The Effect of Long-term Virtual Reality-based Motor Imagery Exercise Intervention on Executive Performance in Competitive Shooting Athlete

The Effect of Long-Term Virtual Reality-Based Motor Imagery Exercise Intervention on Executive Performance in Competitive Shooting Athletes

This study evaluates whether a 12-week virtual reality-based motor imagery (VRMI) training program can improve executive function and shooting performance in competitive 10-meter air pistol athletes. The study compares VRMI with traditional exercise training and a control condition consisting of health education videos.

Eligible athletes are assigned to one of the three groups and complete the assigned intervention for 12 weeks. Before and after the intervention, participants complete a virtual reality shooting competition and cognitive testing. The study measures shooting performance, visual attention using eye-tracking, prefrontal cortex activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and salivary neurotransmitter levels.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether VRMI is a useful training method for improving attention control, executive function, and performance in precision shooting athletes.

Executive function is an important cognitive ability in precision sports such as 10-meter air pistol shooting, where athletes must maintain attention on task-relevant cues while resisting distraction from task-irrelevant information. Motor imagery has been widely used in sport training, but traditional imagery methods may be limited by reduced immersion and lower ecological validity. Virtual reality-based motor imagery (VRMI) may provide a more realistic and engaging training environment by combining immersive virtual scenes with structured imagery practice.

This study is designed to compare the effects of a 12-week VRMI intervention with traditional exercise training and a control condition in competitive shooting athletes. The aim is to examine whether VRMI can provide greater benefits for executive function and shooting-related performance than conventional training approaches.

Participants complete one of three intervention conditions over 12 weeks. The VRMI program uses virtual reality equipment to deliver relaxation, observation, guided motor imagery, and movement practice in a simulated sport environment. The exercise group completes a parallel training program using traditional exercise and video-based methods. The control group watches health education videos for the same duration.

To evaluate the effects of the interventions, participants are assessed before and after the intervention period during a virtual reality shooting competition and cognitive testing procedures. The study examines performance, attention allocation, and brain-related responses associated with executive control in order to better understand the potential value of VRMI as a training strategy for precision sport athletes.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy volunteers aged 20 to 26 years.
• Right-handed.
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision.
• No history of neurological disorders affecting motor performance.
• No history of psychiatric disorders affecting motor performance.
• No history of musculoskeletal disorders affecting motor performance.
• Willing and able to participate in the 12-week training program.
• Willing and able to follow all study procedures.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Current injury affecting upper limb movement.
• Past injury affecting upper limb movement or fine motor skills.
• Sleep disorders during the intervention period.
• Irregular sleep patterns during the intervention period.
• Participation in other structured shooting training programs during the study.
• Participation in other motor imagery training programs during the study.
• Expected attendance at less than 80% of training sessions.
• Use of medications that may affect cognitive function.
• Use of medications that may affect motor function.