Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights_ - Alex Hutchinson [100]
Although it takes time to rewire your brain, you can tap into some of exercise’s brain-boosting benefits almost instantly. In 2009, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign put 21 volunteers through a set of tests to assess working memory (the ability to remember something and then retrieve it for use a short time later) immediately after a 30-minute session of either aerobic or resistance exercise, and then repeated the tests half an hour later. The aerobic exercisers improved their reaction time on the post-exercise test and improved it even more on the second test; the strength trainers, on the other hand, were no different from controls who hadn’t exercised at all. These findings apply only to the specific working memory task that was tested, but they suggest that the mental benefits of aerobic exercise start right away.
There are also indications that more (or harder) exercise produces greater cognitive gains. Another 2009 study, from Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University, found that mice forced to run on a treadmill made greater cognitive gains than mice that ran at leisure on an exercise wheel (though both groups did improve). But there are limits. Extreme exertion like running a marathon generates stress hormone levels comparable to those seen in military interrogations and first-time parachute jumpers, which can interfere with some mental processes. Researchers tested 141 runners immediately after they completed the Boston or New York marathons and found that their “explicit memory,” which answers questions like “What happened an hour ago?,” was impaired. On the other hand, their “implicit memory,” measured by the ability to complete partial words, was enhanced.
New results in this area continue to be published on a regular basis, so it won’t be long before we’re able to say with certainty why the extreme stress of a marathon helps some mental processes and hurts others, or which particular exercise-produced growth factors are key to generating new brain cells. For now, the advice is simple: keep doing all the exercise that’s recommended for a healthy cardiovascular system, and you’ll get a mental edge as a bonus.
CHEAT SHEET: MIND AND BODY
• Mental fatigue causes a reduction in physical performance, which suggests that exhaustion is controlled by the brain’s perception of effort rather than the body’s failure.
• The most productive training is “deliberate practice,” which involves setting goals, monitoring progress, and focusing on technique rather than mindlessly repeating drills.
• Responses to music are highly personal, though there are some general patterns (faster music makes you work harder). Watching video is so distracting that it may lead you to slack off.
• Once you’ve mastered skills, whether it’s golf putting or darts, focusing too much on the details can lead to choking.
• Swearing or imagining yourself doing something evil taps into feelings of aggression that enhance physical performance.
• Prolonged physical exercise causes the release of endorphins, which can lead to runner’s high—and exercise addiction.
• Training with a group leads to greater endorphin production, which enhances pleasure and performance. About a third of people prefer working out alone.
• Exercise makes you smarter and improves your memory, starting immediately. Aerobic exercise is more effective than strength training, and the harder the better.
Chapter 12
The Competitive Edge
WHEN ALLEN IVERSON WAS CRITICIZED for missing practice after the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated from the National Basketball Association playoffs in 2002, he lashed out at reporters. “We’re talking about practice,” he said. “Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it’s my