The effects of attentional focus feedback-based badminton training on performance, physical activity levels, and enjoyment

Attentional focus is a fundamental determinant of motor learning, and extensive research has shown that an external focus enhances performance more effectively than an internal focus. Recently, holistic focus—attending to the overall feeling or rhythm of the movement—has attracted interest as a potentially effective strategy for complex, highly coordinated skills. This study examined the influence of holistic, external, and internal focus feedback on skill performance, perceived physical activity, and enjoyment during badminton training. One hundred male novices were randomly assigned to one of four groups: holistic, external, internal, or control. Across 10 training sessions, participants completed two blocks of 15 trials, practicing the badminton short serve and high clear while receiving group-specific feedback. Short-serve accuracy, high-clear errors, weekly physical activity (IPAQ), and enjoyment were assessed at pre-test, post-test, and retention. A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to examine group and session effects. Holistic and external focus instructions yielded the most significant improvements in both short-serve accuracy and high-clear performance, and these benefits were largely maintained at retention. Both strategies also promoted higher vigorous-intensity physical activity and greater enjoyment compared with internal focus and control. Overall, a holistic and external focus yielded superior motor learning outcomes, with the holistic focus demonstrating the most substantial benefits and, in some cases, greater benefits, particularly in the high-clear condition. These findings identify holistic focus as a promising instructional approach for developing complex sport skills and fostering positive motivational experiences.