This study examined the effects of attentional focus on race walking performance. Sixteen experienced race walkers, eight males and eight females, were randomly assigned to walk four separate half-mile segments on a quarter-mile track under specific sets of instructions. Two sets of instructions were externally oriented and two were internally oriented. The internally oriented instructions included a set asking the subjects to focus on cadence (the number of steps taken in a designated period of time) and a set asking them to focus on stride length (the distance covered in a single step). The externally oriented instructions asked subjects to use a dissociative strategy. Although no overall difference was found between internal and external focus, results indicated that the focus on cadence was superior to both the external focus, p<.05, and a focus on stride length, p<.05. No significant differences between the stride length focus and the external focus were found. These results are discussed in terms of the importance of using an internal focus that is beneficial.