Elliptical Resistance

A study at the Brain Research Centre in Canada found that a total-body weight-training routine once or twice a week can make you smarter. Women who took part in the study participated in either a total-body weight-training routine for one year or body-weight-only exercise classes. The women in the first group scored 13 percent higher on mental attention tests. Teresa Liu-Ambrose, Ph.D. states:

Learning proper lifting form and technique stimulates brain function, which improves mental skills, such as concentration and memory.

Dr. Liu-Ambrose was the lead study author and is an assistant professor of physical therapy at the University of British Columbia.