Focus on the process or outcome? It depends on the task goal

Abstract

An abundance of research supports an external focus enhancing motor performance relative to an internal focus. However, this blanket recommendation loses some nuance of what types of external cues might be most effective. Some studies have compared a proximal and distal external focus, but this comparison is often confounded by differences in both spatial and temporal distance. In the present study, we aimed to determine how internal and external focus cues that direct attention to either the process or outcome of the movement (i.e., differing in temporal distance, but not spatial distance) impacted hex bar deadlift performance. Twenty-four participants (16 females) experienced in strength training performed hex bar deadlifts with 60 % of their self-reported 1RM. Familiarization trials were followed by conditions using an internal-process (IP), internal-outcome (IO), external-process (EP), and external-outcome (EO) focus presented in a counterbalanced order. Peak velocity, average velocity, and vertical bar displacement were subjected to repeated measures ANOVAs to test for differences due to focus. Peak velocity was impacted by focus with an EP leading to higher values than IO and IP. For average velocity EP had higher values than IO, and approached higher values than IP. For vertical bar displacement, EO led to greater displacement than IO and IP, but did not differ from EP. The present findings suggest EP was most effective for enhancing velocity (primary goal), but EO maximized displacement. These differing findings suggest that the best external focus cues are those which most closely align with important task goals.