Researchers have found karate masters can anticipate where an attack
is coming from before their opponent has even moved - and are now
studying whether elite cricketers have the same ability.
A joint study by Murdoch University in Western Australian and RMIT University in Melbourne has found karate masters are able to anticipate how an opponent will strike even before that opponent has moved a muscle.
By comparing novices, state level competitors and international karate stars, it found experts and near-experts gathered vital visual information earlier than novices.
Most surprising was the level of anticipation by experts who had a unique ability to use information from an opponent in a completely still stance, Murdoch University’s Dr Sean Muller said.
“In the world of professional sports, the difference between standing on the podium and being on the sidelines comes down to milliseconds and centimetres, so athletes need every advantage they can get,” he said.
The researchers are now working with Cricket Australia to look at how, and at what point, a batsman recognises a bowler’s delivery, in a bid to improve coaching.
“If we can understand how an elite cricketer can recognise, say, a bouncer, we can arm coaches with methods to help up-and-coming batsmen reach their maximum potential,” Dr Muller says.
Work is also being done with Australian Baseball League team Perth Heat to compare visual cues in baseball and cricket, and determine how experts strike a baseball.
SOURCE : http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/offbeat/16962543/karate-masters-have-psychic-abilities/
A joint study by Murdoch University in Western Australian and RMIT University in Melbourne has found karate masters are able to anticipate how an opponent will strike even before that opponent has moved a muscle.
By comparing novices, state level competitors and international karate stars, it found experts and near-experts gathered vital visual information earlier than novices.
Most surprising was the level of anticipation by experts who had a unique ability to use information from an opponent in a completely still stance, Murdoch University’s Dr Sean Muller said.
“In the world of professional sports, the difference between standing on the podium and being on the sidelines comes down to milliseconds and centimetres, so athletes need every advantage they can get,” he said.
The researchers are now working with Cricket Australia to look at how, and at what point, a batsman recognises a bowler’s delivery, in a bid to improve coaching.
“If we can understand how an elite cricketer can recognise, say, a bouncer, we can arm coaches with methods to help up-and-coming batsmen reach their maximum potential,” Dr Muller says.
Work is also being done with Australian Baseball League team Perth Heat to compare visual cues in baseball and cricket, and determine how experts strike a baseball.
SOURCE : http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/offbeat/16962543/karate-masters-have-psychic-abilities/
