If you're anything like the rest of us, there have probably been many times when you've admired a woman's toned body or a guy's six-pack and thought, "If I only had their genetics, I could look like that." Or maybe you've watched elite athletes outperform their competitors and commented that it is their God-given talent that gives them the edge. 

Yes, natural talent and good genetics can give people an edge against the competition. We also can't forget good old-fashioned discipline and hard work. But there is something even more important than talent, genetics, and determination— and that is mental focus.

Whether you're a professional athlete, training for your first marathon, a regular yogi, or someone just trying to stay consistent with their gym routine, you're only as good as your focus. 

Unfortunately, focus is something most people struggle with. Thankfully, there are scientifically-backed ways to support enhanced cognition, including certain supplements that can enhance mental focus and help you tap into your full potential like never before.

In this article, we'll explore why mental focus is so important in any physical activity and the best cognitive-enhancing supplements to consider if you want to take your performance and results to the next level.

The Overlooked Element: Why Focus is Important When Training and Competing

Most of us understand that mental focus is crucial for success when it comes to work, school, or anything that requires critical thinking. Even in dieting, you've probably heard people say that sticking to it is 80% mental. However, it seems that few people truly understand just how crucial mental focus is regarding physical performance and athletic achievement.

We aren't sure why the importance of focus isn't talked about more. Research has consistently shown that cognitive performance directly impacts all forms of physical performance, and science aside, we see proof of how lack of focus can destroy even the most talented athletes' performance.

Mental focus is mentioned as the "edge" in best-selling books by legendary coaches. Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan's former coach with the Chicago Bulls, emphasized this mental edge throughout his career and in his book "Sacred Hoops," describing how mental focus separated good players from champions.

Similarly, Tim Grover, who trained both Jordan and Kobe Bryant, dedicated much of his bestseller "Relentless" to explaining how mental focus is often the defining factor between good and unstoppable.

We also hear it after almost every defeat or bad game. When interviewed, players seem to always say, "My head wasn't in the game," citing lack of focus as the reason for poor performance. 

There's really no debating it— the majority of effort required to reach a fitness goal or excel in your sport comes from your mindset, mental attitude, and ability to focus – not just physical exertion, genetics, or discipline.

But what exactly is focus in the context of physical performance and how do you enhance it?

Well, for starters, you have to understand that focus is more than just paying attention. 

True mental focus in physical performance encompasses maintaining constant awareness and purpose throughout every aspect of training and competition. 

When you're focused, you execute exercises and drills with better form, maintain proper breathing patterns, and stay present through each movement. This leads to better results, fewer injuries, and more consistent progress. Additionally, strong mental focus helps you make healthier choices and respond effectively to challenges off the field or out of the gym.

The power of mental focus is especially evident in endurance sports. Marathon runners often say that after mile 20, the race becomes 90% mental. Your body is capable, but your mind needs to stay sharp to maintain proper form and pace. Dean Karnazes, ultra-marathon runner and author, emphasizes that mental focus becomes the deciding factor in performance once physical training peaks.

Another example is yoga, where mental focus isn't just helpful – it's fundamental. The practice literally means "union of mind and body." Without focus, you're just going through the motions, missing the core benefits of the practice and risking poor form.

And believe it or not, weight training provides perhaps the clearest example of the importance of mental focus. While you might think building muscle is all about lifting heavy and eating right, the mind-muscle connection is crucial for optimal results.

This scientifically validated concept refers to your ability to consciously activate specific muscles during exercises. Without proper focus, you might complete the movement, but you won't maximize muscle fiber recruitment or maintain perfect form – both essential for results and injury prevention.

Whether you're competing in a sport, looking to build muscle, want to lose body fat, perfect your yoga poses, or beat your personal best in any activity, maintaining mental focus isn't just a nice bonus– it's essential for achieving your fitness goals or being the best in your sport.

Tips To Achieve Better Mental Focus

Some people are naturally wired to be less focused than others and aren't hesitant to admit it. But for the rest of you, are you really focused? Can you truly say you are always fully in the zone?

Be honest: during your last workout or competition, was your mind present for every single rep, set, or movement? Did you maintain perfect form and breathing throughout, or did your form suffer while your thoughts drifted to your to-do list or that fight with your significant other? 

How about your phone? How often did you pick it up to check Instagram or answer a quick text message? What about social distractions? Did you spend a little too much time chatting with your gym buddy or cracking jokes with your teammates?

