Assessing Changes in Reaction Time Following RAMP Warm-Up and Short-Term Repeated Volleyball Specific Exercise in...

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Kinesiology
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Athlete skill assessment relies on sport-specific task performance.
• Cognitive abilities, particularly reaction time, are vital for athlete effectiveness.
• Quick reaction time is critical for volleyball players navigating dynamic play.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate changes in reaction time to light signals after warm-up and physical exercise in volleyball players.
• To determine the impact of a RAMP protocol warm-up on visual-motor reaction time.

Main Methods:

• Eighteen volleyball players (age 15.58 ± 2.01 years) participated.
• Reaction time was measured using the FITLIGHT Trainer™ system, assessing responses to illuminated discs.
• Tests were conducted before warm-up, after warm-up, and after three agility tests.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in reaction time were observed across the tests (Chi² ANOVA = 61.23; p < 0.001).
• Reaction times after warm-up (RAMP protocol) were significantly better than pre-warm-up (p ≤ 0.05).
• No significant differences in reaction time were found between successive agility tests post-warm-up.

Conclusions:

• A well-designed warm-up is crucial for reducing visual-motor reaction time to light stimuli.
• Warm-up protocols positively impact cognitive-motor performance in athletes.
• Further research should involve diverse groups and additional performance parameters.