Can Aerobics Make You Smarter?

[nemorathwald]

This article in Men's Health points to studies linking 30 minutes of aerobic excercise three times a week to mental performance. This is the first time in my life I've ever been seriously tempted to excercise. I doubt that thirty minutes of jogging would cause me very much discomfort; that's point one. If I got an .MP3 player and listened to podcasts (and especially a voice recorder with clip microphone), I could avoid the boredom that has always deterred me from excercising; that's point two. But as with any endeavor, it's not the cost but the benefit that entices, and in this case that's now point three. I have no shortage of ideas, only a shortage of time in which to implement them, but this article describes how that ratio is somehow paradoxically improved by spending a little time on cardio. The description of excercise as making me less distracted is tantalizing. I've never sat there thinking "if only I were more intelligent and creative," but hey, I don't think there's too much of a good thing where these are concerned. What more might I acheive? I certainly don't need to get smarter, but I might benefit from being more "focused" or perhaps even more "driven." Is excercise the key to fame and fortune? I'm sure I can get an OK pair of tennis shoes and a sweatsuit at the thrift store. Hmmm... maybe I'll do this.

Comments

Wonderful idea!

[cosette-valjean.livejournal.com]

We could go walking around the neighborhood right after you get home. As long as you walk fast enough it counts as cardio. They would be great for me too. I've been thinking of ways to get exercise without spending money. Swimming is my favorite form but it will have to be walking. As you know I don't like to go walking alone. Don't worry. I won't need to talk. Besides....if we are doing it right talking will be somewhat difficult.

Re: Wonderful idea!

[matt-arnold.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't say it'll cost no money. Just not every time. For starters, I'll need to own a pair of tennis shoes. I'll also need to find a way to automatically hotsync podcasts to my handheld computer, unless I am to go mad. Boredom-prevention software might cost money.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

I'm not surprised, since exercise promotes good blood flow, and good blood flow has to be good for the brain.

finding something active you actually enjoy is usually the only way you'll stick with regular exercise. I enjoy walking and water aerobics and yoga, so I stick with them. I dont' enjoy weight-training as much, so while I know it's good for me, I have a harder time sticking to a regular schedule with that.

[matt-arnold.livejournal.com]

"finding something active you actually enjoy is usually the only way you'll stick with regular exercise."

If so, that's a problem. I've examined many candidates and haven't found one yet. I was kind of hinging the entire plan on multi-tasking something else that I enjoy.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

That helps, too. I like walking on the treadmill and reading a magazine, or walking with my husband and talking, or doing the walk somewhere pretty so I can nature-watch as well.

[amanda_lodden.livejournal.com]

You can make it "enjoyable" by tying it to something else that you actually find enjoyable, especially if you limit the times you do the actually-enjoyable thing to the times you exercise.

I started mall walking in the winter when taking the dog to the park just stopped being feasible. I took along my MP3 player, loaded with good songs I hadn't heard in a while, and it was actually kinda fun. Then I burned some CDs for the car that had a lot of those songs on it, and I walk a lot less. It's not that walking has become more boring (cuz let's face it, it was pretty boring to start with), it's that the one thing I looked forward to about walking is no longer special to walking.

[zifferent.livejournal.com]

One word...

Bicycles.

Because they go real fast with that zippy-wind-in-the-hair-type thing, and you've never looked more dorky than when you dress in head-to-toe purple and black spandex and an ugly half shell helmet.

Actually, I really do like bicycling, but I don't take myself too seriously. Although too much spandex is not a laughing matter.

[matt-arnold.livejournal.com]

I used to bicycle to work every day in college, and it made my legs incredibly buffed at the time. However, I question the safety of wearing earbuds while piloting a vehicle.

BTW

[thefile.livejournal.com]

I've found swordstudies to be aerobic. ...and a lot of fun, too. Most definately NOT boring.

Re: BTW

[matt-arnold.livejournal.com]

There are some who keep trying to get me involved in that. I even had the opportunity to do it in exchange for labor instead of money. I don't do it because: 1. I don't like being struck with objects, and 2. I don't want to have to learn it. I definitely would not be able to pay attention to a James Patrick Kelley audiobook on earbuds while swordfighting.

[drkelso.livejournal.com]

And that is why Arizona is nice. Mountain biking to the base of a real big hill and then walking up to the top. Both involve the wilderness so having headphones on isn't much of a problem. And having to watch your step to keep from twisting your ankle on rocks the size of your foot keeps the boredom away.

[brendand.livejournal.com]

D.D.R.

[matt-arnold.livejournal.com]

N.O.T.

[brendand.livejournal.com]

Did you really not enjoy it? I thought you liked it well enough. Of course, it takes time to get really good. I'm still a long way off...

[matt-arnold.livejournal.com]

It's not the first time I've played it, and won't be the last. I'm not going to play it often enough to form an excercise program, though.