The effects of using stroboscopic training on sports performance

Abstract

Stroboscopic training is a form of athletic training during which the individual performs a motor task under intermittently opaque visual conditions. The purpose of this training is to enhance subsequent performance under normal visual conditions as a result of shifting attentional focus within the multisensory integration process. The training performed with the help of this technology that uses specially designed glasses increases the contribution of other somatosensory afferents to motor control by refocusing the individual’s attention on proprioceptive feedback. Other benefits of stroboscopic training include improved short-term visual memory, improved capacity for anticipation as well as increased ability to focus in general but particularly on the central visual field and thus produce coherent movements. The current paper is a metaanalysis of the literature on stroboscopic training and its benefits for professional sport. In sports using stroboscopic (strobe) glasses, for example in hockey, basketball, football, volleyball, baseball or tennis, positive effects on some skills have been identified and training and testing protocols have been described. The aim of this paper is to highlight some practical and methodological benchmarks resulting from the use of stroboscopic training in various sports, and then transfer them to climbing training in order to enhance performance in this sport.