Strength Training Linked to Academic Performance
A study of over 67,000 students found a link between frequent muscle-strengthening exercise (4–5 days per week) and improved academic performance. The benefits are likely mediated by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling, a protein that supports neuron growth and survival. This adds to growing evidence for the cognitive benefits of regular strength training.
- The study analyzed self-reported grades in Literacy (Chinese), Mathematics, and English from 67,281 school-aged children and adolescents in China. - Engaging in muscle-strengthening exercise for four days a week was associated with a 42% increased likelihood of better academic performance in Chinese, 39% in Mathematics, and 31% in English. - The cognitive benefits of strength training are linked to improved executive functions, which include higher-level processes like problem-solving, planning, and decision-making. - Resistance training enhances neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to form new neural connections, which is a critical component of learning and memory. - Beyond BDNF, strength training also increases levels of other neurotrophic factors like nerve growth factor (NGF), which supports the generation of new neurons and synaptic plasticity, particularly in the hippocampus, a key area for memory. - A meta-analysis of 53 studies on school-aged youth (5-18 years old) found that resistance training had a small but positive effect on overall cognitive function, academic performance, and on-task behaviors. - Research indicates that resistance training alone may be more effective for cognitive benefits than concurrent training that combines both resistance and aerobic exercises. - The positive effects of strength training on the cardiovascular system are also linked to better academic results, as improved blood flow delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the brain.
