A Deeper Look at Internal vs. External Focus

Attention can be directed in two ways:

Internal — toward the body and sensation: how the elbow turns, how the spine aligns, how the knees squeeze.

External — toward the task and target: the connection to a partner, the direction of force, the placement of a foot.

Both have value, but are not equally powerful.

Dr. Gabriele Wulf’s research explored this in depth. Participants practiced an accuracy task and were divided into four groups: internal vs. external focus, and frequent (100%) vs. occasional (33%) feedback.

What They Found

Across practice and retention, external cues yielded better performance, accuracy, and, most importantly, learning. Not just in the moment, but later, when it counted.

Frequency added another layer. With internal cues, less was far better than more. Constant internal correction didn’t just fail to help; it disrupted the learning process.

But with external cues, something striking appeared:

33% and 100% feedback performed equally well.

When attention is directed outward—to the task, learning becomes far more robust.

What This Means

With beginners or those learning something new, you’ll talk a bit more. That’s natural. But what you say matters more than how much you say.

Focus less on where the body is and more on where the energy should go.

Not: “Bridge your hips.”

But: “Drive your hips to the sky.”

Not: “Keep your frames up.”

But: “Put your knee on their hip.”

External cues let students feel the movement. They add flow, not friction. They connect the student to their partner, to the moment, and to the technique.

The Sweet Spot

The research is clear:

Less feedback beats more.

External beats internal.

Most athletes thrive with guidance on roughly one out of three repetitions—enough to steer them, not to steer for them.

Progress comes from space—from letting the student feel the movement, miss the movement, and rediscover it with clearer intent.

The Essence of Teaching

Coaching isn’t about filling silence. It’s about sharpening awareness.

It guides attention, not limbs.

It refines perception, not posture.