The Effect of Internal, External, and Holistic Attentional Focus Instructions Under Competitive and Non-competitive Conditions on Performance and Kinematics of Vertical Jump

Abstract

Background: Attentional focus has been shown to influence motor performance, and the practice environment may further shape movement execution. However, the combined effects of attentional focus and competitive context on jump performance and kinematics remain unclear. Objectives: This study examined the effects of different attentional focus instructions—internal (near and far), external (near and far), and holistic—under competitive and non-competitive conditions on vertical jump performance and kinematics. Methods: Thirty novice adult female participants (mean age = 21 ± 3.5 years; mean height = 163 ± 1.63 cm; mean weight = 57 ± 7.1 kg) participated. Each participant performed exactly 10 vertical jumps, with one jump under each experimental condition (2 competition conditions × 5 attentional focus conditions). Jump height and the maximum knee flexion angle before takeoff were recorded for each trial. Data were analyzed using a two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: Vertical jump height was significantly greater under competitive than non-competitive conditions. Significant main effects of attentional focus and a significant competition × attentional focus interaction were also observed. Pairwise comparisons showed greater jump heights under competitive conditions for internal-near, internal-far, external-far, and holistic focus, but not for external-near focus. Across attentional focus conditions, holistic and external-far instructions produced the highest mean jump heights. In contrast, neither competition nor attentional focus had a significant main effect or interaction effect on maximum knee flexion angle. Conclusions: Competitive conditions enhanced vertical jump performance, with the magnitude of this effect varying across attentional focus instructions. Holistic and external-far instructions were associated with the greatest jump heights, suggesting that their effectiveness may depend on competitive context. These findings highlight the importance of considering both attentional focus and practice context when optimizing vertical jump performance.