To me, that was your mistake.




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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04/10/2019 at 3:27pm
Anything that improves the reaction time is a good thing.  How useful it is for amateur players is arguable, but I do not see harm in it.

The Elevation Training Mask mentioned above are primarily used for psychological reasons.  We used to train in gas masks back in the early days of MMA for similar reasons.  It is to train your mind to function under very adverse conditions.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote benfb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10/20/2019 at 10:36pm
Originally posted by CoachMcAfee CoachMcAfee wrote:

Recently, I have incorporated Visual Perception Training into my Coaching Program using Vima Strobe Glasses.  Here is the link to an article on video about the training process.

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Table-Tennis/Features/2019/March/15/Visual-Perception-Training-for-Table-Tennis-Athletes

Coach McAfee




It's been six months since you posted about this and I was wondering how it was working out as a training tool?

By the way, I appreciated your posting about this last March.  I didn't post any replies at the time because it seemed the thread was being overrun by angry trolls and I didn't want to get involved.  However, I kept track of your information at the time and I recently had a conversation with sports vision therapy ophthalmologist on this and similar technologies.  It certainly seems to be a well-regarded tool in other sports, but I was wondering how your actual experience was with it in table tennis.

So do you still use it for training your serious players?  Which players benefit the most?  Are there some players who don't like it?

Thanks.
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