CONCENTRATION GRID

Home  >  Tools + Techniques  >  Concentration Grid

Concentration Word Grid Instructions for Use:

The objective of this exercise is to find the matching word in each column as quickly as possible.

1. Start a timer.

2. Using only your eyes (no finger or pen pointing), find the number and letter that identifies the location of the word in the grid and mark it (mentally or by using a pen if you print it out).

3. Continue to find and mark each word in ascending order (1A, 2D, 3B, and so on) until you have identified the location of all of the words.

4. Stop the timer when you find the last number.

5. Record your time.

The goal is to improve your time with practice, which enhances focus, concentration, and mental power. For an added challenge, you can also choose to find the words in alphabetical order (starting with BUS at 1C).

Link for Concentration Number Grid

Concentration Grid:

Besides focus, the grid exercise for athletes offers several other significant cognitive benefits, including improved visual attention, processing speed, decision-making, and mental resilience. 

Key benefits include:

  • Enhanced Visual Attention and Tracking: The exercise requires athletes to quickly scan and locate numbers in sequence, which sharpens visual search and tracking skills. These skills are crucial in sports for tracking the ball, opponents, and teammates.

  • Faster Information Processing: Repeated practice with the grids trains the brain to process visual information more efficiently, leading to improved reaction times and quicker mental processing.

  • Improved Decision-Making: By challenging the athlete to find numbers in a specific order rapidly, the exercise implicitly trains the ability to make quick, sequential decisions under pressure, a skill directly transferable to in-game situations.

  • Increased Working Memory and Learning: The exercise involves remembering the location of numbers previously scanned and integrating new information, which strengthens memory and learning processes.

  • Cognitive Flexibility: Variations of the exercise (e.g., counting by evens, odds, or in reverse) challenge the brain to adapt to new rules and patterns, enhancing cognitive flexibility and adaptability during play.

  • Stress Management and Mental Resilience: The exercise can serve as an emotional coping tool. Practicing the grid under distractions (like music or noise) helps athletes learn to manage anxiety, stay composed under pressure, and "reboot" their brain when distracted or stressed, building mental toughness.

  • Increased Self-Awareness: Athletes can become more aware of their own patterns of thinking, feeling, and physiological responses to stress (e.g., when they start to "space out" or get frustrated), allowing them to better manage their mental state during competition.

  • Reduced Mental Fatigue: Regular cognitive training helps athletes maintain peak performance levels for longer durations by potentially reducing the onset of mental fatigue.