Reflex training improves physical skills and response time through specific exercises, such as stability challenges and obstacle courses. It can be used for physical therapy, athletic training, and enhancing daily living activities. Different activities require specific reflexes, and incorporating reflex training can improve skills.
A reflex is the body’s reaction to changes inside or outside the body. These responses are immediate and involuntary, which means that no thought process has to occur for action to take place. The improvement of these spontaneous automatic actions can be achieved through a series of specific exercises called reflex training. Such training can take the form of physical therapy, specific workouts or athletic training, or specific challenges that improve speed and accuracy.
Reflex training, or reflex exercises, are tailored to the needs of the individual to improve physical skills and response time. This form of exercise can be used to improve impairments in activities of daily living caused by injury or prolonged immobility. Reflex training is also a key component in developing or enhancing athletic abilities.
Balance is an example of a reflex required for almost all activities, including sitting and standing in a stationary position. When balance is impaired, difficulties may be experienced with the simplest activities that involve even a minor change in position. Improving balance reflex training in the form of stability challenges can significantly increase the stability of the body and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. An example of challenging balance is doing strengthening exercises with a change in base of support by bringing your feet closer together or standing on one foot. To increase the level of difficulty, reflex balance training can also be done while standing or by performing exercises on an unstable surface, such as a wobble board, a platform that rests on a circular or movable pivot point.
Every activity or sport requires a certain set of reflexes to perform the proper movements needed to avoid injury. In many sports, fast response time and a well-executed, efficient response to changes on the field of play allow an athlete to excel. By incorporating reflex training into the training routine, the athlete can improve her skills by performing sport-specific training exercises. Golf, for example, requires changes in body positions with feet stationary, while soccer requires intricate footwork as the body is propelled forward.
To improve reaction time and accuracy when the body is in motion, reflex training in the form of obstacle courses or running with specific foot movements, such as crisscrossing, can be effective. Depending on the movements required for the activity, running with a lateral propulsion, also called a dodge, can improve skills. Jumping rope is another form of reflex training that can increase your reaction time. Different speeds, using two ropes, or jumping backwards can also help increase your body’s ability to quickly adapt to change.
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