Efeitos do foco de atenção no desempenho de testes de força máxima e controle de força

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of different attentional focuses on the performance of maximal strength and strength control tests. The sample consisted of 48 volunteer university students of both genders (female = 12; male = 36), with a mean age of 23.3 years, divided into three groups: GFE (external focus group), GFI (internal focus group) and GC (control group). All tests were performed on a lumbar dynamometer (Crown 200kgf), and the study was divided into four phases (maximum strength pre-test; strength control pre-test; strength control test; maximum strength test). Specifically, after performing the pre-test phases, external (GFE) and internal (GFI) focus of attention instructions were provided. A focus of attention use verification exam was applied throughout the tests. The results revealed no differences between the groups either in maximal strength performance or in strength control. We concluded that different attention focus instructions did not perform maximum strength performance and strength control in tests performed on a lumbar dynamometer.