Many athletes underestimate the importance of the brain-muscle connection during training. However, this is an important factor in the effectiveness of your training. The fact that sports activities contribute to the improvement of the whole organism is already known to everyone. After numerous studies, we can say with confidence that physical activity has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the brain. Today we will talk about how the brain and training in bodybuilding are interconnected.
Impact of training on personal success
Over the past decade, scientists have conducted a large number of studies aimed at studying the relationship between the brain and training in bodybuilding and other sports disciplines. Today we can say with confidence that even a short cardio session has a great effect on the brain and other body systems.
During the training, the heartbeat and blood flow increase, and the thinking becomes clear and clear. For example, in one experiment in which the subjects took a short bike ride of half an hour, they were able to pass cognitive tests after that much faster than they did before the start of the lesson. Also, scientists noted that the positive effect lasted about an hour. They attribute this fact to improved brain nutrition.
Also, do not discount the fact that during training, a large number of various chemical substances enter the brain, contributing to the improvement of its activity. In particular, scientists have noted an improvement in memory when playing sports. Physical activity accelerates the synthesis of important hormones such as serotonin (mood hormone), dopamine, norepinephrine, etc. Scientists are confident that due to an increase in the concentration of neurotransmitters in the tissues of the brain, a person feels much better.
All the muscles involved in the work signal the brain and contribute to a change in hormonal levels. This leads to an acceleration in the production of neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the main task of which is to regulate learning and mood, as well as to accelerate the growth of brain cells. Scientists often refer to this substance as "brain fertilizer." This is due to the fact that without it, the brain is unable to receive new information and create cells.
In one experiment, the brains of exercising people were scanned for 60 minutes, three times a day for a week. As a result, scientists have noted an increase in the size of the hippocampus. This region of the brain is notable for the fact that it controls human memory and learning.
Another experiment proved that the activities of the subjects were more productive by about 25 percent precisely on the days when they conducted training sessions. The women took the tests 20 percent faster after exercising on the treadmill than they did before the training.
It is also necessary to say that the previously popular opinion that brain cells are not able to repair has been refuted. Many studies have shown that the human brain is very flexible and can change under the influence of various stimuli, including the ability to recover.
Effects of training on athletes' mood
Scientists have proven that training can not only improve cognitive function, but also reduce stress. This fact, as well as the influence of endorphins, can cause a person to become addicted to training, which can be considered a positive factor. In the United States, a study was conducted in which subjects after a twenty-minute bike ride reported a dramatic improvement in mood. The duration of these changes was 12 hours. Thus, the body's ability to synthesize euphoric substances during training is scientifically proven fact.
Numerous studies confirm the positive effects of exercise on people under stress. First, this was proven on the example of rats, and then in experiments with humans.
How often and how hard should you exercise?
For many athletes, the issue of exercise frequency and intensity is very important. Scientists, based on the results of their research, are confident that half an hour of cardio exercises three times a week is enough to have a positive effect on the brain.
The intensity of the training is also a very important factor that should always be kept in mind. Studies have found that high-intensity training has a better effect on the brain. This is due to the powerful release of adrenaline, domafine, and BDNF.
In addition, the question arises about the advisability of changing the training program. After all, the body adapts to any external conditions. Scientists are confident that cardio should be changed after a few months.
As you can see, most of the studies used cardio. However, we are more interested in the relationship between the brain and training in bodybuilding. Scientists are confident that power loads have a similar effect on the human brain. There have been several studies in which subjects used strength training. As a result, an increase in the rate of assimilation of new information was noted. It is also believed that it is best to combine cardio with strength training. This will make it possible to produce more positive effects on the brain in comparison with certain types of stress.
Now you can be one hundred percent sure that while doing your favorite bodybuilding you are improving not only your body, but also your brain. People involved in sports are often more successful in various spheres of human life. This fact has also been confirmed in the course of scientific research and opinion polls.
For more information on the relationship between the brain and training, see this video:
