The use of a holistic focus of attention to improve standing long jump performance among NCAA track and field athletes.

This article investigates the effects of three types of attentional focus—internal focus (IF), external focus (EF), and holistic focus (HF)—on the standing long jump performance of highly skilled female NCAA Division I track and field athletes. The study found that a holistic focus, defined as directing attention to the general feeling of the movement (e.g., being explosive), led to significantly longer jump distances compared to an internal focus, while no significant differences were observed between EF and the other conditions. Participants reported similar adherence to all focus instructions, with a majority preferring the holistic focus for future performance. These findings suggest that, for skilled performers, a holistic focus may enhance motor performance by promoting automaticity and reducing conscious control, offering an alternative to the traditionally emphasized external focus in coaching strategies.