The Effect of Visual and Tennis Training on Perceptual-Motor Skill and Learning of Forehand Drive in Table Tennis Players

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of visual and skill training on learning forehand drive in table tennis and motor-perceptual abilities (reaction time, coincidence-anticipation timing, eye-hand coordination, and depth perception).

Forty volunteer female students (Mean±SD age: 21.50±0.78 years) were selected and randomly assigned to one of four groups (each group had 10 participants): visual and tennis training group, visual training group, tennis training group, and control group. Motor perceptual abilities (reaction time, coincidence-anticipation timing, eye-hand coordination, and depth perception) and forehand drive performance were measured before and after the training period, and also after 24 h retention period. After the pretest, including the accuracy of the kicks test for assessment of forehand drive in table tennis and motor-perceptual test, the experimental groups underwent four weeks (three sessions per week) of visual training, table tennis forehand training, or both. The control group followed their normal daily life for the whole study period. Then, they participated in the posttest and 24 h later in the retention test of kick accuracy.

The results revealed that visual and table tennis training, visual training, and table tennis training had a significant effect on the reaction time (P=0.001), coincidence-anticipation timing (P=0.001) and eye-hand coordination (error time) (P=0.01). Moreover, visual and tennis training and table tennis training had a significant effect on the acquisition (P=0.001) and retention of forehand drive (P=0.005). Besides, the post hoc LSD (Least Significant Difference) test showed that visual and tennis training had a more significant impact on the learning forehand drive. Visual training and tennis training had a significant effect on eye-hand coordination (number of errors). The three types of training programs were not effective in the depth of perception.

Visual training can be used as a supplementary program in the athletes’ training schedule.