The Comparison of Reaction Time and Coincidence-Anticipation Timing in Elite and Non-elite Table Tennis Players

Perceptual – motor skills such as reaction time and anticipation are essential factors for the successful performance in daily activities. Perhaps the higher perceptual ability in dynamic and unpredictable environment likes table tennis can separate elite and non elite table tennis players. Hence 80 table tennis players were divided into two same groups of 40 elite, sub-and 40 non elite table tennis players. Reaction time (visual simple, visual selective and simple audio) with using reaction time system (Lafayette), and also coincidence-anticipation timing by using basin anticipatory time test (Lafayette) were measured. Results showed significant difference between the visual simple (p=0.03), visual selective (p=0.01) , simple audio (p=0.008) and anticipation timing (p=0.001) was significant between elite and non-elite table tennis players. In other words, elite players had lower reaction time and anticipation timing compared to non-elite players . The results of the present study suggest that planning practice sessions should be designed that development of perceptual - motor skills such as reaction time and exact anticipation timing emphasized in table tennis players in addition to technical skills and physical fitness.