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Why Soccer Players Are Training in the Dark

^{Published on 2024-12-06 11:02:22 - Wired}
 

• Sports science company Okkulo has shown that its specially lit training environment can improve players' visual-motor skills
• and a growing number of sports are starting to test it out.

The article from WIRED discusses how soccer teams like Sunderland and Leeds United are using a unique training method involving darkness to enhance players' performance. This innovative approach, developed by Okkulo, utilizes a device called the Okkulo Pro, which is essentially a headset that blocks out all light, forcing players to rely solely on their other senses. The training aims to improve players' spatial awareness, decision-making, and reaction times by simulating conditions where visual cues are absent, thereby strengthening neural pathways associated with these skills. This method draws from neuroscience, suggesting that training in such conditions can lead to better performance under pressure and in low-visibility scenarios during actual games. The technique has been likened to practices used in military training for pilots and soldiers, highlighting its potential to revolutionize sports training by tapping into the brain's adaptability and sensory compensation mechanisms.

Read the Full Wired Article at:
[ https://www.wired.com/story/why-soccer-players-are-training-in-the-dark-okkulo-football-sunderland-leeds-united-neuroscience/ ]

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