At CrossFit Oshkosh we are committed to not only improving our members’ health, but also improving their lifestyle both in and out of the box. We know that maintaining mental health is just as important as maintaining physical health, and that is why we have started offering a workout for your brain, “Brain WODs”, on a regular basis after the daily workout.
So, what is a Brain WOD? Well, it doesn’t involve thrusters or wall balls, and you actually get to sit down while doing it. This is pretty awesome after a brutal WOD. We’re not talking about exercising the quads or triceps right now; but something a little bit more important, your brain.
According to IgniteGym, “research now strongly supports physical activity as the best way to improve neural networks and reduce cognitive decline as we age.” It has been shown that physical activity has many positive effects on the brain. IgniteGym has been researching the effects of physical activity, mainly CrossFit, on the brain since 2005, and they currently have a lot to show from their research. They are saying that a wide variety of people can benefit from this connection between the brain and the gym including children with autism, and chemotherapy patients. Their research has also shown that doing physical activity like CrossFit can affect the brain in a positive way and can make major improvements in brain function after traumatic injury and hold off dementia and Alzheimer’s awhile longer.
Participating in CFO’s Brain WODs post workout will help in improving your academic score, attention, memory and focus. IgniteGym says nearly every aspect of intelligence can be proven through exercise.
Now that you know what a Brain WOD will do for you, you are probably wondering what takes place during one of these so called “Brain WODs.” An example would be CFO’s latest Brain WOD, which was a Sudoku puzzle, simple, but gets your mind working after you just pushed your body to its limits. Brain WODs could also include math problems, a word scramble, or a memory card game.
This is just another example of why CrossFit is not strictly for elite athletes, anyone can do it! Whether you are recovering from a stroke or you’re in your athletic prime, whether you are looking to be able to lift 500 pounds over your head or just improve your overall quality of life, CrossFit has something to offer you and will advance your lifestyle. This includes, but is not limited to, physical and mental health.
-Mary Weider, Social Media Intern
