3 great drills athletes can do for the eyes

Being an athlete isn’t just about the hours you spend on the field, ice, or gym floor. Downtime,  sitting in the car ( as long as you’re not the one driving) on the way to practice or a game, can be a hidden window to sharpen your skills, recover faster, and build better habits. Here are three car friendly drills to keep you productive without leaving your seat.

Eye-Head Coordination Drills

• VOR x1: Hold your thumb at arm’s length, focus on a point on your thumb, and gently turn your head left and right while keeping your eyes locked on the point. This keeps your gaze stable,a key for hand-eye coordination in sport.
• Smooth Pursuits: With your head still, slowly move your thumb side to side and up and down while following it only with your eyes. Builds smooth tracking for better reaction time.

2. Pencil Push-Ups for Visual Focus

Hold a pen at arm’s length, focus on a small letter, and slowly bring it toward your nose until it starts to blur. Then move it back out. This strengthens eye convergence, especially useful for sports where you need quick near-to-far focus shifts.

3. Breathing & Core Activation

While seated, practice diaphragmatic breathing:

• Inhale through your nose, expand your belly, hold for two seconds.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth, drawing your navel in slightly.
  This lowers stress, improves oxygen delivery, and gently activates your core and preps stability in the body.

Eye training is important:

Travel time doesn’t have to be wasted time. A few minutes of eye drills, breathing, visualization, and light mobility can help you arrive more focused, coordinated, and ready to perform. Build these habits into your travel routine, and you’ll find yourself a little sharper every time you step onto the field or ice.

Written by:
Kirill Vaks
BA, CSCS

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Voorhees Flyers Training center.

The Hollydell ice arena, in the main building.