Will An Internal or External Focus Lead to More Reps?
An external focus of attention—thinking about the outcome or the object you're moving rather than your own body—was linked to greater muscular endurance and more reps in the meta-analysis covered in this episode. Here's how to put internal vs. external cues to work in your training.
Key Takeaways
- The episode covers a meta-analysis on attentional focus and muscular endurance.
- An external focus of attention was associated with more reps and better muscular endurance than an internal focus.
- Internal cues direct attention to your body; external cues direct attention to the movement outcome or an external target.
- The Meet Yourself Saturday workout is Blitzkrieg 2.0.
Episode 144 of The Garage Gym Athlete Podcast is up!
Will An Internal or External Focus Lead to More Reps?
This week our favorite four are all back together again! They go over a study that is on internal vs. external cues. One of the cues led to more reps and better performance. The coaches give their takeaways and ways to apply this to training! For this week's topic the coaches are answering a question. Which Meet Yourself Saturday workout would they do for 52 weeks aka an entire year. Plenty of the athletes have crushed MURPH this many times but what other MYS could you challenge yourself with? Speaking of a challenging Meet Yourself Saturday workout, this week's is Blitzkrieg 2.0. The coaches give their best tips on how to tackle this one!
If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the Garage Gym Athlete podcast either on Stitcher, iTunes, or Google Play by using the link below:
IN THIS 63-MINUTE EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
- Blitzkrieg 2.0
- Which MYS Would You Do for A Year
- What's the Smallest Kettlebell That's Sold
- Internal vs. External Cues
- Focus and Reps
- Tips For MYS
- Updates and Announcements
- And A LOT MORE!!
Diving Deeper…
If you want to go a little bit deeper on this episode, here are some links for you:
Study of the Week
Garage Gym Athlete Workout of the Week
Be sure to listen to this week’s episode:
What the research says
The Study of the Week is a meta-analysis on the effects of attentional focus on muscular endurance. The two strategies it compares are an internal focus (attention on your body—for example, “squeeze your biceps”) and an external focus (attention on the outcome or an external object—for example, “push the floor away”). Pooling the results, the analysis points to an external focus being associated with greater muscular endurance, which translates to more reps. Because it's a meta-analysis, it summarizes the trend across multiple studies rather than a single experiment.
How to apply this in training
When you want to grind out extra reps, try cueing toward the result or the implement—“drive the bar up” or “press the ceiling away”—rather than focusing on the working muscle. Small shifts in where you point your attention may help you squeeze out additional reps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between internal and external cues?
Internal cues direct your attention to your body (e.g., “squeeze your biceps”), while external cues direct attention to the outcome or an external object (e.g., “push the floor away”).
Does internal or external focus lead to more reps?
The meta-analysis discussed found an external focus of attention was associated with greater muscular endurance—meaning more reps—than an internal focus.
How do I use external cues in training?
Cue toward the result or the implement (e.g., “drive the bar up”) rather than the working muscle, which may help improve endurance and rep output.
Related reading from Garage Gym Athlete
- Choosing Your Own Weight Can Lead To Greater Strength
- What Increases Strength Endurance The Most?
- Are Self-Selected Sets Better Than Pre-Selected?
Want coaching cues built into smart programming? Explore the Garage Gym Athlete membership.
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Thanks for listening to the podcast, and if you have any questions be sure to add it to the comments below!
To becoming better!
Jerred
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