Effects of progressive temporal-occlusion training on early anticipation of forehand drop-shot direction in badminton under temporal information constraints

This study examined whether an 8-week progressive temporal-occlusion training program improves early anticipation of forehand drop-shot direction in badminton. Seventy-eight university students with systematic badminton training experience were randomly assigned to a progressive temporal-occlusion group, a full-information active-control group, or a regular-activity control group ( n = 26 per group); 72 completed both pretest and posttest. The two video-training groups trained twice weekly for 8 weeks. Anticipation was assessed at four occlusion points: 80 ms before racket–shuttle contact, 40 ms before contact, at contact, and 40 ms after contact. Shot-direction anticipation accuracy was the primary performance measure, and correct-response reaction time (RT) was the secondary measure. Data were analyzed using mixed repeated-measures ANOVA, planned comparisons, and trial-level sensitivity analyses. Accuracy showed a significant group × test-session interaction ( p < 0.001), whereas the group × test-session × occlusion-point interaction was not significant ( p = 0.185). Relative to the active-control group, the progressive group showed larger accuracy gains at 40 ms before contact and at contact (Holm-adjusted p = 0.048 and 0.009, respectively). For correct-response RT, the three-way interaction was significant ( p < 0.001), with larger reductions in the progressive group at 80 ms before contact, 40 ms before contact, and at contact (all Holm-adjusted p = 0.013). Thus, the progressive temporal-occlusion training program produced additional improvements in selected anticipation measures beyond those obtained with dose-matched full-information video practice. The additional accuracy gains were observed at 40 ms before contact and at contact, whereas additional RT reductions extended from 80 ms before contact to contact. Because the three-way interaction for accuracy was not significant, the apparent temporal specificity of the accuracy gains should be interpreted cautiously.