It’s needed for everything from driving to picking up objects. Unfortunately, hand-eye coordination can decline with age.
“Aging is associated with a loss of motor control,” Dr. Wojtek J. Chodzko-Zajko, an expert on aging and health and dean of the Graduate College at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, tells The Wall Street Journal. “Our movements start to lose precision and accuracy…Everyday tasks that require hand-eye coordination become more challenging, like flipping a hamburger over in a pan.”
This means it’s important to take steps to retain and improve these skills as the years pass. Maintaining the skill should be one of the many priorities associated with preserving function -- no matter what age you happen to be.
The good news is that there are things you can do to improve hand-eye coordination.
Take a look at these seven fun exercises that can do just that.
1. Throw a ball against a wall.
Experts tell Outside that a simple solo game of catch is a great way to improve hand-eye coordination. To do this, you can throw a tennis ball against a wall or a backboard. But here’s the catch (no pun intended): Use just one hand, then switch to the other hand. When you’ve mastered this activity, add more balls to the equation. You can even do this activity with a partner to alleviate boredom.
2. Change focus in your visual field.
According to Bodyomics.com, changing focus can improve hand-eye coordination. To do this, focus on an object near you. Then switch focus to an object that is far away. Do this quickly, switching from one object to the other over and over again.
3. Take up Tai Chi.
Research shows that Tai Chi can be an effective way to improve hand-eye coordination. In one study, researchers observed how three months of Tai Chi training would affect sitting balance control and hand-eye coordination in adults. Nearly 60 subjects from several residential care facilities were put in either a sitting Tai Chi group or a control group focused on mobilizing exercises. Hand-eye coordination in the Tai Chi group improved by more than 17 percent. However, no improvement was seen in the control group. Researchers concluded that Tai Chi can improve both sitting balance and accuracy when practicing a finger-pointing task.
4. Give juggling a try.
Juggling? Yes! When we think of juggling, the circus comes to mind. However, juggling can be a great way for normal folks to improve hand-eye coordination.
To learn to juggle, Outside suggests finding and following a YouTube teaching video and practicing with either bean bags or hacky sacks. "When you're juggling, you're actually looking up to the upper point where the balls cross and your brain is making decisions on where your hands need to move based on that," Fraser Horn, O.D., an instructor of Sports and Recreational Vision at Pacific University, tells Outside. "There's really no better way to train your eye-hand coordination -- we teach it to all of our athletes, from middle schoolers up to professionals."
Horn suggests adding a few distractions once this skill is mastered. "As these drills get easier for athletes, we increase the challenge by putting them on a balance board or asking them math questions," Horn says.
5. Play tennis.
Tennis is one of the best ways to improve hand-eye coordination while having fun at the same time. Not only does tennis improve physical fitness, but it also forces players to focus on many skills that involve hand-eye coordination.
If you’re an experienced tennis player, consider finding a weekly tennis group to join. And if you’ve never played tennis, take lessons. You’ll improve hand-eye coordination while socializing with others in a fun setting.
6. Download an app designed to improve hand-eye coordination.
There’s an app for just about everything. So, of course, there are many apps designed for hand-eye coordination.
For an Android option, try “Hand Eye.” This game asks players to hit falling shapes. The game is designed to improve hand-eye coordination and reflex speed.
And for yet another hand-eye coordination experience, Game Tables Online says to try High Noon for Apple phones. This free game allows you to “shoot outlaws with a virtual smartphone shotgun.” This is said to improve hand-eye coordination because you must master aim.
7. Practice mindfulness while playing sports.
Mindfulness is the act of staying in the present moment. This can be particularly helpful in improving hand-eye coordination skills.
Sports medicine specialist and conditioning coach Josh Sandell, D.C., tells Outside that a study conducted on basketball players showed improved free throw percentages by practicing a concept called “quiet eye” technique. Players focused on the front rim of the basketball hoop for at least a second before making a shot. Percentages were improved by 22 percent using this technique, which is similar to mindfulness.
"This kind of focus can be incorporated during any form of athletic movement, but it's got to be conscious -- at least at first, until it becomes second nature and you don't realize you're doing it," Sandell says.
To be mindful while playing sports, author, psychiatrist and mindfulness teacher Dr. William R. Marchand says to take the time to think about what’s going on in the moment. This is what mindfulness is all about.
For example, if you’re golfing, focus on the entire process of your swing. Feel the sensation in your shoulders and arms while you set up, and notice how your muscles contract and move as you go through the swing itself. Take the time to observe how it feels when you make contact with the ball and how your body changes during follow through. And if you’re a runner, notice how it feels when your feet hit the pavement. Observe the changes in your body with each passing stride.