Boost Your Brain Power - The Benefits of Training Both Sides of Your Brain
Video courtesy of BYU
Boost Your Brain Power: The Benefits of Training Both Sides of Your Brain
Introduction
Our brains are remarkable organs capable of incredible feats. To keep them sharp, agile, and in optimal condition, it's essential to provide them with regular workouts. One effective way to achieve this is by training both the right and left sides of your brain through activities that engage both your right and left hands and right and left feet. In this blog post, we'll explore the fascinating world of brain training through physical activities, why it's important, and how you can incorporate these practices into your daily life.
Why Train Both Sides of Your Brain?
Before we dive into the activities that can enhance your brain power, let's understand why training both sides of your brain is essential:
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Enhanced Cognitive Function: Engaging both hemispheres of your brain strengthens neural connections, leading to improved cognitive function. This can result in better memory, problem-solving skills, and overall mental agility.
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Balanced Brain Development: By regularly using both hands and feet, you promote balanced brain development. This balance can help prevent cognitive decline as you age and reduce the risk of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Improved Coordination: Activities that involve both sides of your body improve coordination and spatial awareness. This skill can be beneficial in various aspects of life, from sports to everyday tasks.
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Increased Creativity: A well-balanced brain is often more creative. Engaging in activities that stimulate both sides of your brain can boost your creativity and help you approach challenges with fresh perspectives.
Activities that Train Both Sides of Your Brain
Now, let's explore a diverse range of activities that can help you train both your right and left hands and right and left feet:
1. Playing Musical Instruments
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Learning to play musical instruments like the piano, guitar, or drums requires coordination between both hands. The complexity of coordinating melodies and rhythms enhances brain function.
2. Sports and Physical Activities
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Engage in sports like tennis, badminton, or table tennis that demand the use of both hands. Additionally, sports like soccer, basketball, and ballet involve coordinated movements of both feet.
3. Arts and Crafts
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Activities such as painting, pottery, knitting, and crocheting often involve using both hands simultaneously. These creative endeavors stimulate your brain while allowing you to express your artistic side.
4. Cooking and Culinary Skills
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Cooking involves dexterity in handling knives, utensils, and ingredients with both hands. It's a practical and enjoyable way to engage both sides of your brain while creating delicious meals.
5. Dance
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Dancing, especially partner dances like salsa or ballroom, requires coordinated movements of both hands and feet. It's a fun way to improve your coordination and physical fitness while boosting your brainpower.
6. DIY Projects
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Taking on DIY projects at home, such as woodworking or home repairs, can engage both your hands and feet in various tasks. It's a practical way to apply your skills and keep your brain active.
7. Hobbies and Games
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Hobbies like juggling, playing chess, or solving Rubik's cubes involve intricate hand movements and strategic thinking, engaging both sides of your brain.
Tips for Incorporating Brain-Boosting Activities
Here are some practical tips to help you incorporate brain-boosting activities into your daily life:
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Start Small: If you're new to these activities, begin with manageable challenges and gradually increase the complexity as you become more comfortable.
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Set Goals: Establish specific goals for each activity to track your progress and stay motivated. Challenge yourself to learn new techniques or achieve higher levels of skill.
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Consistency is Key: Dedicate regular time to these activities to ensure consistent brain training. Even just a few minutes each day can make a significant difference over time.
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Mix and Match: Don't limit yourself to just one activity. Explore a variety of brain-boosting pursuits to keep things interesting and stimulate different parts of your brain.
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Practice Mindfully: Be present and fully engaged in your chosen activities. Mindful practice enhances the benefits of brain training.
Conclusion
Training both sides of your brain through activities that engage both your right and left hands and right and left feet is an enjoyable and effective way to boost your brainpower. These activities not only enhance cognitive function but also contribute to balanced brain development, improved coordination, and increased creativity.
So, whether you're playing a musical instrument, dancing, crafting, or trying your hand at DIY projects, remember that each endeavor is a step toward a healthier, more agile brain. Embrace these activities with enthusiasm and curiosity, and watch your brain flourish as you continue to challenge and nurture it. Your brain is a remarkable organ—give it the exercise it deserves for a vibrant and fulfilling life. My videos can help you get started to a healthier you.
Stephen Says: Increase your overall well being & health
The Never Leave The Playground Program "My Idea" - Stephen Jepson
To maintain a bright, zippy, healthy brain and mind during our lifetime we must continually train both the right and left sides of our bodies for our entire life. Learning new things for our hands and feet to do until the day we die is the best we can do to Increase our overall well being & health.
We were born to move - just keep moving
These are exactly the kinds of things our bodies and brains learned from the moment we were born until we left the playground. We continued to learn these things up into early adulthood.
Train both the right and left hand and right and left foot - Better Brain Power
Some examples of what many of us might have learned include kicking a ball, hopscotch, marbles, jump rope, learning to use a knife and fork, jacks, chopsticks, shooting baskets, knitting, passing a football, drumming, crocheting, playing the piano, playing the guitar, weaving a basket, making pottery, painting with a brush, welding, using a hammer, using a screwdriver, stirring with the right and left hand, ice skating, hacky sack, kneading bread, throwing a Frisbee, foosball, driving a stick shift, all kinds of climbing, bicycling, skateboarding, physical stuff like that trains both the right and left hand and right and left foot and right and left sides of our brains.
A supercharged way of growing new brain cells
My playings and games are like all of the above, but without the difficulty of many of them. They are supercharged ways of growing new brain cells and training the body for a lifetime. I start with very simple things to do, often using found objects wherever I may be. Everything I use is free or very inexpensive. The hand and foot activities I teach are novel and fresh; they are all new activities for our brain, resulting in the creation of new brain cell growth, new healthy neurons and the positive lifesaving development of healthy neural pathways. Everything I teach and recommend is fun and easy in the beginning and has the potential to grow in complexity, in challenge, and in level of difficulty. You will experience success every day, which is always enjoyable. This draws you back to practice each day. Just as beginning on the playground called to you throughout your childhood, you are drawn back to brain enhancing fun. It is great fun and is so easy. Such a basic concept.
Just Never Leave The Playground!
Most everybody can do this at some level. Start playing and grow physically and mentally stronger day by day. It will change your life I promise you. The things I teach and share will change your life – guaranteed. Start slow and easy and soon your movements will become more complex. Your balance, coordination, stability, memory, creativity, mood, and outlook on life and overall health will improve. It is written in stone. How many thousands of years have humans been doing exactly this? You know it is true, you know what I have said is basic to what we are and to what we do.
Keep moving and keep learning in this way
If you want to continue to be vital, it is crucial to keep moving and keep learning in this way. Keep growing all of your life. Keep growing and playing until the day you die. Dance around the house. Make your world your playground! Never Leave The Playground and you’ll remain vibrant in body, mind and spirit!
It is my dream for everybody to be healthier, happier, and longer lived.
Tell your loved ones!
Warmly,
Stephen Jepson
