Reaction time is your response to a stimulus and how quickly you can respond to that stimulus; this can include visual, auditory, and physical touch. It can play a crucial role in day-to-day life and sports.

An example of reaction time during sport is a 100m sprinter on the start line; the athlete has to wait for the audio cue of the start gun to sound before starting the race. If the athlete is too early, it can lead to a forfeit; if the reaction time is too late, they can lose.

Reaction time is used all the time in daily life; for example, when driving, you have to adapt to other motorists, respond to traffic lights, and even use your handbrake.

What Impacts Your Reaction Time?

Lifestyle factors can affect reaction time, including sleep, medication, alcohol consumption, stress levels, caffeine intake, hydration levels, age, nutrition, and your environment. Therefore, it is essential to live a healthy lifestyle, prioritising sleep, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding stress to improve your reaction time.

Five Exercises To Improve Reaction Time

1 - Ball Drops

Have a partner stand 5 meters away with a tennis ball in each hand; your partner will then drop one of the balls from shoulder height. Your aim is to catch the ball before the ball bounces twice.

2 - Agility Ladder

Using an agility ladder, you can perform various footwork drills in different directions, aiming to keep the accuracy high while maintaining a quick speed.

3 - Plate Hops

With a Bumper Plate placed on the floor, aim to hop on and off as fast as you can.

4 - Box Jumps

Jumping off a Plyo Box to the floor, aim to keep the contact time with the floor as little as possible, so as soon as you land, jump and drive yourself back up onto another plyo box.

5 - Drop Snatch with a Clap

Hold a barbell on your back in a snatch grip position. Have a partner stand behind you. When your partner claps, you will react and drop under the bar as quickly as possible, securing the barbell in the overhead squat position.

It is important to remember that reaction can be trained and practised, but lifestyle factors like sleep, a balanced diet and stress management also need to be adequate and addressed to help maintain and improve your reaction time.

For more content, follow us on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and on our official Mirafit Facebook page.

Tags: Exercise Type > Conditioning