
How Exercise Can Strengthen the Brain - wallflower
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/how-exercise-can-strengthen-the-brain
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jacques_chester
> More immediately, Dr. Davis speculates, re-energized brain cells could
> behave like mitochondrial-drenched muscle cells, becoming more resistant to
> fatigue and, since bodily fatigue is partly mediated by signals from the
> brain, allowing you to withstand more exercise.

This corresponds with the experience of sports scientists and coaches: more
highly adapted athletes can withstand more training; and indeed more training
is required to disrupt homeostasis in order to create further adaptation.

But it's a diminishing process. A beginning trainee can get strong with 3
sessions, 45 minutes a week, and get linear gains in every single session. An
elite-level weightlifter can find themselves spending 6 months on a
complicated program to add 5kg to their maximum singles.

~~~
skittles
I've heard of a study that showed that the first set of a strength-building
exercise (like bench-pressing) gives one something like 85% of the benefit
possible for the session. The 2nd set gets the lifter up into the mid 90s. A
3rd set has almost no affect on overall fitness. More sets risk negative
returns. I took that knowledge and started doing one-set per lift (actually
one warm-up set with about 50% of the weight I intended to lift followed by
the real set). I had positive results while spending much less time and
effort.

~~~
scott_s
The fact that strength athletes do not follow this regime - powerlifters,
Olympic-style weightlifters, strong-man and bodybuilders - should give you
pause. What should give you further pause is that people who use strength
training as a supplement to their main sport also don't follow this regime.

~~~
skittles
I was talking about getting into shape, not competing in the Olympics. If you
could get into good shape doing one hard set per lift, wouldn't that make more
sense than spending 2 to 3 times the effort in the gym? It's all about goals.
I don't lift weights to get huge or compete in anything. I lift for functional
strength and weight loss. Others may benefit from knowing that they don't have
to spend an hour or more in the gym to get impressive results.

~~~
Mvandenbergh
Yes, that would make sense. Take into account though that for many people most
of their gym time is overhead, especially if they don't have equipment at
home. A large % of time is taken up by getting to and from the gym, getting
changed, taking a shower, setting up the right weights on the bar and doing
warm-ups, cool-downs & stretching. Because of this, adding an extra set
doesn't mean that you'll take 2-3 times as long in total. Determining whether
the faster gains you get from doing the additional sets are worth the marginal
time depends on a number of factors. If you have plenty of time available for
workouts, then do the 2-3 sets and reach your goals faster, if your time is
extremely constrained, then the extra 20 minutes per workout might not be
worth it

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brildum
For those who are interested in exercise but haven't enjoyed it in the past
(running, swimming, lifting weights can be boring), I'd recommend rock-
climbing.

Four months ago I joined a rock-climbing gym and I've really enjoyed it. Its a
good workout, but its also a mental challenge. Each route up the wall can be
completed in different ways, so it takes a bit of problem solving to determine
the best way to finish a route.

~~~
Psyonic
I've been considering getting into rock-climbing, but I'm concerned that
reliance on a partner will make it hard to go. Has this been a problem for
you? If so, what have you done to deal with it? You can boulder by yourself,
yes?

~~~
brildum
Yes, you can boulder by yourself (I find bouldering more fun anyways). Most
gyms have sign up sheets to connect solo climbers with others. Even better,
when you sign up at a gym you'll probably receive guest passes, take a friend
some time and they'll probably want to sign up themselves because its so fun.
My group has increased from 2 to 4 over the last few months.

EDIT: For those who are unaware of the climbing terms, here are some brief
descriptions:

Bouldering: Climbing solo, with no gear, usually up a wall ~8-12 ft (with mats
below, in case you fall). These routes are usually tougher focus more on
technique/strength rather than endurance.

Top-Roping: Climbing with a partner (one climber, one belayer), both partners
must have the proper gear and tie in to the ropes in order to climb. These
routes are usually 20-50ft and require a good deal of endurance to reach the
top.

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tryitnow
Apparently, aerobic exercise has been shown to have a positive effect on
mental performance: [http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/what-sort-of-
exerci...](http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/what-sort-of-exercise-can-
make-you-smarter/)

I don't know of any studies showing that anaerobic (e.g. weight lifting) can
have a similar effect.

My ideal workout regimen would incorporate both. My actual regimen is just
going for a 10 minute walk then coming back to read HN. Damn you HN, why are
you so interesting!

