From mind to marksmanship: Harnessing brief mindfulness meditation to enhance attention control and performance in novice athletes

Training in mindfulness meditation has been linked to enhanced cognitive and athletic performance. The current study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of brief mindfulness meditation (BMM) on the shooting performance of novice athletes. One hundred and nineteen novice athletes were recruited and assigned to either a BMM group or a control group. The mindfulness intervention consisted of a daily 15-minute mindfulness meditation training (JW2016) for 18 days before shooting practice, while a control group engaged in business as usual. Participants’ mindfulness level, attention control level, subjective sleep quality, perceived stress, and state anxiety were measured before and after the intervention. The shooting performance of both groups was assessed after an 18-day meditation training programme. Results showed that brief meditation training can improve shooting performance, attention control, and mindfulness level, as well as reduce stress and anxiety. Regression analyses identified change in attention control as the most influential predictor of post-intervention shooting performance. This study has important implications for using BMM as a performance-enhancing intervention in sports, particularly for novice athletes. This study demonstrates that brief mindfulness meditation significantly improves novice athletes’ shooting performance by enhancing attention control, sleep quality, and reducing stress and anxiety, highlighting attention improvement as crucial for performance enhancement. Incorporate brief mindfulness meditation into regular training routines: to enhance athletes’ focus and overall performance.Emphasize attention control in meditation practices: to maximize benefits in precision sports like shooting.Utilize mindfulness techniques to manage athlete stress and anxiety: before and during competitions for improved outcomes. Incorporate brief mindfulness meditation into regular training routines: to enhance athletes’ focus and overall performance. Emphasize attention control in meditation practices: to maximize benefits in precision sports like shooting. Utilize mindfulness techniques to manage athlete stress and anxiety: before and during competitions for improved outcomes.