SCIENCE BEHIND A BETTER REACTION TIME
I can’t believe how many people reach out to me and ask questions about how to improve reaction time. Honestly, I didn’t really know if you could actually improve reaction time, so I thought I should do a little research into this important topic. Before you read further, go ahead and take the test above and see what your reaction time is (Tests may not work on mobile devices, use PC).
CAN REACTION TIME BE IMPROVED?
It looks as if reaction time can be slightly improved through training but it seems to be much more dependent on genetic influence. Through training, we measure improvement in milliseconds. That may or may not be the difference you are looking for in your quest to perfect your gate start. Let’s look at some other factors that go into reaction time, and explore ideas that could make meaningful improvements to BMXers reaction time. Below are some of the things that I find very interesting about reaction time.
Visual vs. Auditory (Lights vs. Beeps)
Numerous studies have concluded that auditory reaction time is faster than visual reaction time. This means you will react faster to a sound than you would a light. The reason is, that it just takes our brain less time to process certain sounds than visual information. The study found it took on average 331 milliseconds to react to a visual signal vs. the average auditory reaction time of 284 milliseconds. The type of sound actually matters. A study showed that humans react faster to non-speech sounds vs. speech. So the beeps of the random gate allow us to react quicker than if it were still the old ABA gate cadence.
State of the Nervous System
In sports where reaction time, power, recovery, and agility matter (like every sport in the history of ever), a high-functioning Central Nervous System (CNS) is what we are actually training. We often think of sprints, gates, weight lifting, etc. as building strength and muscles. But, what we are really training is the ability of our brains to send the signal for those muscles to fire harder and faster. If your CNS is fried, good luck with moving quickly.
There are many ways to get an idea of the state of your CNS. Simple and free apps on your phone like the tap test are a great way to see how you are functioning on a particular day. You can also track your resting heart rate and pay attention to fluctuations from day to day. There are also great apps (most cost money) that have the ability to monitor the rhythm of the heart and give you a Heart Rate Variability (HRV) score. Grip strength, vertical, and broad jumps are also good ways to monitor the state of CNS readiness.
Why is this important? Because, if you happen to try the tap test app while completely stressed and exhausted, you will probably notice you have difficulty moving your finger quickly. You may also notice your vertical jump will fluctuate from day to day. It also makes sense that maybe your reaction time wouldn’t be quite as quick as normal… and that’s exactly what this study found.
What’s particularly interesting about that study, is that they found that humans with a high HRV score (high score is optimal) had significantly faster reaction times when the signal was variable. So to make that simpler and in BMX terms…
How to improve HRV score is a blog post or two in itself. But there is one tip I’ll give you to help little Johnny at the next national get a faster gate… DON’T STRESS HIM OUT BY YELLING TO GET A BETTER GATE! Which leads me to the next point.
Arousal
Not that kind of arousal you pervert! I mean how stressed, nervous, excited, stoked, pumped, and jacked are you when it’s time to perform? This really matters when it comes to your ability to react in the gate. What sports scientists have found is probably what you have also noticed. Too much and too little arousal is NOT optimal. What you want is somewhere in the middle. Walking your bike up to the gate in a semi-comatose state isn’t ideal, but neither is listening to Pantera and punching yourself.
Fixed vs. Variable
The more cognitive resources you need to use, the slower and more inconsistent your reaction time will be.
Consider how difficult it is to respond quickly to an unknown signal the next time you are working with your child or even your own gate. If you have trouble balancing, and/or difficulty executing perfect mechanics, then adding in the variable of a random cadence will make reactions that much slower and inconsistent.
To get consistent gate starts, you need to be using subconscious thoughts during your start. The mechanics need to be drilled before you can react quickly.
One really fun game that I like to play with my kid’s group is Rock Paper Scissors Tag.
This perfectly demonstrates just how bad reaction times are when you need to process information first. Try it – Losers have to chase the winner. Best case is your reaction time will be super slow. Worst case, you will most likely both get confused at some point and run into each other. Compare the reaction of Rock Paper Scissors Tag to a simple test of catching a falling stick.
Simple to Complex
One of the biggest mistakes new coaches make is using complex methods too early. I spent years making this mistake. Not considering how hard certain things were for some people. When learning new skills, it’s important to take as many variables out of the movement. Move from simple to complex.
If the mechanics of the riders’ gate starts are less than ideal, then improving them while reacting to a random gate cadence is about as complex as possible. This is where sprints can be very useful. Although a sprint is not a gate start (nor should be treated like one), it is a more simple movement. If the rider has the habit of throwing hips into the bar without shoulders moving forward during gates, then teaching them proper mechanics moving slowly, on a slight downhill, with no time constraints could be a good place to start.
My e-book and training program, Gate Starts From The Ground Up is written with many of the concepts discussed in this article to help you finally improve your gate technique.
ACTION STEPS
Reaction time can be improved somewhat through training such as exercises like the stick drop video I shared earlier. You can incorporate running sprints and other athletic skills where the athlete reacts to a particular signal. Structuring drills in order from simple to complex would look something like this – Have athletes start by giving them a countdown (3,2,1, GO!). Then you would just give them a visual signal (drop a flag). Next, you may give them an auditory signal at a random time (GO). Then to make it more complex, alternate between the two.
You can also improve the physiological side of reaction time by optimizing arousal levels and HRV scores. Maybe a switch from lights to beeps will help some too.
These drills can help, but remember – training reaction time at best can be improved only a very slight amount. The big improvements in reaction time and consistency will be through turning conscious mechanics into more of a subconscious, movement.
Lastly, if you’re the one who helps coach a rider, please consider when and how to impart advice.
Please check out my book “Gate Starts From The Ground Up” for more help with your gate start.