Postgraduate student Baniasadi Ehsan¹
Dr. Hab., Associate Professor L.G. Ryzhkova^1
1The Russian University of Sport «GTSOLIFK», Moscow

Keywords: virtual reality, specialized training, simulated situations, safe conditions.

Introduction. The use of virtual reality technology in sports training represents one of the most promising and innovative directions in the application of digital technologies in sports, opening fundamentally new opportunities for improving various components of sports mastery in controlled and safe conditions. B. Bideau and co-authors define virtual reality as an artificial, computer-generated, fully controllable environment in which an athlete can carry out specialized training while receiving multimodal feedback, including visual, auditory, and, when using special interfaces, tactile information, which ensures a high degree of immersion in the simulated situation [3].

Objective of the study. To identify the limitations and problems of using virtual reality in sports training.

Methodology and organization of the study. To achieve the objective of the study, a set of complementary methods was used: analysis and synthesis of data from scientific and methodological literature on the research problem, and a systematic analysis of the structure and content of virtual reality in sports training.

Results of the study and discussion. The key areas of application of virtual reality in sports training include the following:

• cognitive training and development of the ability to make quick, correct decisions, especially relevant in team sports;
• psychological preparation for competitions through modeling the competitive environment with the reproduction of stress factors;
• technical improvement using real-time feedback on the biomechanical characteristics of movements;
• tactical training in team sports through modeling various game situations;
• rehabilitation after injuries at the initial stages of recovery, when real sports activity is not yet possible or is associated with high risk [4].

However, the use of virtual reality technology in sports training is associated with a number of limitations and problems that require careful consideration when planning its use [1, 2].

The high cost of professional virtual reality equipment limits its accessibility for many sports organizations. The technical imperfection of existing systems, including delays between user movements and changes in the virtual environment, the limited field of view of modern virtual reality helmets, and physical discomfort during prolonged use of heavy equipment, limit the duration and effectiveness of training sessions [5].

The limited applicability of the technology to certain sports is associated with difficulties in modeling specific aspects of sports activity: tactile sensations upon contact with sports equipment, vestibular sensations during rotations and accelerations, and proprioceptive feedback when performing complex movements.

The risk of cybersickness in some users, manifested as nausea, dizziness, and disorientation, limits the possibilities of using virtual reality for some athletes [6].

The problem of transferring skills formed in a virtual environment to the conditions of real sports activity remains insufficiently studied and requires additional research. There is a risk of forming modified motor programs when the characteristics of the virtual environment do not sufficiently correspond to the real conditions of performing sports exercises, which may negatively affect the athlete's technical mastery.

Conclusions. The main advantages of using virtual reality in the training process include removing certain limitations imposed by real conditions of sports activity, ensuring safety when learning potentially dangerous technical elements, the possibility of organizing effective training without the need for specialized sports facilities, a high degree of control over the parameters of the simulated environment, interactivity and realism of perception due to stereoscopic imaging for accurate assessment of spatial parameters. However, the identified problems of using virtual reality in sports training indicate the need for careful study and consideration by sports specialists when planning its use.

Literature

1. Korolkov A.N., Germanov G.N., Shalaginov V.D., Mashoshina I.V. Pozharno-spasatelnyy sport: teoriya trenirovki i peredovyye sportivnyye tekhnologii [Fire and rescue sports: training theory and advanced sports technologies]. Collective monograph. Voronezh: Iva, 2019. 264 p. ISBN 978-5-6040757-4-6.
2. Matveev L.P. Obshchaya teoriya sporta i yeye prikladnyye aspekty [General theory of sports and its applied aspects]. Textbook for university students. 5th ed., revised and supplemented. Moscow: Sovetskiy Sport, 2010. 340 p.
3. Bideau, B. Using Virtual Reality to Analyze Sports Performance / B. Bideau, R. Kulpa, N. Vignais [et al.] // IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications. 2010. Vol. 30, No. 2. P. 14-21.
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5. Hecksteden, A. Individual Response to Exercise Training – A Statistical Perspective / A. Hecksteden, M. Kellner, T. Meyer // Journal of Applied Physiology. 2015. Vol. 118, No. 12. P. 1450-1459.
6. Joyner, M. J. Endurance Exercise Performance: The Physiology of Champions / M. J. Joyner, E. F. Coyle // The Journal of Physiology. 2008. Vol. 586, No. 1. P. 35-44.