Weightlifting Makes You Smarter

Midterms. Arguably the most stressful times of the school year. The overwhelming pressure to get smarter, whatever it takes. With finals there is a glimmer of hope ahead. Winter break, Christmas, two weeks off of school. Not to mention the most beloved summer break. A blissful rest somewhere in the future is what makes finals manageable at most. But Midterm season? Our least favorite season by far. There may be hope, weightlifting makes you smarter.

For students in general, and especially those with anxiety, test season brings about poor habits. We stay up way too late, we eat an abundance of processed foods, and we neglect our body for the sake of our mind. It’s understandable. But, it’s not the only path forward. Exercise in general, but lifting weights specifically is an excellent way to improve your overall well-being during midterms and otherwise stressful seasons.

The Science

A recent study conducted in Australia tested the effect of weight-lifting on the test performance of those with mild cognitive impairment. One group of people aged 55 – 86 strength trained twice a week for six months, the other group did stretching exercises. The result? The group that strength trained got smarter. Harvard Health writes in their summary of the study that:

“The group that did the weight training scored significantly higher at the end of the study than at the beginning and retained that gain at 12 months. The gain in test scores was also greatest for those who had the greatest gains in strength” (Harvard 2017).

This is fantastic news! Not only for those who are aging, but also for those with even mild cognitive impairment. Weightlifting makes us smarter! The blood that rushes to our head. The mental clarity endorphins bring to us. And the overall mood enhancer helps us whenever we are stressed. As much as students would like to believe that we perform our highest during midterm season, the truth is the opposite. Below are some habits people tend to pick up during stressful times, and what we should do to fix them.

Try This

1. Bad sleep- We need sleep! Sleep duration is positively related to test scores (Estevan, 2021). When we forgo sleep hygiene we forgo our grades.Try this→ Make sure when you are stressed, have homework due, or even a test in the morning that you are sleeping at least 7-9 hours. If your brain cannot function properly, the studying you do will not be processed in your brain. It is basically for naught.
2. Processed foods- One of the hardest things to prioritize during busy seasons is our eating habits. It sometimes takes so much energy just to make yourself a simple meal with whole foods. For many college students, they don’t have the disposable income or kitchen access to create healthy and filling meals. But it is true that when we eat too much processed foods students have lower levels of academic achievement (Purtell, 2015).Try this → Consider looking for whole foods in your dining halls. Fruits, leafy vegetables, and colorful plates in general are always safe options. Pair these with a lean protein like chicken and fish, and a whole grain to be more satiated during your study sessions.

The Bare Minimum

Putting in a lifting session doesn’t have to take all day. There is a misconception that to “get gains” you need to dedicate hours and hours to a lifting session. In reality, midterm gym sessions call for a shift in goals. School takes priority over other hobbies during midterm and finals seasons, but it should never take priority over your health and hygiene.

The Formula

Try this for a quick 45 minute full body workout  as a study break to clear your mind and better your cognitive function.

1. 5 Minute warm up on treadmill, at least 2 incline and 2 mph.
2. Mobility warm up active movements, try these.
3. SS (super set, go immediately from one workout into the other) → elevated goblet squat to forward lunge with mild weight 12,10,8
4. SS bicep curl to shoulder press 12,10,8 with mild weight
5. Push ups 30 seconds on plank 30 seconds on, bicycle crunch 30 second sit up (repeat 3 times)
6. Static stretches try these . 

The Result

We recommend exercising in the morning to start your day with the proper intentions, check out our morning routine posts on our socials for inspiration! Continuing to study afterwards will be the most effective. This linked with the pomodoro method of studying would be very effective. Remember, stress can make us or break us. Put yourself in a position to to thrive under the pressure by doing things to help your body, and therefore your mind.  Weightlifting makes us smarter!

Estevan, Ignacio et al. “Should I study or should I go (to sleep)? The influence of test schedule on the sleep behavior of undergraduates and its association with performance.” PloS one vol. 16,3 e0247104. 10 Mar. 2021, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0247104

Harvard health. “Weight Training May Boost Brain Power.” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard, 1 Jan. 2017, www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/weight-training-may-boost-brain-power#:~:text=The group that did the,performed stretching exercises declined somewhat.

Purtell, Kelly M, and Elizabeth T Gershoff. “Fast Food Consumption and Academic Growth in Late Childhood.” Clinical pediatrics vol. 54,9 (2015): 871-7. doi:10.1177/0009922814561742