The use of modern measuring devices in the evaluation of movement in the block in volleyball depending on the difficulty of the task determined by light signals

The basic technical element that is a direct response to the opponent’s attack is the block. Blocking is related to setting the starting position of the player and choosing the most effective way to move. The aim of this study was to evaluate the time of movement in the block depending on the difficulty of the task determined by a response to light signals. The study included 14 players (17.36 ± 1.18 years). Eight discs of the FITLIGHT TrainerTM device placed at different heights near the center of the volleyball court were used for the measurements. The player’s task was to move as quickly as possible in a block after recognizing a light signal to take a specific action. Three types of tasks with different levels of difficulty were defined: reaction to the light signal on the player’s side (S1), reaction to the light signal of the upper or lower discs placed vertically over the net (S2), and reaction to the color of the light signal of the upper or lower discs placed vertically over the net (S3). The following time measurements were analyzed: indirect time (TI), time of movement to the jumping point (TJP), and total time (TT) on the right and left sides. In all measurements (TI, TJP, TT), the differences in the times obtained in tasks S1 and S2 and tasks S1 and S3 were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.001) for both the right and left sides. The comparison of the task performance times for S2 and S3 showed a difference only in the TJP measurement for the left side. An analysis of the results indicates a significant role of signal recognition and decision-making process in the player’s movement during blocking. The FITLIGHT TrainerTM device can be a useful tool for this purpose in coaching.