These moments of mental drift might seem insignificant, but they add up, potentially costing you gains in strength, endurance, overall progress, and if you're an athlete — potentially the difference between winning and losing.

Whether you can't seem to get your head in the game because life has you stressed, you're lacking motivation, you get easily distracted, or the chemicals in your brain won't allow you to close all those open tabs, there are several proven methods for enhancing physical performance focus.

Here are five expert mental focus tips to consider:

1: Brain Training

Sometimes referred to as cognitive training and visualization, engaging in mental exercises to strengthen your brain to be more focused is very powerful. If you treat your concentration like a muscle and put in work to develop it, you will see drastic improvements in mental focus. 

There are numerous brain training techniques, such as imagery, where you vividly imagine yourself executing skills flawlessly, focus drills like object stares with concentration cues, and scenario-based rehearsals.

All of these mental training activities are believed to strengthen the mind's ability to concentrate and perform under pressure.

2: Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness techniques and meditation trains the brain to stay present—an essential skill for developing discipline and handling high-pressure moments in competition.

We aren't saying you need to sit cross-legged with your eyes shut chanting mantras for an hour. It could be something as simple as listening to calming sounds on your way to train, or some guided meditation instead of music during your warm up.

Even five minutes of focused breathing before your workout or big game can make a difference in your mental clarity.

3: Pre-Performance Rituals

Establishing a consistent routine before training or events helps create a focused mindset, reducing stress and sharpening concentration.

Watch any pro athlete—they all have one. Maybe it's following the same warm-up sequence, listening to specific music, or even wearing your lucky socks. These rituals aren't just superstition; they're powerful psychological triggers that tell your brain it's time to clear out all the mental clutter and get in the zone.

4: Eliminating Distractions

Identifying and controlling potential disruptions in both training and competition environments allows athletes to sustain peak focus.

This means putting your phone on "Do Not Disturb," choosing less crowded gym times, and maybe training with headphones. It could even begin the night before by prepping your gym bag ahead of time to eliminate morning stress and decision fatigue.

5: Focus Enhancing Supplements

Goal setting, routine, creating a distraction-free environment, and training the brain take time, intention, and, in many cases, lots of practice before you see significant improvement. Even then, some days, your brain just won't cooperate.

That's why many people turn to cognitive-enhancing supplements designed specifically for physical performance and athletic achievement. These carefully formulated products can give you instant mental clarity and help you tap into the focus you need for peak performance.

Key Ingredients for Cognitive Enhancement

While many nootropics and supplements marketed as natural "ADHD" alternatives are great for people who struggle with focusing on daily tasks and might even help some people have more focus during physical activity, there are better ingredients to look for if you're looking for a supplement to improve focus during physical activity:

Why better? Well, for starters, these ingredients we're about to tell you about don't only help with mental focus. For example, they might provide cognitive enhancement but also give you energy and stamina. All things that are needed for an effective training session or during a competition.

Some of the following ingredients might be available as single-ingredient supplements. But most of the time, you'll find them as part of a multi-ingredient formula packaged as a pre-workout supplement.

L-Tyrosine

L-tyrosine is an amino acid that is an important precursor to brain chemicals that affect mood and focus. Research shows that it helps with cognitive function, especially during stressful situations or when you're sleep-deprived. 

L-tyrosine also supports the production of adrenaline and noradrenaline, which can help you stay alert and more energized. If you really want to get rid of all that unnecessary "noise" in your head and have a clear mind, this is an ingredient you want in your pre-workout. 

You can find an effective dose of L-Tyrosine in both RAW Essential Pre Workout, RAW Essential Performance, and RAW Essential Charged. 

Taurine

You probably know this ingredient best from seeing it on popular energy drink labels. When combined with caffeine, taurine can amplify stimulant effects, but it is not a stimulant. In fact, some research shows the supplement may even help you sleep better.

Taurine is actually an amino acid that is shown to benefit the brain, heart, eyes, muscles, liver, and overall immunity. It plays a vital role in several physiological functions, including working as a neurotransmitter in the brain, and is probably best known for helping your brain work better under pressure. 

If you are looking for this type of focus benefit, you can find taurine in our best-selling pre-workout formulas— RAW Essential Pre Workout, Thavage, and Thuper Thavage.

