depending on the intensity of your training, may take several months to become obvious. As with your endurance improvement, the effects should be noticeable much faster when you ramp up your training. If you aren't yet able to do 5 or more repetitions per set with full range of motion, I highly recommend that you focus on working up to doing that in your training and adding weight accordingly. ## **Chapter 15** ## **Your Brain-Training Program** **T** o properly maximize your brain's potential in all of its forms, you must have a solid grasp of the cognitive and physical benefits of exercising the brain as well as of the methods used to enhance cognition. The most commonly overlooked aspect of brain training, however, is how your body works as a whole, and in a very different way than the rest of your body. When it comes to your brain, it is important to think of your body as a single entity. The main components of your body can be divided into two basic types of muscle—type I, also known as slow twitch, and type II, also known as fast twitch. These types of muscle are distinct because of how they contract. Slow twitch muscle is responsible for the slow, sustained contractions of your heart and lungs, and for longer-lasting types of exercise such as cross-country skiing and weight lifting. Fast twitch muscles contract more quickly and quickly fatigue when used in longer, repetitive contractions. These muscles are used most often for the explosive, explosive-type movements necessary in sprinting, jumping, or other sports such as basketball or boxing. Although your brain has both slow twitch and fast twitch muscles, it mostly relies on fast twitch. The areas of the brain that deal with these activities are generally smaller than the fast twitch areas, making it more difficult to recruit these areas with your typical cardiovascular training. However, if you use specialized training techniques, your ability to target and enhance these regions will be greatly increased, helping you perform at a higher level for longer. If you are interested in learning more about this, I recommend reading my first book _Brain Over Bike_ to learn more about this training technique. How much training is necessary for the brain? There is no simple answer to this question. The reason that your brain is different than the rest of your body in the way it adapts to exercise and training is because the specific effects of training are different. The effects of exercising the brain, on the other hand, are similar to the effects of any other type of training. The reason that training your brain will affect your life in a unique way is that it is a completely separate and distinct organ with its own system. This is perhaps best illustrated by its dependence on blood and oxygen. The normal process of delivering oxygen and taking up blood is called _blood flow._ If your brain is running low on oxygen because you haven't trained it recently, the blood flow will start to slow, and the oxygen will be delivered less effectively. The brain cannot be saved by taking aspirin, eating more red meat, or increasing the flow of oxygen from the outside. You need to train your brain with any of these methods in order to improve its oxygen supply. Although the brain has no physical pain receptors, it has the potential to experience certain sensations similar to physical pain because it can get tired. The sensation of fatigue in the brain is much stronger than the sensation of fatigue in the rest of your body. This level of sensitivity in the brain makes it very vulnerable to overtraining. If the brain does not receive enough blood flow or is unable to extract the proper level of oxygen for long enough periods, then it will start to fatigue and may get dizzy or faint. This is especially true if you train too close to your edge, when the normal process of oxygen delivery is disrupted. _If you do not train your brain properly, your body will become more and more inefficient at its basic tasks._ At the extreme end of the training spectrum, not enough blood can be delivered to the brain, and this results in a potentially fatal brain hemorrhage. This is why you must train your brain to ensure that your body is in good health. ### **The Best and Worst Brain-Training Techniques** A well-trained brain can do more than improve the quality of your performance in all aspects of life. By properly training your brain, you will learn to recognize and control its potential to change your life for the better. The best and worst ways to train your brain depend on your goals for doing so. If you simply want to do better on the occasional tests of cognitive performance or to be able to learn new material or to perform better on specific physical tasks, the best approach is not a long-term, intense workout, but to increase your focus and motivation. This is accomplished by practicing attention and focus training techniques such as the _alpha waves, beta waves,_ or _gamma waves_ exercises described in this book. These types of mind training exercises are beneficial because they make it easier to achieve a particular goal. If you have no physical limitations, you can still improve the quality of your thinking by training your mind to move from using inefficient and outdated brain activities, to more efficient and productive activities. These techniques are also very useful if you experience a brain trauma or neurological condition such as Alzheimer's or attention deficit disorder, as you will learn how to stimulate the brain in a way that may enhance its ability to cope with the condition. The most difficult training technique, and the most effective if you are a coach, athlete, or business leader, is mind training to maximize peak performance. This type of training involves the ability to turn off nonproductive thoughts and turn on productive thoughts when it is time to perform. This ability comes only through hours and hours of practice over a lifetime, but can dramatically improve your performance in just a few seconds of critical peak performance. ### **The Importance of Mental Fitness** In my time coaching, training, and traveling to speak and train people about brain training, I have seen how untrained brains affect your life. If you do not train your brain properly, you may have a tough time thinking clearly and making decisions, especially at work or in life. This can prevent you from being a highly productive person and living the life you desire, such as being an athlete or professional athlete, a musician or actor, or a highly valued and respected businessperson. The effects of training are most noticeable in the areas of attention, focus, memory, intuition, creativity, and emotional balance. Your life could be completely altered for the better with the proper brain training. Training your brain is also one of the most important ways to increase the likelihood that you will be able to recognize your own potential and to tap into that potential at the time when you need it. Without proper brain training, you will not have the tools to keep up with your life's potential, to be as balanced and strong as you should be, and to enjoy life. Most people who do not have a proper training routine in place do not have a sense of direction or focus in their life. This can lead to a lack of determination and a failure to reach your full potential. If you train your brain correctly, however, you will have the ability to become much more focused and motivated. If you are also mentally strong, you will feel that your life is worthwhile, and you will have a desire to improve all aspects of your life. You may be surprised to discover how quickly and easily you can learn this training and how few tools you actually need to be able to make substantial improvements in your performance. ### **Mind Training Exercise (or Activity)** I have not found a better way to enhance or preserve brain function and quality than through the use of cognitive and physical activities that require brain engagement. The mind can also be trained with music, reading, writing, and other activities that are fun or can be made fun. If you do not have the opportunity to engage in a physical activity, or if you are unable to keep up with the intensity of a physical activity, or are not in a mood for a physical activity when you want to, then engaging in a mental activity such as reading a good book or listening to music will still help you stay mentally healthy. _The mind can be trained by both mind training exercises and by simply engaging in activities that keep you mentally stimulated._ Doing an activity on a consistent basis will keep your mental training fresh and will help prevent it from losing its effectiveness. For example, after every major event, I immediately sit down and work through the lessons I just experienced or that I reviewed. This will also make sure that I stay motivated and work on maintaining the level of my training. While you may not be able to stay active and fit all day, you can maintain a moderate exercise level, and you can do this while taking time to engage in your brain training exercises on a daily basis. There are many different forms of mental activities. It is important that you choose activities that allow you to fully engage your mind, and that will work well for you. If you don't like activities such as reading, writing, or playing games, then you will have an easier time if you choose to engage in a physical activity that has those properties. It is critical that you train your mind with exercise and mental activities in order to keep your mind balanced and capable of high levels of productivity. Not only will you be able to think clearly, but you will also gain the confidence needed to see what others do not or cannot see. This can be the foundation for a high level of achievement and success in all aspects of life. One of the things