Go for a run, and you will make yourself smarter.
Huh?
Well, that’s what this article in the New York Times says. There has been a lot of study about mental exercises and other ways to train your brain, but the conclusion in this article is that ‘exercise, the latest neuroscience suggests, does more to bolster thinking than thinking does.’
OK, the science is largely based on studies done to lab animals. And even though high school students may feel like lab rats some of the time, you are not animals. (Most of you are not, anyway. It’s hard to be certain. But let’s move on.) The science cited by the article is compelling; your brain works better when we exercise, and especially when we run. And since I’m a track coach, I’m going to focus on the running part!
Scientists tried a whole bunch of things with mice: Different kinds of food, mental games, nice environment, video games (OK I’m kidding about the video games. The mice started dominating at Call of Duty so they removed the video games from the experiment). Anyway, here is what they found. The mice loved the toys. The mice loved the food. But at the end of the day, what made the mice smarter?
“Only one thing had mattered, and that’s whether they had a running wheel.”
So, yea, Monta Vista, go study! And go for a run, too, to bulk up your brain!
Here is the article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/magazine/how-exercise-could-lead-to-a-better-brain.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2
