BACKGROUND: Table tennis is considered as a reaction sport, in which reaction speed is the key factor of sports performance. However, in addition to the quality of sensory (or cognitive) functions, it also requires a rapid motor response. Reactive agility is one of the most important qualities of table tennis performance. It comprises both sensory and motor components. Therefore, the aim of this study was to find the relationship between reactive agility performance and reaction speed (sensory part), sprint and change of direction speed, and muscle strength parameters (motor part) and thus to identify determinants of reactive agility in table tennis players. METHODS: Fifteen male competitive table tennis players (26.3 ± 4.0 years, 179.4 ± 6.0 cm, 77.2 ± 6.4 kg) performed the Reactive Agility Test (RAT), three reaction time tests (simple and choice reaction, reaction to four visual stimuli), sprint for 5 m, 505 Agility test, countermovement and drop jumps. RESULTS: Pearson correlation coefficient revealed a significant relationship between RAT performance and reaction time to four visual stimuli (r = 0.801, p < 0.001). Nonsignificant, but the medium correlation was found between RAT performance and choice reaction time (r = 0.404) and decision-making time, which was calculated as a difference between choice and simple reaction time (r = 0.410). These results showed that reactive agility is determined by the cognitive component (reflected by the reaction time) in table tennis players. CONCLUSION: It seems that fast reactions associated with hand movements are more important than explosive strength and speed abilities in table tennis performance. Therefore, the trainers should focus primarily on the development of reaction-speed abilities in their training program. Secondary, they should focus on more specific movements (e.g., lateral change of direction or speed of first steps) rather than linear sprint speed or changing of direction under angles higher than 90°. Additionally, it seems that explosive strength training has only supportive character in relationship to the sports performance.
Je dokázané, že reakčný čas sa predlžuje s vekom. Doposiaľ sa však veľmi málo autorov zaoberalo časom senzomotorickým, ktorý je obohatený o motorickú zložku. Preto bolo cieľom práce preukázať vekovo závislé zmeny disjunktívnych reakčno-rýchlostných schopností, ktorých výsledkom je senzo-motorický čas. Údaje sme získavali vykonaním agility testu prispôsobenému špecifickým potrebám stolného tenisu pomocou prístroja FiTRO Agility check. Testovanými osobami boli stolní tenisti vo veku od 20 do 70 rokov, ktorých sme rozdelili na základe ontogenézy dospelého človeka do 4 vekových kate-górií, resp. období. Predpokladali sme, že medzi nimi budú štatisticky významné rozdiely. Taktiež sme predpokladali závislosť senzomotorického času od veku. Jednoduchá ANOVA poukázala na štatisticky významné rozdiely medzi vekovými kategóriami (F(2,46) = 10,2; p < 0,001). Pearsonov korelačný koeficient poukázal na koreláciu medzi senzomotorickým časom a vekom (r = 0,53; p < 0,01).
It is known, reaction time increases with age. Agility time, enriched by a motor component is inves-tigated less. Therefore the aim of this study was to determined age-related differences in disjunctive reaction-speed abilities, where the result is an agility time.Data were obtained by agility test adapted to the specific needs of table tennis using FiTRO Agility check device. Subjects of testing were table tennis players from 20 to 70 years devided into four age categories. We assumed a statistically significant dif-ferences between agility time in these categories. We assumed a significant relationship between agility time and age. One-way ANOVA indicated a significant differences in agility time between categories (F(2,46) = 10,2; p < 0,001). Pearson correlation coefficient indicated significant relationship between agil-ity time and age (r = 0,53; p < 0,01). We found a significant difference between motor reaction to the forehand and backhand side. It was shorter to the forehand in each age category. Our study showed the age-related changes in disjunctive reaction-speed abilities.
- Klíčová slova
- stolní tenis,
- MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- motorické dovednosti MeSH
- sportovci MeSH
- sportovní výkon MeSH
- sporty MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
