Vergence is a vital situational awareness capability. It is the ability to keep a target in focus with forward/backward movements. Vergence requires your eyes to move in separate directions, like “cross-eyed” as a target is moving closer to you, as well as back away from you.
Vergence is important to train in tactical athletes as it will be an important part of keeping a target in focus with a weapon recoil or while kicking in a door.
Vergence is a visual capability but it is often coupled with vestibular inputs when experiencing acceleration in the forward/backward plane of movement.
Here is how I like to approach incorporating vergence training into a strength and conditioning program:
1. Push-ups with single target focus at eye level with a hold.
I increase reps and hold duration at end range to increase stamina of vergence holding.
2. Normal push-ups with single target focus.
Here I just increase reps and speed of the movement. I also decrease rest/recovery.
3. Plyometric push-up with single target focus at eye level.
This begins to integrate visual capabilities (vergence) with vestibular (acceleration) inputs. These two systems need to be working together at a high level.
4. Medicine ball chest pass with single target focus on wall at eye level.
This really starts to increase the stimulation of the vestibular system. We create a greater acceleration force but decrease the range of motion of the eye movements.
Functionally, I would program a door kicker lower reps but focus on creating the greatest acceleration force while maintaining target focus.
In someone like a machine gunner who will experience a longer duration of vergence demands, I progressively increase the reps and decrease the recovery time.
Are you training vergence? Do you integrate it with the vestibular system? Is your training specific to your position?