Attentional focus effects on sprint start performance as a function of skill level

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Motor Learning
• Human Movement

Background:

• External focus of attention (on movement effects) generally enhances motor task performance and learning compared to internal focus (on movement mechanics).
• Attentional focus effects have not been extensively studied in explosive actions with fast reaction times, like the sprint start.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of external versus internal focus of attention on sprint start performance in both novice and expert sprinters.
• To determine if attentional focus influences different stages of the sprint start: reaction time, block clearance, and running speed.

Main Methods:

• Novice and expert sprinters completed sprint starts under three attentional conditions: external focus, internal focus, and neutral instructions.
• Performance metrics including reaction time and 10m sprint times were recorded for each condition.

Main Results:

• Both novice and expert sprinters exhibited significantly shorter reaction times and running times under the external focus condition compared to the internal focus condition.
• These findings indicate that an external attentional focus benefits the speed of movement execution in sprint starts.

Conclusions:

• External focus of attention enhances sprint start performance, including reaction time and running speed, for sprinters of all skill levels.
• Attentional focus plays a crucial role in the preparation and execution of explosive motor actions like the sprint start.