Spark!
While attending our CrossFit Kids Certification last February, Amy and I learned of a book entitled, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey, M.D. This book takes a fascinating look at the mind-body connection showing startling new research that proves that exercise is our first line of defense against so many illnesses: depression, ADHD, addiction, Alzheimer's - the list goes on. By explaining that our brains function just as muscles do, inactivity leads to decline. In other words, our brains wither much like our muscles would due to lack of activity. He explains that exercise actually "sparks" new brain-cell growth by supercharging your mental circuits to beat stress, elevate your mood and boost memory.
The first chapter of the book takes us to Naperville Central High School in western Chicago where a P.E. teacher, Neil Duncan, introduces an intense exercise program called Zero Hour P.E. to students struggling with academics. Tomorrow, I'll highlight the results of this program but I'll bet that you can guess that these students' grades didn't suffer...
Good for the body, good for the brain
11 Comments:
WOD A 135#- 6:02
Stop Sign Run- 5:49
– Otto on July 26th, 2010 at 11:57 am
Workout at 95 lbs.- 5:49
Run- 5:40
– Lauren on July 26th, 2010 at 11:58 am
WOD A 185#: 4:33
Run: 4:53
– Tom M. on July 26th, 2010 at 11:59 am
WOD at 155 lbs- 5:14
Run- 5:17
– Alex on July 26th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Great day today got my first Muscle UP!!!!!!!!!!
WOD as Rx- 4:48 down 1:21 from 6/29
Run 5:03
– Tank on July 26th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
WOD 115# 6:09
Row 1000m - 4:55
– Carol B. on July 26th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Beach workout with my sister Sarah and Neil. Gymnastics warm up, followed by 5 rounds: 15 goblet squats 53/35, 15 DB PP 30/15, 15 sit ups.
Amy - 7:09
Neil - 9:21
Sarah - 10:19
Beach is awesome!!
– She Who Must Be Obeyed on July 26th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
WOD:
4:14 at 225#. Shaved 40 seconds and added 30 pounds from a month ago.
4:48 for the stop sign run. That uphill is killer.
– yogadude on July 26th, 2010 at 3:31 pm
WOD as Rx: 3:41
18 sec. improvement from June 29th
Run: 4:49
– Jesse on July 26th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
WOD as Rx: 6:09
Weight was good, burpees still tough, but I’m doing them right (no more bodybuilder crap)
Run wasn’t as bad as I expected-still around 7 mins.
Ryan doesn’t remember his time for WOD, but it was under 5 minutes as RX.
– Cassidy on July 26th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
WOD as RX: 5:36. 12 second improvement. Run was sad, I stopped for a few breaks…6:14.
– B-vo on July 26th, 2010 at 10:49 pm