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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Very interesting article. The "Brain Bike" sounds like it would make fitness fun for children!