A Workout for Your Brain
When you think about keeping your mind sharp as you age, maybe you think about crosswords, puzzles, or brain training apps. There’s actually something far more powerful (and often overlooked) that can do the job: coordination training.
Every time you challenge your coordination, your brain is firing on all cylinders. Unlike repetitive exercise (like walking or cycling), coordination tasks ask your brain and body to problem-solve together in real time.
Think about activities where you have to move arms and legs in different patterns, shift direction quickly, or learn a new sequence. These aren’t just “physical” challenges, they’re workouts for your nervous system.
The parts of your brain that control movement also play a role in thinking, memory, and decision-making. When we practice more complex movements, we stimulate these areas, keeping them flexible and resilient.
That’s why athletes, dancers, and martial artists often show incredible mental agility even later in life, their brains are used to managing complexity.
And get this: coordination skills don’t just fade if we don’t use them, they get harder to relearn. So, the sooner you bring them back into your weekly routine, the more you’ll protect both your body and your mind.
You don’t need to learn fancy footwork or do handstands to get started. Small tweaks to how you move can light up your brain just as much as your muscles:
- Cross-pattern moves – Try crawling patterns or just march in place touching opposite hand (or elbow) to knee.
- Learn new movement sequences – Follow a short flow routine, like combining a lunge, reach, and twist. Check out this MyBod In Motion Taster Offer for some new moves and flows.
- Change speed – Slow down, speed up, or pause mid-movement to challenge control.
- Add rhythm – Move to music, clap to a beat, or practice timing your steps.
Small challenges force your brain to adapt, building sharper thinking and stronger movement.
Just like balance and floor mobility, coordination is one of those overlooked skills that makes a huge difference in how we age. It keeps you steady, adaptable, and mentally sharp.
I help my clients weave coordination into strength and mobility training, so you’re not only moving better but also keeping your brain switched on.
Try one of the simple drills above today and ask yourself, do you feel more alert afterwards?
