The effect of reaction time training using visual stimulus software on the performance of elite table tennis players
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17979/sportis.2026.12.1.12555Abstract
Table tennis is a high-speed sport that demands rapid visual processing and instantaneous decision-making. Reaction time, comprising simple and choice reaction types, is a critical factor in elite performance. However, traditional training often overlooks cognitive components. This study aimed to examine the effect of reaction time training using visual stimulus software on the performance of elite table tennis players.
A quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group was employed. Twenty elite athletes (aged 17–25) were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received visual stimulus-based training three times a week for eight weeks, while the control group followed standard training. Data were collected using simple and choice reaction time tests and rally consistency and smash accuracy tests.
Post-intervention results revealed significant improvements in the experimental group. Simple reaction time decreased by 75.6 ms, and choice reaction time decreased by 88.6 ms. Rally consistency increased by 14.8 strokes, and smash accuracy improved by 7.2 points. Statistical analysis showed highly significant differences (p < 0.001) with large effect sizes (Cohen’s d > 2.5) across all variables.
These findings demonstrate that visual stimulus software effectively enhances cognitive and motor performance in elite table tennis. The technology simulates competitive conditions and accelerates perceptual-motor integration. Thus, visual stimulus-based training should be considered vital to modern, evidence-based athletic development programs.
Keywords:
Article Details
References
Badau, D., Badau, A., Ene-Voiculescu, C., Larion, A., Ene-Voiculescu, V., Mihaila, I., Fleancu, J. L., Tudor, V., Tifrea, C., Cotovanu, A. S., & Abramiuc, A. (2022). The Impact of Implementing an Exergame Program on the Level of Reaction Time Optimization in Handball, Volleyball, and Basketball Players. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095598
Bhabhor, M. K., Vidja, K., Bhanderi, P., Dodhia, S., Kathrotia, R., & Joshi, V. (2013). A comparative study of visual reaction time in table tennis players and healthy controls. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology.., 57(4), 439–442.
Burgio, F., Delazer, M., Meneghello, F., Pertl, M.-T., Semenza, C., & Zamarian, L. (2018). Cognitive Training Improves Ratio Processing and Decision Making in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease : JAD, 64(4), 1213–1226. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-180461
Chaddock, L., Neider, M. B., Voss, M. W., Gaspar, J. G., & Kramer, A. F. (2011). Do athletes excel at everyday tasks? Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 43(10), 1920–1926. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318218ca74
Chen, I.-C., Wu, C.-Y., Hu, Y.-L., & Huang, Y.-M. (2024). Development and Validation of Virtual Reality Cognitive Training for Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Program Evaluation Study. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 19, 1855–1865. https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S471547
Dai, J., Xiao, Y., Chen, G., Gu, Z., & Xu, K. (2024). Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation enhances response inhibition and attention allocation in fencers. PeerJ, 12, e17288. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17288
Dommes, A., Merlhiot, G., Lobjois, R., Dang, N.-T., Vienne, F., Boulo, J., Oliver, A.-H., Crétual, A., & Cavallo, V. (2021). Young and older adult pedestrians’ behavior when crossing a street in front of conventional and self-driving cars. Accident; Analysis and Prevention, 159, 106256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2021.106256
Duda, B. M., & Sweet, L. H. (2020). Functional brain changes associated with cognitive training in healthy older adults: A preliminary ALE meta-analysis. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 14(4), 1247–1262. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-019-00080-0
Gredin, V., Broadbent, D., Thomas, J., & Williams, A. (2023). The role of action tendencies in expert anticipation. Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajsep.2023.02.001
Hülsdünker, T., Ostermann, M., & Mierau, A. (2019). The speed of neural visual motion perception and processing determines the visuomotor reaction time of young elite table tennis athletes. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 13(July), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00165
Hülsdünker, T., Strüder, H. K., & Mierau, A. (2017). Visual Motion Processing Subserves Faster Visuomotor Reaction in Badminton Players. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 49(6), 1097–1110. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001198
Janelle, C., Fawver, B., Beatty, G., Tenenbaum, G., & Eklund, R. (2020). Emotion and Sport Performance. 254–298. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119568124.ch13
Koch, P., & Krenn, B. (2021). Executive functions in elite athletes – Comparing open-skill and closed-skill sports and considering the role of athletes’ past involvement in both sport categories. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 55, 101925. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101925
