There’s no doubt that resistance training makes you look better in a pair of jeans or a tank top but can it also make you smarter and improve your memory? That would certainly be an added bonus. It appears that simply being an athlete offers advantages when it comes to cognition, brain processing speed and reaction time.
A study carried out at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, found that athletes have some cognitive advantages over more sedentary people. They’re able to react more quickly to changes in their environment, see things better in their peripheral vision, have better reaction times and perform better on tasks that involve short-term memory and quick decision making. The question is whether athletes already have these natural abilities, which drives them to the sports world or whether they develop greater cognitive skills by participating in athletics.
Resistance Training and Cognitive Function
Research has already shown the cognitive benefits of aerobic exercise and there’s even evidence that it enhances creativity. One way aerobic workouts improve brain function is by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that stimulates the growth of new nerve cells and enhances the ability of existing ones to form connections with other. This helps you process information faster and more efficiently.
But it’s not just aerobic exercise that appears to have cognitive benefits. There’s evidence that resistance training benefits your brain as well. At least seven randomized, controlled research trials show that resistance training improves cognitive function in older adults, including their ability to perform memory-related tasks.
In one study, older adults were assigned to 12 months of resistance training classes or classes that emphasized balance and stretching exercises. Another group did neither. All the groups took tests of “executive function” that measured their ability to process information, react to stimuli quickly and alter their behavior based on what they see or hear. The group that resistance trained showed improvements in executive function while the balance and stretching group and the control group didn’t. None of the groups participated in any kind of aerobic training, so resistance training seems to have benefits all its own.
Resistance Training Boosts Mental Health Too
Feeling the effects of stress? Resistance training can help. According to IDEA Fitness, at least seven studies show “pumping iron” relieves stress and anxiety. Two studies compared resistance training using heavy weights with training using lighter weights, more of a muscular endurance type workout. In these studies, the latter was more beneficial for easing anxiety. Combine that with the endorphins released by aerobic exercise. Then add a few yoga sessions and you have a formula for naturally reducing stress and anxiety. No wonder most people feel more “at peace” after a workout!
What about the long-term health of your brain? Resistance training helps here too. One study involving 86 older women with mild cognitive dysfunction, the group that lifted weights scored better on cognitive performance tests than those that did balance exercises. Even more surprising is they experienced greater cognitive improvement than the group that trained aerobically.
The Bottom Line?
The best prescription for cognitive function and brain health might be a combination of resistance training and aerobics, but don’t relegate resistance training to the back seat when it comes to the health of your brain. It’s just as important to work your muscles as it is your cardiovascular system. Don’t forget the other benefits of resistance training – better bone health, a more favorable body composition, more resistance to injury and greater functional fitness. Now you have even more reasons to flex your muscles. Take advantage of this natural way to improve the health of your brain.
References:
Nature Reviews Neuroscience 9, 58-65 (January 2008) | doi:10.1038/nrn2298.
Creativity Research Journal, 17(2&3), 257-264.
Physiol Behav. 2011 Oct 24;104(5):934-41. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.06.005. Epub 2011 Jun 23.
IDEA Health and Fitness Association. “Resistance Training Benefits Mind and Body”
Arch. Intern. Med. 2012 Apr 23: 172(8): 666-8.
Prev Med. 2001 Nov;33(5):503-13.
Medical News Today. “Elite Athletes Also Excel at Some Cognitive Tasks”
