As college students, we all try to determine the
best way to study. One experiments with different techniques, hoping that one
of them will help him or her remember the information. What one forgets is that
other activities, such as exercise, can help retain information. This is what
some researchers at the University of Copenhagen examine in their study to see
if exercise plays a role in creating specific muscle memories. The study
attempts to see the influence of exercise on development and consolidation of
physical memories, rather than intellectual tasks.
To obtain data, researchers allowed one group to
exercise before the motor test, another to exercise after the motor test, and
the last group to just rest. What they found was that the group that exercised
after the first motor test performed better on subsequent motor test,
especially those that were conducted after a week or more. Thus, the study
demonstrates that exercising right after studying may help in retaining it on a
long-term basis, rather than short-term
What is interesting about this study is that it
measures exercise’s effect on muscle memory, more commonly known as the “motor
memory. “ Rather than focusing on intellectual tasks, it examines how the
retention of physical tasks is affected by exercise and to what extent can that
skill be remembered. The brain sends signals to muscles and forms actual
memories on any particular movement. Thus, when one studies and exercises right
away, the brain associates the information with a movement and retains it that
way for a long period of time. This is why the group that exercised after
taking the tests once did worse on the second and third tests, but did
significantly better on latter tests. Gray Marcus, in his book Guitar Zero, touches on this idea when
he explains how the “hippocampus plays a recurring role as an engine for
memory… [especially of] any skill that demands the development of so-called
muscle memory.” What he builds upon is the idea that each mental ability draws
upon a broad range of brain areas. Whether it is to learn language or music,
one can retain the skill on a long-term basis through exercise or movement of
body as the brain relates a skill to each move.
Furthermore, the researchers explain that
consolidation of memory is not instantaneous. Each memory is retained to a
different degree. Exercise helps in consolidation of memory by making the
imprints of memory stronger. For whatever reason, exercise right after a memory
is formed intensifies it. Gary Marcus brings up this idea when he explains the
use of flashcards. The students were allowed to look at the card, while letting
their eyes wander freely within the confines of the card, for three minutes.
This allows for a period of consolidation, during which memories firm up. Similarly, exercise right after learning
something allows the brain enough time to associate that skill with movement
and makes the memory stronger. Thus, the idea is to use time with different
techniques that help in retaining information.
Want to learn a new skill? Use body movement (i.e.
exercise) to help intensify the imprints. What is essential is the timing.
Whether one uses flashcards or exercise, it is important to spend enough time
for the brain to make association and retain the memory for a long-time basis.
Once you perfect a skill, go run immediately afterwards to cement the memory of
that skill. Stop using that skills and try years later, you will still remember
the skill with almost equal mastery.
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