Impact of reaction time on performance
Getting off to a good start in a 100 metre sprint is vital and requires good reaction times.
This factor looks at the body's ability to react to stimuli. The quicker someone's body reacts, the better their performance.
Below are a few sporting situations in which fast reaction time is required:
- reacting to the starter's gun in the 100 metre sprint
- reacting to a rebound in netball
In the 100鈥痬etre sprint, because the distance is so short, getting off to a good start is vital. There is little time to recover from a slow start.
Reaction time plays a crucial role as sprinters need to listen for the gun shot and then respond quickly to get out of the blocks first.
Question
Using the 3-step process, how might reaction time impact performance in a 100m race?
An example answer could be...
- Poor reaction time could hinder your performance in a 100m race.
- This means if you respond slowly to the starter's gun shot, you will come out the blocks slowly and fall behind.
- This leads to you having to play catch up from the start, limiting your chances of claiming a top three finish.
More guides on this topic
- Factors impacting on performance - Introduction
- Impact of mental factors on performance
- Impact of emotional factors on performance
- Impact of social factors on performance
- Impact of physical factors on performance - Fitness
- Impact of physical factors on performance - Tactics
- How factor interaction impacts on performance