Scene 1 – Wandering attention
Skatergirl is on the ice practicing her combo spin. She wants to improve her technique so that it will be centered and fast.
She skates around the rink to find a spot and does a quick sweep of the ice.
Okay, now to step into the right inside 3 turn, then forward… Hmmm, she wonders where she and her friends are going for lunch? Subway or pizza?
This Skatergirl is distracted.
All of a sudden, she is pulled out of her thoughts by a loud intense voice bellowing, “Watch for programs!”
A shot of adrenaline runs through her body. Her head shoots up and she tries to move quickly out of the way.
A high level skater visiting the rink for technical jump lessons was running his program, setting up for a quad sal, and she got in the way.
Heart racing and face bright with embarrassment, she skates over to the boards for a drink of water.
It takes her a long time to regroup and get back to productive practice. Because she is tentative in her movements and hyper-vigilant, watching out for other skaters.
Scene 2 – Tunnel vision
Skatergirl is on the ice practicing her combo spin. She wants to improve her technique so that it will be centered and fast.
She skates around the rink to find a spot on the ice, making sure no one is going to be there. No one to get in her way, and no one to get in the way of.
The first position is called a camel spin…but she becomes a horse with blinders (pun intended). Her eyes are fierce, face muscles tense with determination.
She has been told over and over that she needs to focus better, so she is putting her all into staying super focused.
Okay, now to step into the right inside 3 turn, then forward onto the left foot and into the spin.
As she accelerates into the spin, she straightens her left leg too quickly and starts to rock.
The spin starts to travel, then grinds to a halt.
She gives up, drops her leg onto the ice, hunches over, head hanging down towards the ice, and sighs. She ends the spins with 2 feet on the ice in frustration.
Scene 3 – Soft focus
Skatergirl skates around the rink to find a spot on the ice, making sure she is clear to spin.
Her field of vision is wide; it includes her peripheral vision. Everything is soft and fuzzy except where she is headed.
Her motor memory is activated and her brain is quiet. She steps into the right inside 3 turn, then forward onto the left foot and into the spin.
As she accelerates into the spin, she straightens her left leg to create a beautiful line.
She executes her spin flawlessly.
The Focus Myth
For athletes, the ability to focus is very important. But many think that success comes only from being able to stay intensely focused for long periods of time.
They believe that correct focus is to be like a horse with blinders or like you are walking in a dark tunnel with just an iPhone flashlight highlighting your target.
They put all their focus into being focused, but this intensity can actually hinder an athlete’s success in a competition. This type of focus is not practical or sustainable, and can cause other problems both physically and mentally.
Sure, you don’t want to be distracted, but there are other alternatives than to exclude everything but a pinpoint of your focus.
The Focus Problems
Here are some of the problems you might experience if you believe that being intensely-focused is your only option:
- It is impossible to maintain this type of intense, one-track-mind focus for any longer than a few seconds at a time. Longer periods of focus are really a series of focusing and refocusing in turn.
- The energy cost for this focus intensity is physically and mentally exhausting. You become like a guard at a castle constantly repelling all enemies, i.e. your thoughts. You expend a lot of energy and it can drain you. Ask anyone how they feel after a tough competition.
- When you pinpoint your focus to get the right outcome, you tend to overthink. This is the opposite of what you want. The best way to execute the centered spin is when you turn your brain off and let your motor memory automatically do the job.
- Ironically, while you can overthink, your brain still becomes inflexible and slow. Like using the iPhone flashlight in the dark tunnel – you can only see what is immediately in front of you. All your focus is put on what you can see in the light, but there are so many unknowns in the dark. A bear could jump out from a side tunnel and you’d be lunch before you saw him.
- When you intensify your focus, you also “in-tense-ify” your muscles. They can become too tense and you find yourself unable to flow smoothly from one position to the next.
The Focus Solution
Think of distraction and pinpoint focus as being on a continuum, a skate-time continuum if you will.
The ideal focus is a slider that can move up and down the continuum. It is not a point you need to achieve but rather a range that can change and adapt based on the intensity of the situation you are faced with in a competition.
A “soft”, more open focus includes your peripheral vision. It will allow for mental flexibility and quick reaction time when unexpected situations arise.
You know what you want to do, you are executing your plan, and you are ready and relaxed enough to handle mistakes or problems if they come up.
In this state, your body and mind are in the flow. In the flow or zone, you can quickly and automatically:
- Execute
- Recognise problems
- Respond
- Regroup
How to “A-Range” your Focus
Realization is your first step to implementing a change.
“Hi, I am Skatergirl and I am a focus-a-holic.”
From that point, you can begin to choose the type of focus you want to cultivate.
Pay attention to the type of focus you are using through this week in practice.
- What is it like when you are in pinpoint focus?
- What is it like when you are in soft focus?
- When you have a “great jump day” what was it like in your brain?
- When you have a “bad jump day” what was it like in your brain?
- How would you describe your focus in each scenario: Pinpoint (working to exclude thoughts and distractions) or Soft (flowing, relaxed and ready)?
From these observations, you will be able to confirm which focus strategy made you feel and perform better.
You will begin to break away from having tunnel vision throughout your program and start adapting your focus based on the circumstances. You will learn how to “a-range” your focus.
The Focus Finale
The key is to understand that there are alternative paths of focus when trying to achieve your goal.
It’s all about managing your focus levels and timing your routine so that your energy peaks only when you need it to. Your mind’s “off time” is just as important as your mind’s “on time”. It will take some practice but you can learn to let your focus be fluid.
Once you can foster this ability, you can easily turn your focus frustration into your focus flow.
Do you tend to pinpoint your focus? How does it make you feel? At which focus level do you feel you do the best? I would love to hear your take!
Mental skills training can help to keep your emotions on an even keel so that you can practice and compete your best.
Start here; download “Confidence Myth Busters,” a complimentary eBook and make a change.