Comparison between internal and external focus of attention during a standing long jump in athletic population

ABSTRACT Background and Objective: The standing long jump (SLJ) is a test that assesses lower body strength and explosive leg power. Clear and explicit verbal instructions reinforce proper movement patterns, foster confidence, and enhance biomechanical execution, increasing SLJ performance. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the impact of internal and external focus of attention on SLJ performance in the athletic population. Methodology: The study comprised 44 professional athletes, ages 18–27 years. After the warm-up activities, each participant did five leaps in total: one baseline jump, in which no concentration instructions were given, and four more jumps, during which internal or external focus instructions were introduced in a counterbalanced manner. Statistical Analysis: To identify an overall difference, ANOVA with Greenhouse–Geisser correction was utilized, and a pairwise comparison was performed using the Bonferroni post hoc test using SPSS 20. Results: There are statistically significant differences between the baseline, externally focused, and internally focused SLJ mean scores, according to an ANOVA with Greenhouse–Geisser correction ( F [1.61, 69.17] = 19.93, P < 0.001). In a pairwise comparison, the Bonferroni post hoc test was used, and the results reveal that the mean distance reached in SLJ with an external focus of attention is superior to the mean distance attained with an internal focus of attention ( P = 0.004) and baseline ( P = 0.00). Conclusion: Verbal instruction is the most important component of an SLJ, and external focus of attention improves performance more than internal focus of attention.