Evolutionary history and why physical activity is important for brain health

Post by Cougher » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 10:42 AM UTC

fasteo wrote: post #27

>>> Cognitively challenging exercise may benefit the brain more than physical activity that makes fewer cognitive demand. This. I have noticed a significant mental “clearing” since I started boxing. Being forced to think when you are really tired is key.

Post by Cougher » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 1:36 PM UTC

fasteo wrote: post #122

Cougher wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Boxing/fighting seems to be pretty popular and I wonder about the head shots . . . how frequent and intense they may be in casual fighting. A lot is still unknown about the brain damage that can result from this kind of activity, particularly the subtle injuries that don't have an obvious single cause. I think the effects are a lot worse than most people think and it's NOT worth it.

I guess it really depends how the trainer organize his classes. In my case, my trainer is a former European champion, he knows the potential danger and he really cares about us. We use head protection, he pairs us wisely to avoid accidental injuries, sparring is optional, and 75% of our time is shadow boxing, heavy bag training and padding. So, we end up doing 3-4 rounds of sparring per week. I may get a couple of so…

Post by johnisgood » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 1:53 PM UTC

mmmrtl wrote: post #30

throwaway_tech wrote: post #19

>Less clear has been why physical activity affects the brain in the first place. I think the studies are looking at this backwards. Physical activity should probably be looked at as the natural state of humans and ask why lack of physical activity affects the brain. Then it probably makes a lot more sense, the brain is comprised of cells, just like muscles, that are either anabolic or catabolic. A lack of physical ex…

Why do you consider anabolism/catabolism a binary classification? All living cells, and especially terminally differentiated ones like neurons will have a mixture of anabolic and catabolic metabolic processes taking place constantly, and there's not a straightforward reason to think that physical exercise is flipping some binary master switch that is "good" (by some arbitrary definition) for all cells.

Post by throwaway_tech1 » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 8:13 PM UTC

Cougher wrote: post #117

throwaway_tech wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Of course you can. I'd be happy to share my Google sheet of daily weight, losing about 0.06lb/day, and my BodPod measurements showing going from 28% to 20% body fat while gaining 2.5lbs of muscle mass. Sure your muscle/fat percentages changes over time. But you didn't simultaneously grow muscle and lose fat, that is not possible. >Drew Baye has several articles on losing fat while gaining muscle Again its done over…

This explanation/assertion is in sore need of citations.

Post by partyboat1586 » Wed, Dec 25, 2019, 12:28 AM UTC

scarecrowbob wrote: post #106

partyboat1586 wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder what it is about climbing specifically that causes this or if it you could get the same effect from say soccer.

I can't say for sure, but having played other sports and also spent a lot of time climbing I don't think that I've experienced the same flavor of focus on the basketball court or in a flow-state while mountain biking. I feel like there is a different and very high-quality kind of focus that comes from having to perform correctly or die.