Kosinski, R. J. (2010). A Literature Review on Reaction Time. 10(August), 2006. http://biology.clemson.edu/bpc/bp/Lab/110/reaction.htm
Matsutake, T., Nakata, H., Matsuo, G., Natsuhara, T., Zippo, K., Watanabe, K., & Sugo, T. (2024). Fast and Stable Responses during Decision Making Require Strong Inhibitory Processes in Soccer Players. Brain Sciences, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14030199
Nakamoto, H., & Mori, S. (2008). Sport-specific decision-making in a Go/NoGo reaction task: difference among nonathletes and baseball and basketball players. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 106(1), 163–170. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.106.1.163-170
Nascimento, H., Alvarez, C., Martinez-Perez, C., & Sanchez Tena, M. A. (2021). Vision in Futsal Players: Coordination and Reaction Time. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 9069. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18179069
Nor, N., Anuar, N., & Mohamed, M. (2024). The Relationship between Mental Toughness and Sports Performance Perception among Secondary School Athletes: A Cross-sectional Analysis. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 13. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v13-i4/23502
Poltavski, D., & Biberdorf, D. (2015). The role of visual perception measures used in sports vision programmes in predicting actual game performance in Division I collegiate hockey players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 33(6), 597–608. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2014.951952
Ryu, D., Kim, S., Abernethy, B., & Mann, D. L. (2013). Guiding attention aids the acquisition of anticipatory skill in novice soccer goalkeepers. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 84(2), 252–262. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2013.784843
Scharfen, H.-E., & Memmert, D. (2019). Measurement of cognitive functions in experts and elite athletes: A meta‐analytic review. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 33, 843–860. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3526
Semenova, E. A., Hall, E. C. R., & Ahmetov, I. I. (2023). Genes and Athletic Performance: The 2023 Update. Genes, 14(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14061235
Song, Y., Jiang, Q., Chen, W., Zhuang, X., & Ma, G. (2023). Pedestrians’ road-crossing behavior towards eHMI-equipped autonomous vehicles driving in segregated and mixed traffic conditions. Accident; Analysis and Prevention, 188, 107115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2023.107115
Tønnessen, E., Haugen, T., & Shalfawi, S. (2013). Reaction Time Aspects of Elite Sprinters In Athletics World Championships. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research / National Strength & Conditioning Association, 27, 885–892. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31826520c3
Voss, M., Kramer, A., Basak, C., Prakash, R., & Roberts, B. (2010). Are Expert Athletes “Expert” in the Cognitive Laboratory? A Meta-Analytic Review of Cognition and Sport Expertise. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 24, 812–826. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.1588
Wang, Y., Ji, Q., Zhou, C., & Wang, Y. (2022). Brain mechanisms linking language processing and open motor skill training. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 16, 911894. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2022.911894
Wu, J., Qiu, P., Lv, S., Chen, M., & Li, Y. (2024). The effects of cognitive-motor dual-task training on athletes’ cognition and motor performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 15(February), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1284787
Yamashiro, K., Sato, D., Onishi, H., Sugawara, K., Nakazawa, S., Shimojo, H., Akatsuka, K., Nakata, H., & Maruyama, A. (2015). Skill-Specific Changes in Somatosensory Nogo Potentials in Baseball Players. PloS One, 10(11), e0142581. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0142581
Yamashiro, K., Yamazaki, Y., Siiya, K., Ikarashi, K., Baba, Y., Otsuru, N., Onishi, H., & Sato, D. (2021). Modality-specific improvements in sensory processing among baseball players. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 2248. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81852-x
Yang, J.-G., Thapa, N., Park, H.-J., Bae, S., Park, K. W., Park, J.-H., & Park, H. (2022). Virtual Reality and Exercise Training Enhance Brain, Cognitive, and Physical Health in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(20). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013300
Zhao, J., Yang, Y., Bo, L., Qi, J., & Zhu, Y. (2024). Research Progress on Applying Intelligent Sensors in Sports Science. Sensors, 24(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/s24227338
Zhu, M., Pi, Y., Zhang, J., & Gu, N. (2022). The superior response speed of table tennis players is associated with proactive inhibitory control. PeerJ, 10, e13493. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13493
Zhu, R., Zheng, M., Liu, S., Guo, J., & Cao, C. (2024). Effects of Perceptual-Cognitive Training on Anticipation and Decision-Making Skills in Team Sports: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Behavioral Sciences, 14, 919. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14100919