External Focus Affects Drop Jump Performance: Focusing on Different Aims and Words of Instruction

Abstract

Attentional focus strategies eliciting an external focus of attention effectively enhance drop jump (DJ) performance, however, their effects vary depending on the words used for the instructions. We aimed to examine the effects of different words on DJ performance using instructions eliciting external focus to minimize contact time (CT) or maximize jump height (JH). Twenty collegiate athletes performed DJs from a 30 cm platform after receiving one of four instructions: two instructions (COND 1 and 2) about minimizing CT and two instructions (COND 3 and 4) about maximizing JH. Reactive strength index (RSI), CT, JH, relative peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF), and leg stiffness (kvert) were compared between conditions using repeated-measures analysis of variance. There was no significant main effect of conditions on RSI, relative peak vGRF, and kvert (p > 0.05). CT was significantly shorter in COND 1 and 2 than in COND 3 (p < 0.05); JH was significantly higher in COND 3 than in COND 1 and 2 (p < 0.05), and in COND 4 than in COND 1 (p < 0.05). When using attentional focus strategies in DJ, it is necessary to use different words and purposes according to the players' tasks.