How Video Analysis Can Improve Athlete Performance
Not every athlete learns the same way. In fact, according to a study done by the Social Science Research Network, 65% of people learn better through watching rather than listening, meaning majority of people are visual learners.
This is an important factor when it comes to coaching in sports because it means that athletes may not reach their peak performance by only listening to their coach speak. Majority of athletes will perform better if they see what’s wrong rather than hear it.
Luckily, we live in a time where technology continues to advance, and teaching methods continue to adapt. Coaches of all sports are building a competitive edge by integrating video analysis into their training programs. Coaches are filming both practices and games so that afterwards they can break down these videos and go over them with their athletes.
Not only does this allow athletes to watch what they are doing and retain the information better, but it also provides three other major advantages to sport performance.
Injury Prevention
Video analysis is beneficial to athletic performance in sports because it provides coaches with the opportunity to show their athletes injury prone behaviours that they may not have known about.
According to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medical Sciences’ statistics, every year between 1.7 and 3 million sports and recreation-related concussions happen, 300,000 of these concussions coming from football alone.
One of the top factors that contributes to injuries in sports is poor positioning and technique habits. Bad habits in how athletes position their body or how they perform a skill can often go unrecognized, especially if the overall outcome is still successful. This over time usually results in injury.
Video analysis gives coaches the chance to point out bad habits to their players and teach them how exactly to modify their technique or position. Just by seeing these habits, athletes can change their game, decrease their risk of injury and increase their overall performance.
Individual Player Development
Practice time for any team sport is crucial. Coaches often run the clock at practices, spending every minute coordinating the team, building chemistry and setting up lines or plays. Coaches often don't have time in practice to watch and focus on each individual player’s movements and contributions because their focus is shifted on the team as a whole.
When a practice, game or match is recorded it gives coaches that opportunity to watch each player individually. They are able to watch game tape outside of practice and take the time to analyze each player's movements.
Coaches can then integrate one-on-one sessions with every player to go over practice or game footage and review each player's individual strengths and weaknesses. These one-on-one review sessions will not only improve individual development but it will also contribute to the team's overall performance as well.
Consistently Track Progress
Maintaining a library of training sessions gives coaches the opportunity to visibly track progress on individual skills and showcase this progress to their athletes. This is beneficial to the athlete’s overall performance because according to the American Psychology Association, “if you are trying to achieve a goal, the more often that you monitor progress, the greater the likelihood that you will succeed".
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Video analysis is a great way to show athletes how far they have come and how much farther they need to go. It is a great visual that compares past and current skills, as well as different techniques between players. Consistently tracking progress through video analysis is an advantageous coaching method that reminds athletes of their goals and shows them how to continue to better themselves.