Can exercise really make you smarter?
It’s a philosophy that is nearly 2,000 years old, but now a groundbreaking experiment has set out to prove the virtues of ‘a sound mind in a sound body’ and the link between physical health and our mental performance.
At the end of the first century AD, the Roman poet Juvenal wrote (in Latin) orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano – you should pray for a healthy mind in a healthy body. That became, in time, Anima Sana In Corpore Sano or a sound mind in a sound body. This became the founding principle for Kihachiro Onitsuka when he created his sports apparel company ASICS.
In a bid to prove the wisdom of Juvenal, ASICS has carried out a unique Mind Games experiment inviting competitive gamers from around the world, specialising in mind games such as Chess and Esports and who rely on their cognitive function, to start an exercise programme. After four months of regular exercise, their minds were significantly sharpened and they performed at an even higher competitive level.
The ASICS results reveal that exercise can significantly improve cognitive function and advance mental performance. From boosting short-term memory to increasing concentration levels, exercise enhances brain power and could be the solution to helping us pass exams or excel at work.
Mind Games participants’ international gaming rankings improved by an incredible 75 percent proving, yet again, the close interplay between our mind and body, says ASICS.
The research shows exercise can be as effective at boosting brain function as learning a second language, daily reading, playing a new musical instrument or completing a puzzle every day.([i])
Professor Brendon Stubbs, a renowned researcher in movement and the mind, developed and led the experiment. Each gamer followed a training programme designed by runner turned international coach, Andrew Kastor.
The programme included medium impact cardio and strength training and increased the gamers exercise levels to 150 minutes a week.
Professor Stubbs measured the mental improvement of the participants based on their performance in their mind games, cognitive tests and wellbeing questionnaires over the course of their four-month research period.
Professor Stubbs said: “We all know that exercise is good for our mental and physical health but the impact on cognitive functioning has been less explored. We wanted to examine the effects of exercise on people who depend on their cognitive abilities – competitive mind gamers. Our results show significant improvements in their cognitive functioning, including concentration levels and problem-solving abilities.
“Exercise stimulates cell growth in the brain and rapidly increases blood flow to the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, mechanisms that enable us to better retain memories, process information and problem solve quickly. If exercise can significantly increase the mental performance of professional mind gamers, imagine what it could do for the rest of us. From increasing focus when revising for an exam or improving alertness before a work presentation, exercise truly can enhance brain power.”
As well as showing that exercise improved the participants cognitive function and gaming capabilities, Professor Stubbs also found that the gamers’ mental wellbeing was significantly uplifted, with average State of Mind scores improving by 31 percent.([ii])
The gamers’ average state of mind score at the start of the study was a below average 58 and at the end it was a high 76 ([iii]), demonstrating the significant impact exercise can also have on your mental wellbeing.
The study’s Head Coach, Andrew Kastor, who developed the gamers’ training programmes, stated: “These results are astonishing and speak to the power of exercise.
“Many of the gamers couldn’t jog for longer than a minute at the start of the study, so their training programmes had to be moderate. 150 minutes a week sounds a lot but when you break it down this could be 5 sets of 30 minutes. No matter your fitness levels, the mental benefits of exercise are accessible to all.”
Inspired by the experiment, a camera crew followed four competitive gamers as they took on regular exercise to improve their rankings on the international stage.
The result was a new ground-breaking documentary ‘Mind Games – The Experiment’, narrated by the internationally acclaimed actor, and mental health campaigner, Stephen Fry. Now available to stream on Prime Video, the feature-length film documents the journeys of four gamers – Kassa Korley, Ryoei Hirano, Ben Pridmore and Sherry Nhan – who specialise in Chess, Mahjong, Memory and Esports as they compete in professional tournaments around the world.
Watch the documentary trailer here.
Gary Raucher, EVP, ASICS EMEA said: “Our founding philosophy is literally in our name, Anima Sana In Corpore Sano or a Sound Mind in a Sound Body.
‘We have always encouraged utilising exercise for both physical and mental benefits, but this is the first time we have explored the true impact on cognitive functioning. Mind Games – The Experiment shows the power of exercise to sharpen the mind and we hope that after watching the documentary, everyone (regardless of their age, body type or fitness level) is inspired to move to help boost their brain.”
Mind Games – The Experiment is available to stream on Prime Video.
[i] Comparisons drawn from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/09567976221092726 and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6174231/ and https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2021.706672/full#:~:text=Bilingualism%20has%20been%20linked%20to,cognitive%20enhancement%20in%20older%20adults
[ii] ASICS proprietary State of Mind score is a rating out of 100 made up of 10 emotional and cognitive metrics, including: composure, resilience, positivity, contentment, relaxation, confidence, alertness, calmness, focus and energy.
[iii] After four months the groups state of mind score increased into the top 10% globally.
