Dr. Noah Dean delivers his speech, Avoiding Gimmicks in Health and Fitness, Friday at the Huffines Discussion at Rudder Theatre.

People are often told that the key to a successful performance is focusing, but the real stickler is focusing on the right thing, said Jacques Dallaire, an exercise physiology expert who works with professional athletes and entertainers who want to be the best in their business.

"The issue is not focusing harder," he said. "It's focusing correctly."

Dallaire was one of eight speakers Friday at the second annual Huffines Discussion who gave 15-minute presentations on their expertise in the field of sports medicine.

The event was organized by the Texas A&M Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance, a group aiming to connect exercise scientists, practitioners and the public in hopes of increasing health.

Giving an example of when focusing can be used the wrong way, Dallaire pointed to basketball players who miss shots because they're thinking about the previous shot they missed.

"If you want the results to be as good as possible, stop thinking about the results," he said. "Be the boss of your own mind. Choose to exercise that control and direct your focus correctly."

Topics weren't just limited to sports and sports medicine, but appealed to anyone with a general interest in health or fitness and were meant to help people in their everyday lives, said Tim Lightfoot, a professor of kinesiology and institute director.

Wendy Kohrt, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado, gave advice about keeping bones strong to prevent osteoporosis -- a condition typically diagnosed in older people who have lost bone density, causing their bones to become weak and easily fractured.

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Huffines Discussion fostering healthy dialogue through event