In July, my daughter and I went snow skiing (yes, I did say July - southern hemisphere winter). During the week we skied, both of us took lots of lessons. My daughter because she is new to skiing and me because the last time I skied was 18 years ago! Those of you who ski know that the way one skis is different than it used to be because the design of the skis has changed. Easier in many ways once you embrace the differences!
Anyway, the instructor that I had said something that really stuck with me... and hence this article. He said "it takes 1000 repetitions of a movement to make it become automatic". If you are involved in a sport, performing art or other physically based pursuit, this will make a lot of sense to you. As a dancer and fitness instructor, I see this in action a lot. Rehearsing for a show, ideally one rehearses to the point where the body takes over on stage. If the movements are automatic, you can emotionally freeze up (stage fright), engage the audience or even think about other things and your body will do it anyway. When this happens, for me this feels as if my head has detached from my body and is having a great time!
So what is the point being made here? The brain makes new neural pathways for each new movement that we do. It grows much in the same way as when you play a mathematics game or do any new intellectual activity. Also, when you use these new physical movement skills in different ways, the brain has to develop ways to access these movements from memory and sequence them.
Given this, it stands to reason that doing not only exercises you enjoy but also a variety of exercises leads to better health and a more flexible brain at all life stages. After all, we insist our kids expose themselves to sports, games, math, music, languages, drama (ok, too long but you get the idea) to help them grow and develop!
So, let's say that you have a routine that has gotten you fit and you like it because it works within your life goals and restrictions. (Life can get in the way of one's fitness activities!) For example, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays you like to go for a run early in the morning. Tuesdays and Thursdays you work out with weights at home. It makes you feel good, you like it and you don't want to change. Don't! But how about "tweaking" your runs to include other things? Or incorporate different types of running, such as sprinting into your routine? In the case of your weight workout, how about varying the speed of each lift? Small changes seem simple enough, but my guess is your brain will resist at first - it will "feel" weird.
Now, let's look at the link between brain fitness and emotional well being. I think you will agree that brain health and emotional health are connected. I mean, how clearly do you think under extreme stress? Some years ago, I was seeing a psychotherapist because I felt I needed help coping with the stress of some life changes I was making. One of the things I learned is that an emotionally healthy person is flexible and less fearful of change. The more stressed or fearful we are the more we tend to try to control the situations we put ourselves into. Add this idea to the knowledge that we have of exercise improving mood and helping with depression (runner's high or whatever you want to name it) and what conclusions can we make?
*Moving your body builds new neural pathways.
*Physical movements build different neural pathways as do intellectual activities.
*Stress causes physical as well as emotional responses in the body and the brain.
*Exercising increases the feel good hormones in the body.
*Exercise helps with physical manifestations of emotions like sleep problems, lack of appetite and nervousness.
*A stressed or fearful person doesn't handle change well.
*The brain, like the body can become less flexible with age unless it is used (the old anecdote that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks").
*Physical activity improves mental acuity, emotional well being and brain flexibility.
My personal conclusion.... Adding or changing fitness activities or taking up new sports appears to be yet another way to keep our brains (and bodies) fitter, younger and help us be more confident when presented with stressors associated with life's challenges.
Studies reveal that most Americans engage in physical fitness only once in a while. Others don't even exercise at all. And yet, about a quarter are able to find time to go the gym and sweat it out to their heart's delight. How could they? It's easy to start a lifestyle of fitness. What's difficult is how to be consistent with it. Most people would spend money to enroll in gym memberships or buy those fitness equipment only to quit as soon as they start. Either they are too busy that they couldn no longer find time to keep it going or they quickly lose their interest due to lack of motivation. In order to stay motivated, try to set some fitness goals and write them on paper. Putting them down on paper gives them more weight than just saying things to yourself. be specific and realistic with your goals. Instead of telling yourself that ?I will start working out in a gym next week and build some muscles,? try writing it down in paper as ?I will start working out in a gym next week, 3 times a week, Monday...Wednesday...and Friday, after work.? Setting unrealistic goals may lead to disappointment and frustration. Exercise can give you a healthier body and add a certain glow, but it won't catch you a lover or turn you into a celebrity or supermodel. Setting aside a specific regular time for your fitness regimen is important to keep your enthusiasm going. The number one reason why most people, especially women, don't exercise is because they're too busy doing things for other people: their spouse, their kids, their boss. Make a plan or schedule for all the little stumbling blocks that usually get in the way and incorporate your time for exercise into your daily routine. Be sure to follow it and stick to it. Biking to work or taking a walk to do errands make a great deal in adding physical activity to your lifestyle. Treat exercise as a social event by joining a group or being with a workout buddy. Camaraderie helps in keeping the spirits up. Make family time a lot of fun by playing catch or kick with your kids, or swimming together in a lake or pool. Routine variations help, such as working on several activities during the week will help develop different sets of muscles and skills. While athletes do this for cross-training, one doesn't have to be in training to enjoy the benefits of mixing different sports, such as running, biking, and swimming.
When fatigue interferes with your desire to workout, something may be wrong with your eating habits. Eating small meals frequently throughout the day is much better than skipping a meal, say lunch, and then eat a big dinner. Starving yourself affects your brain and leads to fatigue. However, eating too much at once slows your metabolism and makes you feel sloppy. On the other hand, eating frequently keeps your blood sugar level constant and maintains your energy level up. High-protein and high-fiber foods such as nuts and fruit are a good snack to give yourself a boost. Treat yourself with rewards whenever you complete a cycle of your schedule, say every month, buy yourself something to encourage you for your effort. Some experts suggest putting a small amount of money in a jar every time you work out. At the end of the year, use your collected cash to buy something just for you. Being consistent helps you become motivated. And the more you exercise, the easier it gets. Building more strength helps muscles develop more mitochondria, the cell parts that turn sugar into energy. The more mitochondria you have, the harder you can exert yourself. You also increase the number of capillaries which helps the oxygen flow to your muscles to provide more energy. As you continue being faithful with your schedule and goals, the changes may not be visible at once. Most of these bodily changes are invisible but they are happening and are important in laying the groundwork for a strong, healthy physique. As the clich? goes, ?no pain, no gain.? Stick to it and you will soon realize that everything will fall into its proper places.
Both Ainsley Laing & Monch Bravante are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Ainsley Laing has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Aerobics and Fitness. About the Author:Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 27 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. She is also a professional engineer and mo. Ainsley Laing's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.
Monch Bravante has sinced written about articles on various topics from Abortion, Other Conditions and Health. Choose Variety of High Quality Medicines at ">Online Medicines Enjoyed Reading this article? More here:. Monch Bravante's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.