A Different Type of Training

I’m not known for always making the wisest decisions, and I’ve never played it very safe. I was pretty reckless as a kid, experiencing my first serious concussion when I was six. It’s impossible to count how many I’ve had since, but there have been plenty. In seven years of football, I lost consciousness at least six times. While attempting a fight career, I was knocked out twice. On another two occasions my brain was rattled so badly that I completely lost 15 minutes of time, and there were a ridiculous number of times where I left the gym with a moderate concussion. There was a period while boxing where I was constantly slurring my words and reversing their order. Add a few motorcycle accidents to the mix, and it’s amazing I can write my own name, let alone a novel.

Click here to watch the short film for info on my MMA project.

Eight years had gone by since my last concussion when I decided to jump back into the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) for my book and sociological study, Unlocking the Cage. Out of shape and unskilled, I began taking unnecessary blows to the head. My competitive side had reemerged, and, at 41, I even considered taking a fight. Like I said, I’m not known for making the wisest decisions.

I hadn’t given much thought to brain injuries until my friend pointed it out; he said I was nuts jumping into sparring with guys half my age. Although part of me knew taking punches probably wasn’t the healthiest thing I could be doing, I’d never taken the time to do the research. Turns out, the previous brain trauma makes me a prime candidate for dementia. That was not part of my plan for the future.

Because I want to write until the day I die, and spend quality time with my family, I immediately stopped sparring and began training jiu-jitsu at 10th Planet. Even though I had eliminated taking strikes the head, and despite the fact that jiu-jitsu was working my brain in a new way, I still felt pretty sluggish. Now that I was paying attention to my brain, I realized I wasn’t as sharp as I used to be and that I have the memory of amnesiac. I hoped it was simply due to getting older and not to the brain trauma, but either way, it was still pretty depressing.

One day I was listening to Joe Rogan’s podcast when he was plugging Lumosity, a brain-training website. It sounded interesting, but what really sold me was that I could compare myself to others my age. I’d be able to see just how much damage I’d done.

I did the initial testing and was disheartened. My Brain Performance Index (BPI) was embarrassingly low, and if it was a school test, I’d have failed. I was tempted to stop playing, but there was one section where I scored adequately. My Problem Solving score was nearly twice that of the 5 other categories; nearly four times my Memory score. I played a few more Problem Solving games, watched my scores start to rise, and my competitive nature kicked in.

Thanks to my addictive personality, I did my brain training on a daily basis instead of the suggested 3-5 times per week. Instead of only focusing on my strengths, I spent more time on my weaknesses, determined to raise my overall score and get into the higher percentiles. It wasn’t long before I noticed a definite improvement in my thinking. It was clearer and sharper; it felt like a bit of the fog had been lifted. Surprised with my results, I researched the science behind brain Lumosity, and how brain training can slow or prevent early dementia.

I believe that regular exercise with jiu-jitsu, combined with supplements from Onnit, added to my progress and clearer thinking, but the daily mental stimulation was the key ingredient. Although my scores have plateaued, and I have yet to hit the elusive 99.9%, I’ll continue to play. I will also encourage my kids to do so.

I spent too much of my life risking the most important tool I had. I’m not taking it for granted anymore, and I will do whatever I can to keep it functioning. Whether you’re worried about dementia, or you simply want to improve your athletic performance, thinking, or overall life, brain training can make a big difference. I do believe there should be a disclaimer on Lumosity’s website stating that the process can be highly addicting. If you’re a perfectionist like me, you may spend entirely too much trying to break your own high scores. You may also find yourself forming 10 letter words that start with mu as you’re driving down the freeway.

Be sure to check out this article from Ben Greenfield for other great tips on how to increase your brain power.