How one directs attention during any physical activity, from simple daily movements to complex athletic maneuvers, significantly influences the outcome. This focus plays a considerable role in the efficiency and effectiveness of actions. Understanding this link between attention and movement is a foundational step toward improving physical performance across many domains.
Understanding External Focus
Attention during movement is categorized as internal or external. Internal focus directs attention to one’s own body movements, such as concentrating on a specific muscle contraction or limb position. External focus shifts attention away from the body to the movement’s effect on the environment or an external object. For instance, when jumping, an internal focus might involve thinking about extending the knees, while an external focus would involve pushing the ground away or reaching a target above.
This distinction is important because it changes how the motor system organizes itself. When swinging a golf club, an internal focus might be on hip rotation or arm movement. An external focus, however, would involve concentrating on the club head hitting the ball or the ball’s trajectory. Similarly, when lifting weights, an internal focus might be on feeling chest muscles contract, whereas an external focus would be on pushing the weight away from the body.
How External Focus Enhances Performance
External focus generally leads to more effective and efficient motor performance, explained by the “constrained action hypothesis.” This hypothesis suggests an internal focus can consciously interfere with the motor system’s automatic, self-organizing processes, constraining movement. By directing attention to the movement’s outcome or effect, an external focus allows the motor system to operate more naturally, promoting fluid and coordinated task execution.
Research consistently shows external focus leads to improved movement efficiency, greater force production, enhanced balance, and accelerated learning. For example, balance studies demonstrate individuals focusing on external markers, such as keeping sensors on a platform horizontal, exhibit better balance control and skill retention than those focusing on body movements. This improved efficiency often translates to reduced muscular co-contraction, meaning antagonist muscles are less active, allowing for smoother and more powerful actions.
External focus also accelerates the learning process, allowing individuals to acquire new motor skills more quickly and retain them. This is because it facilitates the development of more automatic motor patterns, reducing the cognitive load associated with conscious control. The benefits extend across various populations, with over 60% of studies in older adults reporting superior motor performance.
Applying External Focus in Practice
Implementing an external focus involves reframing instructions and self-talk to direct attention to the movement’s desired effect. In sports, a basketball player shooting a free throw might focus on the ball going through the hoop rather than elbow flexion. In golf, instead of thinking about arm swing arc, a player could focus on the club head striking the ball or its flight path.
During resistance training, rather than concentrating on specific muscle contraction, a person squatting might focus on “pushing the floor away” or “driving the weight upward.” For a push-up, the cue could be “pushing the ground away” instead of “contracting the chest.” This shift in attention leads to more effective engagement of the entire kinetic chain and improved force transfer.
In rehabilitation, external focus aids in regaining movement patterns. For someone learning to walk, focusing on “pushing the ground back” or “stepping over an imaginary line” is more beneficial than consciously controlling individual leg muscles. Even in daily tasks like lifting an object, focusing on “lifting the object smoothly” or “moving it to its destination” promotes more efficient, less strained movement than focusing on muscle activation. The goal is to direct attention outward, toward the environmental outcome or the tool being used, allowing the body to self-organize the most efficient movement solution.