title: Instructions to adopt an external focus enhance muscular endurance.
abstract: The influence of internal (movement focus) and external (outcome focus) attentional-focusing instructions on muscular endurance were investigated using three exercise protocols with experienced exercisers. Twenty-three participants completed a maximal repetition, assisted bench-press test on a Smith's machine. An external focus of attention resulted in significant (p < .05) improvements in performance compared to the internal focus of attention, but not the control condition. Seventeen participants completed repetitions to failure at 75% 1-RM on free bench press and squat exercises. In both tasks, externally focused instructions resulted in significantly greater repetitions to failure than control and internal focus conditions (p < .05). These results support previous research showing beneficial effects of externally focused instructions on movement efficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport and Physical Activity, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, Lancashire, UK. David.Marchant@edgehill.ac.uk
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Marchant
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greig
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bullough
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hitchen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D055070:Resistance Training