Types of attention in sports psychology

When cliff diving champion Blake Aldridge walks up to the edge of a 90-foot platform, like at the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, he knows he needs to concentrate from the moment he jumps, until after he hits the water.

A dive from this height incurs 5Gs of force, which Aldridge says, "can feel like an uppercut from Mike Tyson." Athletes like Aldridge don't only have to be physically strong to handle the impact, they also need mental focus to ensure they won’t be distracted at the most crucial moment.

Non-athletes have moments like this too, whether it’s a significant negotiation, a job interview, or even a first date.

A trained and controlled focus can be the difference between success and failure, or in the case of athletes, life and death.

Can you improve your focus? Scientists believe the attention span is like a muscle that can develop or atrophy based on use.

Here are eleven exercises to help you build yours.

11 Focus Exercises for Improving Concentration

Scientific research shows that the brain

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