Effects of a 6-week stroboscopic training program on specific blocking reaction speed in young volleyball players

Abstract

Background: Although stroboscopic effects are recognized as an effective tool for enhancing information processing in general perceptual-cognitive tasks, research on their transfer to sport-specific skills is limited. This study aims to evaluate the impact of a 6-week stroboscopic intervention on volleyball-specific blocking reaction speed. Additionally, it analyzes the variation in explosive leg strength as a potential factor influencing the effectiveness of volleyball blocking. Material and Methods: This study included 50 young volleyball players (26 males, 24 females), divided into an experimental and a control group. Both groups performed the same volleyball-specific tasks, but the experimental group did so under stroboscopic conditions. Participants were evaluated three times using a volleyball-specific blocking reaction task: pre-training, post-6-week training, and four weeks later. Additionally, a countermovement jump with arm swing (CMJA) test assessed its impact on blocking reaction speed. Results: The ANOVA conducted on the blocking reaction speed test revealed a significant effect of time (p<0.001, ηp2 = 0.17). In the stroboscopic group, significant differences were found between pre-test and post-test (p=0.031, d=0.54) and between post-test and retention test (p=0.017, d=0.58). The ANCOVA analysis revealed that variations in CMJA did not significantly affect the improvements in blocking reaction speed (p=0.426, ηp2 =0.01). Conclusion: Over six weeks, stroboscopic training was more effective than regular training in improving volleyball-specific blocking reaction speed, though these effects were short-term and ultimately showed no lasting differences between the groups. Furthermore, the enhancements in reaction speed were more likely due to adaptations in perceptual-cognitive performance rather than motor factors.