Alpha-GPC

Short for Alpha-glyceryl phosphorylcholine, alpha-GPC is a naturally occurring choline compound found in the brain that enhances brain health by increasing a brain chemical called acetylcholine, which is crucial for focus and mind-muscle connection.

In athletes, studies show it can actually increase power output and growth hormone response to exercise. That means better performance and potentially better results from your training.

If you are looking for a pre-workout with Alpha-GPC, check out Thavage, Thuper Thavage or  RAW Essential Charged.

Creatine

While creatine is best known for its muscle-building properties, research suggests it can also have positive effects on cognitive function, potentially improving memory, reasoning, and reducing mental fatigue, making it extremely beneficial for mental focus as well. 

You can purchase creatine as a stand-alone supplement. It is also in several of our most popular pre-workout formulas. 

Caffeine (Anhydrous and Natural)

Caffeine is a classic focus enhancer for good reason. Both anhydrous and natural forms (like green coffee bean extract) of caffeine have been extensively studied for their effects on mental alertness and physical performance.

The main difference between the two is that anhydrous caffeine hits faster and harder, while natural caffeine tends to provide a smoother experience. But beyond just keeping you focused and alert, caffeine has been shown to improve strength, endurance, and even help you burn more fat during workouts.

Many of our stimulant pre-workouts contain either caffeine anhydrous or natural caffeine. For example, Thavage and Thuper Thavage both have anhydrous caffeine, while RAW Essential Pre Workout has natural caffeine.

Dynamine

Last but not least is Dynamine. This natural stimulant is found in certain types of tea and coffee beans and has many of the same neuro-energetic effects as caffeine, such as alertness and improved focus, except it kicks in much faster and has a shorter duration.

Those are great perks, but what makes Dynamine especially great for training is that studies show it seems to be able to quickly enhance focus and motivation without affecting your heart rate or blood pressure like some other stimulants.

Dynamine can also be seen as caffeine's best friend, because when combined with regular caffeine, as in RAW Essential Charged, the effects of both substances together can be greater than either one alone.

Dynamine is a newer nootropic ingredient, so it's not made its way into a ton of supplements yet; but luckily, you can find it in RAW Essential Charged, which also contains L-Tyrosine, caffeine anhydrous, and Theobromine, an alkaloid that is also believed to enhance cognition and has some neuroprotective properties.

We suggest you check out our entire pre-workout line, compare ingredient labels, and find the formula with benefits that best suit your performance needs. You can also read these articles if you need more guidance:

The Benefits of Pre-Workout Supplements

Discover the Best Pre-Workout Options for Maximum Performance 

Boost Your Workouts: The Benefits of High Stim Pre- Workout Supplements

Boost Your Stamina: Discovering the Best Pre-Workout for Endurance

Are Focus Supplements Safe?

When taken as directed, the ingredients above are considered safe and well-tolerated. However, you should always check with your doctor before taking any new supplements. 

There are scenarios where mental focus supplements might not be appropriate. For example, if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, or are sensitive to stimulants, ingredients like caffeine could pose risks. Those taking certain medications, particularly for mental health conditions or ADHD, should be cautious as some ingredients might interact with prescriptions.

Also, it's important to consider the manufacturer. Remember, the supplement industry is not regulated by the FDA, meaning companies aren't required to prove their products are safe or effective before putting them on the market. Some manufacturers might cut corners by using lower-quality ingredients or including unlisted substances.

To ensure you're getting safe, high-quality supplements, you should only take focus enhancing supplements from a reputable supplement company that prioritizes using quality ingredients and takes the extra step to have their products third-party tested, with certifications such as informed sport certification.

These certifications verify that what's on the label is actually in the product and that the supplements are free from banned substances– something especially important for competitive athletes.

Conclusion

Whether you're an athlete aiming for a big game or someone working toward their first pull-up, strengthening your mental game is, well, a game-changer. It could be the catalyst that transforms your performance from good to great.

Physical excellence isn't just about what your body can do – it's about how well your mind can direct it. By combining proper training techniques with the right cognitive support, you're not just training; you're training smarter (literally and figuratively.) 

What makes mental focus so fascinating is that it's both incredibly powerful and trainable. Unlike your height or natural muscle composition, mental focus is a skill you can develop. 

And in a world where everyone is chasing the next big breakthrough in performance, the most powerful tool might be the one you already possess: your focused mind. It probably just needs a little help to reach its full potential!

To explore our full line of pre-workout supplements that contain focus-enhancing ingredients, click here.