Increased muscle strength correlates with increased mental abilities.


    Google Gym in Dublin

    Scientific research has repeatedly confirmed the positive impact of physical activity on a person’s mental abilities: concentration of attention, memory, etc. The question is which loads are more useful: long aerobic exercises (running, cycling) or strength training (dumbbells, barbell, fitness equipment ) This question remains open.

    IT professionals often prefer power rather than aerobic exercise. This is logical: after all, such a training (with proper nutrition) not only burns excess fat and improves metabolism, but gives good aesthetic and social effects. The body takes on a nice beautiful shape that friends, colleagues and the opposite sex like. This is a bonus to health, career and overall quality of life.

    Body beauty and success in life


    Dozens of scientific papers from the 1970s to the 1990s confirm the persistent manifestation in people of the stereotype of " what is beautiful is good ." As a result, physical attractiveness is associated with good, positive traits, and unattractiveness with negative traits. For example, people with attractive looks are better perceived in society. Appearance has a strong influence when evaluating a person as a whole. Studies show that on average, men with attractive looks have much more friends, they are more socialized, their sex life is much more active .

    To confirm the last thesis, the table shows the Spearman rank correlation coefficients for the number of sexual partners and physical attractiveness of a man’s body and face. It can be seen that the beauty of the body is more important than the beauty of the face.


    Spearman's rank correlation coefficients for the number of sexual partners, age of onset of sexual activity in heterosexual men and physical attractiveness (face and body). Data: " the Physical Attractiveness of Face and as with the old Body Indicators of the Physical Fitness in Men ", Human Evolution and the Behavior, 28 (2): 106-111, March 2007


    Note b: for the five virgins taken into account their actual age at the time of the study
    averages all samples (77 men). Data: "Physical Attractiveness of Face and Body as Indicators of Physical Fitness in Men ", Evolution and Human Behavior, 28 (2): 106-111, March 2007

    Previous studies have shown that it’s easier for beautiful employees to move up and get high salaries. All things being equal (intellect, experience, etc.) the authorities choose to enhance the more beautiful. Pleasant appearance helps in speaking in public, gives self-confidence, helps in business negotiations and generally strengthens a person’s position in any social contacts.

    Someone can say that in this case there is discrimination in appearance so-calledLookism. Perhaps this should be fought at the state level, helping ugly people. For example, setting a minimum quota for them in the state of companies, as is done for other objects of discrimination.

    Discrimination in appearance is a topic for another discussion. The fact is that it exists, and is very strong. According to scientists, the choice of physically attractive partners has an evolutionary nature . In ancient times, some aspects of the physical form were important for survival: these are motor skills (leg length), cardiorespiratory indicators (wide chest), physical strength (muscle volume), endurance, and others. Ancient girls had a very important high ability to bear the fetus, give birth to and feed the cub (wide hips, high-quality mammary glands).

    If you begin strength training, in a few months you will notice how the attitude of others will change in your favor. Especially in summer. This is an everyday manifestation of discrimination and widespread stereotypes of evolutionary nature.

    Physical strength and mental ability


    Physical strength provides a great bonus to career and health. But more important for IT workers is that it also favorably affects mental abilities. Of course, the barbell and dumbbells will not objectively increase your IQ (only subjectively increase it in the eyes of others ), but they will help significantly extend an active intellectual life.

    Researchers at the University of Sydney’s Department of Medical Sciences (Australia) conducted a study of the Study of Mental and Resistance Training (SMART) program among people over 55 who developed the first symptoms of mild cognitive impairment (SKN). Note that such symptoms can occur not only in older people, but also in young people -under the influence of various forms of addictive behavior , that is, an obsessive need for a certain activity. Such addiction causes a violation of mental functions.

    So, as part of an experiment at the University of Sydney, for the first time, a clear connection was found between muscle adaptation to increasing power loads and brain functioning. In other words, in those participating in the experiment, cognitive functions clearly correlated with muscle strength.

    The participants in the experiment were divided into four groups:

    1. Strength exercises + computer training of mental abilities.
    2. Strength exercises + placebo computer training of mental abilities (watching a video about nature).
    3. Computer training of mental abilities + placebo strength exercises (gymnastics).
    4. Placebo strength exercises + placebo computer training mental abilities.

    Strength training included weight lifting sessions twice a week for six months. Weight for exercise was selected at 80% of the peak and increased with increasing physical strength.

    According to the results of the experiment, cognitive tests showed that mental activity qualitatively improved precisely in the first experimental group.

    Further research will help you choose the most effective type and intensity of exercise that is recommended for older people to increase muscle strength and, therefore, mental abilities. Scientists also want to find a reason that causes an improvement in mental abilities in people after prolonged physical exertion. This will help develop the most optimal program.

    Scientific results publishedOctober 24, 2016 in the Journal of American Geriatrics (doi: 10.1111 / jgs.14542).

    Also popular now: