aptivate

Jack Be Nimble…

How Getting Physical in Training Maximizes Learning

It came to my attention the other day, that being in training can include a lot of sitting. While the goal of learning is clear, getting involved may not be about more role-play activities.


So I wanted to know what makes the difference between an engaged learner and one who is about to fall asleep? What can you do to connect with the physical side of the learning equation… to raise the bar without scrapping everything you’ve ever done?


I was thinking about how to make training more active, with simple physical breaks… not team activities, those are different, but actually incorporating isometric exercises, low-impact stretches, or even just standing while learning.


    Here’s what I found out… “A healthy, well-functioning neuron can be directly linked to tens of thousands of other neurons, creating a totality of more than a hundred trillion connections – each capable of performing 200 calculations per second! This is the structural basis of your brain’s memory capacity and thinking ability. Brain chemistry reveals an essential unity of mind and body. Neurons not only contact other neurons, they also connect with skeletal muscles, at a specialized structure called the neuromuscular junction. There the brain uses acetylcholine – its primary chemical neurotransmitter for memory and attention – to communicate with muscles. Another of the brain’s key chemical messengers, dopamine, helps regulate fine motor movement.”


    It gets even better… “When acetylcholine is released at a neuromuscular junction, it crosses the tiny space (synapse) that separates the nerve from the muscle. It then binds to acetylcholine receptor molecules on the muscle fiber’s surface. This initiates a chain of events that lead to muscle contraction. “So muscle activity is a cue to keep a synapse stable, and synaptic inactivity is a cue to disassemble a synapse,” says Lichtman, a professor of neurobiology. “So if you lose activity, you lose receptors. But if you regain activity, you get those receptors back.”


     “Scientists have shown that muscle fiber contains a scaffold made of special proteins that hold these acetylcholine receptors in place. Research led by Jeff W. Lichtman, M.D., Ph.D., at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, indicates that a loss of nerve signals – due to inactivity – actually disassembles this scaffold and causes a loss of acetylcholine receptors. When the muscle becomes active again, however, the scaffold tightens its grip and catches any receptors that come by.”
 So what can you do? By changing the pace, and interaction in the room you can reengage the neuromuscular junction that is the link between learning and mental connection. Here are a few ideas to build the bridge between mental connection and muscular function.
          Every 120-minutes arrange chairs so people are in a circle; keep this format for at least 20-minutes
          Every 60-minutes stop and stretch for 5 minutes
          Every 30-minutes stand up, twist side-to-side for about 3 minutes
          Every 15-minutes take a moment to sit on the edge of the desk if possible


Take a hike… really!


What about after training? Well, partners in a Minneapolis law firm found a way to walk their way to an active lifestyle… on the job! “Terri Krivosha, a partner at a Minneapolis law firm, logs three miles each workday on a treadmill without leaving her desk. She finds it easier to exercise while she types than to attend aerobics classes at the crack of dawn. Brad Rhoads, a computer programmer and missionary in Princeton, Ill., faces a computer monitor on a file cabinet and gets in about five miles a day on a treadmill while working in his home office.” This is an interesting example of how one company took this to the next level. Imagine how time flies at this law firm! Want to read more?


So the next time you find yourself nodding off in class, stand up, stretch, connect your mind with your body and reengage with the learning. If you leading the session, try adding in physical breaks to add to engagement, and give your training session the edge it needs to bring lasting change.


DARE TO BE GREAT!