Clarke Vision Performance: Sports Training

In today’s world of sports, athletes are constantly looking to gain a competitive edge over their opponents, using anything from weight training and nutrition, to supplements and hyperbaric chambers.

But did you know that sports performance is strongly related to visual skill? Almost 80% of perceptual input in sports is visual. More simply put, the eyes lead and the body follows. 

Sports Vision Training: A Workout for the Eyes 

The eyes control almost every movement and reaction people make, making vision in sports much more than “20/20” or reading letters down a test chart.

Imagine the competitive advantage of having quicker hands and feet than your opponent, a better awareness of where your teammates (and opponents) are around you, the ability to better anticipate the speed of oncoming objects, or being able to recognize the subtle movements a pitcher makes so you know what pitch is coming before it’s thrown. 

At Clarke Vision Performance, we train the muscles of the eyes by using advanced equipment and revolutionary training techniques, fine-tuning the athlete’s visual system and improving skills to help them truly excel. 

Here are just a few skills that Sports Vision Training can improve:

Eye-Hand, Eye-Foot, and Eye-Body Coordination – The ability to direct the hands, feet, and body in such a way as to perform a specific task, such as returning a serve in tennis, kicking a moving soccer ball, digging a spike in volleyball, or catching a football while running a route.

Visual-Motor Reaction Time- If an object is coming toward you, do you make your move early, late, or just in time? This can relate to jumping too early or late to knock a ball down as a corner-back, or jumping too early to head a ball into the goal in soccer.

Peripheral Awareness - The ability to maintain awareness of what’s going on around you while trying to perform a specific task. An example in basketball would be knowing where the defenders and the other players on your team are (and if they are open) while you are driving the ball to the basket.

Oculomotor (Eye Movement) Skills – There are two types of eye movements: Pursuits (tracking) in which we follow a moving object, and saccades, in which we make quick directed movements, such as an infielder catching a ground ball and then looking up to throw out the runner.

Speed of Recognition - an object is visible for a short period of time, but you must react to it. This skill helps you identify important characteristics that will help you react quickly, like recognizing what pitch is coming before the pitcher even throws it (yes, it is possible).

Depth Perception- the ability to judge the distance between you and an object, or the distance between two objects. Essential for sharp-shooters, whether they shoot a basketball or a gun (Also known as stereopsis).

Focus and Concentration – the ability to maintain visual attention on a specific target. 

Sports Vision Training is being used around the world for both professional and amateur athletes, and can separate a good athlete from a great one. 

The question is, are you ready for that competitive edge? Are you ready to be great?