Brain-Body Intelligence

I am about mid way through the evidence-packed book The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science (James H. Silberman Books) by Norman Doidge. It is a recommended resource from my Z Health Certification that has really opened my eyes to how moldable (plastic) the brain truly is. Doidge sifts through tale after tale of amazing changes people have made in their health, mobility and intelligence after reworking their once-thought-stale brain. So how this relate to physical fitness?

Most of us are a little stupid when we first pick up a kettlebell. We don't automatically know how to fluidly swing, clean or snatch it? The bell bounces around, landing hard on bone or soft, venerable tissue. I personally spent the first 2 months with bruises on my forearms trying to get the form exactly right. (I wasn't smart enough at the time to put on wrist bands). Little did I know that I was on my way through the 3 Stages of Motor Learning, the link between brain and movement:

1. Cognitive: 1-1000 Reps (Thinking about the steps)
2. Association: 1,000-10,000 Reps (Practicing but not thinking as much)
3. Autonomous: 100,000-300,000 Reps (Automatic, without thought)

Now, after doing countless numbers of these exercises, I am proficient to the point of doing them without thought.

Not everyone is going to go through the stages at the same rate. As Dr. Eric Cobb explained to us, a natural will learn faster. And doing drills that enhance body control and awareness such as Z Health, can cut the time by 50-60%.

I recently worked with a client, Ray Liotta, who pitches for the Kansas City Royals baseball team. After warming up with about 20 pitches, we practiced drills such as toe pulls, hip circles and thoracic mobility. After each drill he pitched about 20 more balls. Each time, he felt himself get more flexible and in control than the last. We finished with an full-body Neural Warm-up and Eye Drills and he was feeling better than he had in over a year.

To put it in a nutshell, just by concentrating on how his joints were moving while doing Z, Ray was able to carry that over into his sport and excel. The brain/joint/movement link in real life.

So if movement practice works on our physical state, how do we get our brains in shape?

The closer I get to giving birth, the more I recall how dumb I felt after my first born. I don't know if it is hormones or distraction that does it but it is like aliens have sucked out all the smarts and locked them in a chest until the first 6 months have passed. So, with the reading of The Brain That Changes Itself, I have wanted to find more ways to avoid this loss. Below is a short article that I came across to do just that:

The following article was first published at SharpBrains.com.

The Ten Habits of Highly Effective Brains

1. Learn what is the "It" in "Use It or Lose It". A basic understanding will serve you well to appreciate your brain's beauty as a living and constantly-developing dense forest with billions of neurons and synapses.

2. Take care of your nutrition. Did you know that the brain only weighs 2% of body mass but consumes over 20% of the oxygen and nutrients we intake? As a general rule, you don't need expensive ultra-sophisticated nutritional supplements, just make sure you don't stuff yourself with the "bad stuff".

3. Remember that the brain is part of the body. Things that exercise your body can also help sharpen your brain: physical exercise enhances neurogenesis.

4. Practice positive, future-oriented thoughts until they become your default mindset and you look forward to every new day in a constructive way. Stress and anxiety, no matter whether induced by external events or by your own thoughts, actually kills neurons and prevent the creation of new ones. You can think of chronic stress as the opposite of exercise: it prevents the creation of new neurons.

5. Thrive on Learning and Mental Challenges. The point of having a brain is precisely to learn and to adapt to challenging new environments. Once new neurons appear in your brain, where they stay in your brain and how long they survive depends on how you use them. "Use It or Lose It" does not mean "do crossword puzzle number 1,234,567". It means, "challenge your brain often with fundamentally new activities".

6. We are (as far as we know) the only self-directed organisms in this planet. Aim high. Once you graduate from college, keep learning. The brain keeps developing, no matter your age, and it reflects what you do with it.
7. Explore, travel. Adapting to new locations forces you to pay more attention to your environment. Make new decisions, use your brain.

8. Don't Outsource Your Brain. Not to media personalities, not to politicians, not to your smart neighbour... Make your own decisions, and mistakes. And learn from them. That way, you are training your brain, not your neighbour's.

9. Develop and maintain stimulating friendships. We are "social animals", and need social interaction. Which, by the way, is why 'Baby Einstein' has been shown not to be the panacea for children development.

10. Laugh. Often. Especially to cognitively complex humor, full of twists and surprises. Better, try to become the next Jon Stewart (Note: I just corrected his name from "John"...which may call for a #11: Spellcheck!)

Now, remember that what counts is not reading this article-or any other-, but practicing a bit every day until small steps snowball into unstoppable, internalized habits...so, pick your next battle and try to start improving at least one of these 10 habits today!


Call 910.231.5011 or email shawn@headstrongathletics.com for more information on our group kettlebell boot camps in Wilmington, NC.