Fitspott

The "Brain Bike" - Perhaps Children Can Pedal Their Way To Straight A's?

                        

Fitspott can always count on Phil Lawler from PE4life.org to keep us up to date on the latest research detailing the link between exercise and learning. (aka Active Learning).

An exciting new piece of equipment that Phil was kind enough to share with us is called the "Brain Bike." The Brain Bike was developed by Brain Center America and combines a cardio workout with brain-stimulating exercises such as math problems, matching patterns and memory games, all on a computer screen attached to the bike.

The bike is being tested in Madison Junior High School, a school which resides in the Napperville School District. The Napperville School District received National attention over the past few years due to John Ratey's book Spark which detailed the amazing results (health, academic and behavioral) that exercise has had on their student body. (no pun intended)     

About The Brain Bike

"It's like getting a morning coffee ... you hop on the bike for a few minutes and you train your cardio, train your brain and it makes you more in the mood for learning new skills," said Stephane Bergeron, president of Brain Center America.

The program can help with 16 cognitive functions such as focus, memory, word skills, processing speed and arithmetic - and can be adjusted to help riders of almost any age. Among other possibilities, developers say the brain exercises can help business people stay on top of their game and riders of any age combat the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

As the biker gets more answers correct, the questions get progressively harder.

"What studies have shown in medicine is your brain behaves like a muscle," Bergeron said. "The more you flex your brain, the more you exercise it, the bigger it gets, the stronger it grows and it really changes physiologically."

He said recent research shows people can generate new brain cells and improve connectivity in the brain. The NeuroActive programs can increase brain function by 20 percent, he says, the same amount the average adult loses over a 10-year period.

In addition to being programmed into the bike's computer, software also is available for the typical home or office computer and even iPhones.

Image and Content Source: The Daily Herald (Chicago)

Perhaps we will read about success stories from the Brain Bike in a sequel by John Ratey, Spark 2? Either way we will be tracking the progress of the Brain Bike as well as other innovative Active Learning intiatives that are gaining momentum throughout the country.

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Spark - An Inspiring Book About How Exercise Can Improve Academic Performance

A Scary Statistic - Childhood Obesity Among AOL's Top Searches

 

The Family that Exercises Together, Stays Together!

Given the choice between a long walk in the country, and a session in front of the computer, playing games, most youngsters would opt for the latter.  Occasionally, chilling out with a computer game is no bad thing. When it becomes the only form of activity, a slippery path towards no exercise at all has been taken.

 

In many schools, physical education is being side-lined to make way for more academic studies, but it is just as important as anything else on the school’s curriculum. In some ways, it is more important, because of the life skills learned along the way. Skills such as teamwork, team-building, sharing, and so on.

 

Exercise does not play an important role in the lives of many people today. This is a shame because everyone who takes part in some form of activity  – and, let’s face it, there are so many to choose from – benefits; even the family pup who accompanies its owners on a stroll around the park.

 

Many activities that families can do together cost next to nothing, and involve little in the way of equipment.  The biggest commitment is time, and, for those who want their children to enjoy life, and be able to take on challenges as they grow up, the time spent is well worth the results.

 

A walk in the woods, on the beach, or in the local park, costs nothing. This is helpful whether you are a single Mom or Dad or just plain short on cash. It can be a time for the family to spend just catching up with each other, or it can be turned into a fun task-driven outing, perhaps collecting leaves for a nature table, or pebbles to paint. This way the younger members of the family can learn, while they enjoy themselves.  With the right waterproof clothing, it shouldn’t even matter if it rains; in fact, most young children and the young at heart like me can think of nothing better than jumping in and out of puddles with their crock shoes on. Snow is even better with a toboggan or two, warm clothing, and the required accessories for the inevitable snowman.

 

Cycling is another activity that the whole family can enjoy together, even toddlers, with the provision of a special child seat that can be attached to an adult’s bicycle. Riding a bicycle can take you further afield, and whole days outing, complete with picnic, can be planned.  Besides being great fun, cycling is one of the best forms of exercise, because it uses every part of the body, including the respiratory system. On a clear sunny day, there’s not much to beat a long bike ride for blowing away the stresses and strains of life. My daughter and I like to go downtown and shop with our flower baskets attached for our fun finds. Whether it is a ride up and down the cul-de-sac or a full out mountain trail you will be sure to enjoy it.

 

In the backyard, space and budget permitting, games and sports equipment, such as a basketball hoop, swing ball (my fav), or a mini Badminton court, can be set up. Small versions of goal nets are available to turn the yard into a soccer field. Indoors, table tennis is a great favorite. All these activities will burn up calories as well as induce a genuine ‘feel-good’ factor in everyone who takes part.

 

On days when it is simply impossible to venture outside, putting on some lively music and dancing round the kitchen table is great fun. Toddlers, in particular, enjoy this, probably due to their lack of inhibition, but parents, too, will find they can’t stop smiling as they dance.

 

For slightly less rigorous exercise, gardening is something that the whole family can participate in; digging, planting, and raking up leaves, use all the muscles and joints in the body. A further bonus is a blooming garden at the end of it. This year we are enjoying 5 different types of tomatoes. YUM!

 

Time spent now planning trips and ensuring that the family’s bicycles, and other equipment, are in good working order, will mean that taking time out for exercise, and the fun that automatically goes with it, will take little effort to organize into a regular item on the agenda. After just a month or so of ensuring that family members spend active time together each week, exercise will have become a normal part of life. The benefits will last a lifetime for everyone.