Will Lifting Weights Make You Smarter? 🧠

The research is clear on this. Going to the gym has a huge impact on your brain, and the impact is overwhelmingly positive.

The most pertinent study here was conducted by Zhang et al. This team of researchers wrote a meta-analysis of 54 studies. They assessed several fitness variables including:

• Exercise Frequency

• Intensity

• Bout duration time

• Type

• Volume

• Progression

The researchers examined the impact of the aforementioned fitness variables on five different cognitive domains.

• Global Cognition

• Executive Function (a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control)

• Memory

• Attention

• Memory Processing (ability to recall memories or learned information).

In summary, the researchers found improvements in ALL cognitive domains. Specifically, cardio and lifting most benefitted global cognition and executive function. And mind-body exercise (a form of multicomponent exercise that combines movement sequences, breathing control, and attention regulation) most benefitted memory.

Another study by Piepmeier found a massive improvement in attention and processing speed in college-age (18–25) males. They also found an improvement in restlessness. The subjects were able to focus more and longer, and process information more quickly after having lifted weights.

And this even extends to creativity. Of course, creativity will have a massive impact on not just your success in school, but outside of it.

So all in all, hitting the weights will certainly affect your brain function, for the better.