Verbal feedback from coaches can also be used to direct an athlete’s focus internally (on the body movements) or externally (on the intended movement effect). There is substantial evidence that an external focus of attention is superior to an internal focus of attention for motor learning. For example, Becker & Fairbrother (2019) found that participants who were instructed to focus externally (“accelerate the dart”, “straight dart path”, & “hit the target”) outperformed their peers who were instructed to focus internally (“accelerate the forearm”, “straight arm path”, & “hand to target”) during a dart throwing task, both during the intervention & the retention test 1 day later.

Recommendation: When providing feedback on technical skills, frame the message to focus the learner’s attention externally on the intended effect of the movement, rather than the body movement itself.