Cognified Fitness

One of the next big trends in fitness is combined physical-cognitive training. Older adults in the United States and abroad are concerned about staying mentally sharp and avoiding dementia as they age, while younger populations are eager to get an “edge” on their competitors (sports or business) and are now more aware than ever of the benefits of training their minds as well as their bodies. Others just want to be able to “gamify” their exercise programming to make it more fun and engaging. Here are just a few fun low-tech ways to start introducing cognitive load into your exercise programs. Dual-tasking Dual-tasking occurs when a person is asked to perform a physical activity and an unrelated cognitive task at the same time. For example, walking while counting backwards by 7s; performing repetitions of a resistance exercise while naming words that start with the letter “F”; or solving basic math problems while riding a stationary bike. During these activities, the brain is being nourished with blood, oxygen, glucose and other positive neurotrophins that can enhance cognitive performance. Several studies show that dual-tasking can improve cognitive performance in some populations, even when cognitive tasks are performed following aerobic exercise (Karssemeijer et al., 2017; Bamidis et al., 2014). However, a key element seems to be that the exercise must be performed at a moderate-to-vigorous intensity. Exercise Flow Drill There are many different aspects to memory including immediate and delayed recall, which can be challenged by giving a sequence of movements or tasks that the individual must perform in the same manner and in the same order. The movements can be demonstrated without verbal cueing or can be verbally described, or both. A series may include three to eight movements, which can be given all at once or built upon the previous […]

Click here to view full article