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Four Fun Exercises to Versatilize Your Brain

Four Fun Exercises to Versatilize Your Brain

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 6:00 am by Ilchi Lee

Four Fun Exercises to Versatilize Your Brain 2017-01-23T08:27:12+00:00 Ilchi Lee

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brain versatilizing exercises

[Image credit: Best Life Media]

If you’ve ever watched a gymnastics competition, you might have asked yourself, “How do they get so flexible?” The answer is simple really—practice, practice, practice. Yes, they may be born with certain talents, but no gymnast ever got into top form without lots of practice. To gain greater flexibility, gymnastics coaches push their trainees further and further, slowly pushing them to go a little past their limits every time.

In my last blog entry, I discussed a different kind of flexibility—Brain Versatilizing. This is the second step of Brain Education, which is all about developing a flexible brain. Just like in gymnastics, there’s only one way your brain can become flexible, though—practice, practice, practice. Your brain has a certain amount of natural flexibility, but if you don’t challenge it, you’ll lose it. Below you’ll find a group of exercises that will help develop your brain’s flexibility.

Thumb and Pinkie

It’s always difficult for the brain to do two things at once. But with practice you can—like an accomplished pianist who plays complicated parts with both hands at the same time. In a similar way, this exercise challenges the brain using competing hand movements.

thumb and pinkie exercise

Make your hands into fists and extend your arms out in front of your chest. Look at your fingers.
Point your left thumb and right pinkie to the left. Now bring them back in and point your right thumb and left pinkie to the right.
Keep switching left and right. See how fast you can switch back and forth. You may need to move one finger at a time a first, but work up to switching the fingers on both hands simultaneously.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

You probably remember making decisions as a kid using “Rock, Paper, Scissors,” where one element cancels out the other—rock smashes scissors, paper covers rock, scissors cuts paper. Each of two kids makes only one sign, but what if you could be flexible enough to be both kids at the same time? Try this challenging brain game and see if you can!

brain versatilizing exercises - rock paper scissors

Practice making the rock, paper, and scissors signs from the old decision-making game. Rock is a closed fist; paper is the hand flat, palm to the ground; scissors are two fingers extended. Practice with each hand until the motions feel natural.
Now make signs with both hands, showing the sign that cancels the right hand on the left hand. Keep practicing until you can go through the whole sequence quickly and effortlessly.

Spiral Dance

This exercise is a challenge to do well, requiring concentration, balance, and mental quickness to master. It has the added benefit of developing physical flexibility, too. As you complete the movement, your whole body is twisted and stretched, and all your joints are gently opened.

plate balancing exercise

Place a small paper plate in your right hand. Hold it on your palm, without using your fingers. Spread your legs shoulder width apart and keep your left hand on your hip.
Slowly bend the arm inward under the armpit, keeping the palm upward with the plate balanced on it. Swing the arm upward and to the front and over the head, creating a spiral motion. Move the hips as needed to facilitate the movement.
Return to the original position, using a downward spiral motion. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
Switch the paper plate to the left hand and begin the same spiraling movement on the left side. Repeat 5 to 10 times. Switch direction and repeat 5 to 10 times.
When the movement is fluid on both sides, place paper plates on both hands and try completing the movement on both sides at the same time.

Shifting Senses

If you want to have a flexible brain, you must be able to shift perspectives easily. Otherwise, we get stuck in limited viewpoints and become arrogantly attached to our own opinions and presumptions. The following exercise starts at the point where all our earthly perceptions begin—our five senses.

five senses meditation

When you take a walk, try shifting your focus from one sense to another. Our normal habit is to rely on the information given to the brain primarily through the eyes. This habit deprives your brain of the chance to develop and maintain your full range of senses throughout life. So, instead of focusing only on visual information, try focusing on your other senses, one at a time.

Try tuning in to your ears, recognizing and isolating as many distinct sounds as you can. Then do the same for your sense of touch—feel the breeze on your skin and the warmth of the sun penetrating your body. And continue with your sense of smell and even taste. Doing so will help to stimulate various parts of your brain and help you to keep your walks interesting and new.

Your Brain Loves to Play

Brain Versatilizing exercises, such as the ones above, are basically games. Children naturally interact with the world in this way, always seeking new experiences and making challenging games to play. Adults, on the other hand, tend to prefer a more routine existence, which unfortunately is not the best thing for the brain.

To keep a flexible mind, be a bit more like a child. Always look for new experiences and never stop seeing the fun that can come from challenging your brain to learn and master new things. If you worry that you might not always do well or that you might embarrass yourself, you’re not taking the right attitude. Instead, take a child’s view and realize that challenging your brain is just play, a time to have fun and to expand your awareness of the world and of yourself.

hand eye coordination

sensory meditation

sensory stimulation

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January 17, 2017

Versatilize Your Brain for Better Habits and Greater Creativity

Next Post

February 14, 2017 Refresh Your Brain to Clear a Path to Your Highest Potential

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