A high level of performance in any human activity requires a certain

amount of concentration of attention. Cultivating the ability of selective

concentration is fundamental in mental training. Selective concentration is

defined by the ability to shift your attention from the environment (external

focus) to your own mental and bodily processes (internal focus). Without this shifting of your attention from external focus to internal focus, you cannot listen to your body and practice effectively.

     From a practical standpoint of view, Russian sports psychologists deal

with the problem of shifting and concentrating attention by dividing the

focus of attention into four circles:

                    1.   A wide circle of attention.

                    2.   A middle circle of attention.

                    3.   A small circle of attention.

                    4.   An inner circle of attention.

     A side circle of attention means the whole surroundings noticeable at

 any given moment. For example, the entire gym, including the spectators,

 players, officials, et.

     The middle circle is the circle of your direct contact. For example the

competition area including your opponent, referees, and coaches.

     The small circle refers to you and the area you are moving in. For

example, the part of competition area where you are currently standing.

     The inner circle refers to the thoughts, feelings and body awareness by

which you are occupied at the moment.

     The ability to narrow attention at will through shifting from the wide

circle to the internal one is not easy to accomplish. The harder you try to

concentrate, putting maximum effort into it, the easier you attention may be

diverted from the task by some external factors. That's why one of the

 ways to narrow you attention and shift from the wide to internal circle is to

 pay attention to your automatical body processes (e.g., to your breathing

rhythm), without forcing it. Because your breathing is self-regulating and

precedes without conscious effort on your part, you can give your

 undisturbed attention to this body process.

     The specific exercise we will be using, Russian sports psychologists call

"Searchlight," which takes advantage of another feature of attention- its

mobility. Your attention is naturally "movable," because that is its natural

way of functioning. Shifting or transferring your attention is under your

conscious direction. By practicing switching from the external into the

internal circle of attention, you can sharpen this skill and gradually reach

a state in which you can achieve a deeper and longer lasting concentration

 on any object you choose.