I was introduced to stroboscopic training just before I took the leap and opened our sports performance training center in 2012. Nike was rolling out its Vapor Strobes—really cool sensory training glasses designed by Dr. Alan Reichow and his team at Pacific University and Nike Sports Sensory Training. Sadly, Nike shut down the SST division just as we were opening, but not before I purchased a dozen units to use with our athletes.
This week, I had lunch with my friend, Tony, who was with Nike SST on the Vapor Strobe project and is now with Vima. Vima is nearing the launch of the Rev Sport and Rev Tactical (www.vima.com). These promise to be even more exciting than the original Strobes, which are available with some minor upgrades through Senaptec (www.senaptec.com).
I rarely sing the praises of any fitness trend or product, so, when I do, one can be sure that I am a believer and the science backs it up. I see tremendous benefit in stroboscopic training across multiple populations. We saw near immediate improvements in focus, object tracking, and movement response. For the athlete, it was always a fun finish to an intense training session to do any of the numerous drills we developed.
Tony once summarized the goal of the Strobes to me as “ESP” (i.e., extra-sensory perception). In other words, to remove vision almost entirely from the sports activity and allow the other senses to take over. Now, of course, the strobes won’t turn someone into Matt Murdock (i.e., “Daredevil”), but….
Think of stroboscopic training as learning to watch a movie with fewer and fewer frames. The brain learns to infer the missing information. This, in turn, allows the brain to process other potentially relevant information. Think of the benefits for, say, a football wide-receiver. If the receiver doesn’t have to watch the ball all the way into the hands, the brain is free to see more of the field—other players, the sidelines, the goal line, etc. Following a session with the strobes, an athlete often perceives the ball as bigger and/or slower—easier to follow.
Athletes benefit, but I have long seen the benefits for older adults (e.g., developing balance, peripheral vision, etc.) and tactical athletes, such as Special Forces, police, etc. Imaging how much more effective those who are charged with our safety can be, if they can more quickly process information and make the appropriate decision.
I am excited to see stroboscopic glasses coming back on the market. They are a valuable tool for coaches, trainers, physical therapists, and anyone seeking to improve sensory performance. I’ve continued to use my personal stash. (My son is a lacrosse goalie, and they are great for practice.) I have many friends who have young athletes who can benefit from the training. As well, I trust these will find their way into rehabilitation centers and begin to benefit senior adults. These are beyond cool and trendy. They are something that work for a great variety of people.
Check ‘em out!
Carpe momento!