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toblender
Shouldn't all jocks be Einsteins?

All jokes aside, exercise reduces stress. Which can really affect your mental
performance. I found that when I was working out consistently my academic
scores were higher.

My number one tip to people going into university is to find time to workout 3
times a week to balance out the stress.

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jamesbkel
I've never really had any issues with stress, so I can't speak to that.
However, somewhat related, I found daily exercise (more intense on some days,
but at least something every day) did a lot to improve my sleep. In turn that
made me much more effective when awake.

~~~
seanalltogether
Same, working out every morning caused my body to fall into very predictable
patterns around eating, sleeping, etc... I think most of all I appreciated
leveling off my body. Using a mouse and keyboard all day would put certain
stresses on certain muscles, but after 2 months of lifting weights the
localized soreness went away.

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tsuru
Rule #1 in Brain Rules, <http://brainrules.net/the-rules>

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sayemm
Cool article, this reminds me of how the memory championships mentioned in
Joshua Foer's book "Moonwalking With Einstein"
([http://www.amazon.com/Moonwalking-Einstein-Science-
Rememberi...](http://www.amazon.com/Moonwalking-Einstein-Science-Remembering-
Everything/dp/159420229X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317239250&sr=8-1)) all
workout and watch their personal fitness in order to optimize their mental
performance. Gary Kasparov used to also exercise a lot too prior to chess
competitions.

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johnwatson11218
I just want to add that I found it very difficult to stay on the treadmill for
any amount of time due to boredom. I bought a treadmill for home ( Sole F80 -
very nice machine) and put a TV w/ cable and a dvd player in front of it. What
really keeps me going though is the Xbox 360 with multiplayer matches of Call
of Duty and a boom box w/ custom mixed CDs. I can get so immersed in that game
that I don't notice the 40 minutes to an hour of running.

~~~
wazoox
I run in the woods, and it's the best possible time to let my mind wander,
too. BTW I think it's probably bad in the long term to live in perpetual
visual stimulation, so maybe you should consider the good sides of "boredom".

~~~
johnwatson11218
I like to go mountain biking but I live in Phoenix, AZ. It gets so hot here
that it really isn't safe to exercise outdoors for several months out of the
year. Maybe early in the morning but I'm never up that early.

~~~
georgieporgie
I went mountain biking year round in Phoenix when I lived there, and I'm
terrible at getting up early. Fill up that Camelbak and you'll be fine. I also
cycled 15 miles to work on my road bike, on what turned out to be the hottest
of the prior several years (116, I rode in around 11am).

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Wolf_Larsen
This is a great podcast about exercise and the brain. Most interesting to me
is how exercise directly increases brain plasticity :

[http://brainsciencpodcast.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/brain-
sci...](http://brainsciencpodcast.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/brain-science-
podcast-33-exercise-and-the-brain/)

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angkec
I started mountain biking this April, and watched my entrepreneurial
performance grow. Before that I was miserable in the suburban Michigan, can't
get anything done. Now I'm vibrant and energetic.

I've just got my co-founder to buy a mountain bike so he can exercise enough
as well. We'll see how big an effect it has on him.

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100k
There is a book about the benefits of exercise on the brain. Studies have
found exercise to be useful for a lot of brain problems, everything from
dementia to depression. As the author puts it, if exercise could be put in a
pill it would be considered a miracle drug.

The writing style is a bit gee-wiz, but I actually learned some useful stuff
from the book.

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
[http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-
Exercise-B...](http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-
Brain/dp/0316113506)

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gtani
Anybody try controlled trial of vinpocetine or GPC-choline?

In meantime, play piano, meditate, bright lights

[http://www.sott.net/articles/show/216086-Mental-muscle-
six-w...](http://www.sott.net/articles/show/216086-Mental-muscle-six-ways-to-
boost-your-brain)

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zerostar07
Maybe it's good for Alzheimer's patients, but how does this affect everyday
situations. It's not like our neurons need to stretch and relax, so they need
more mitochondria. I wonder if they found any other alterations in brain
chemistry.

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ern
It will be interesting if the mice are subjected to behavioral testing over
time to see if the exercise-induced changes improve neurocognitive outcomes.
Hopefully they are working on that.

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keys1234
Solve a complex problem or just workout to keep your brain fit.

