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Strength training improves student grades
The more times a week students work out with weights in the weight room, the better their grades are. This is the conclusion of researchers from the University of Texas at Austin in a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
Sports & brains
According to studies, intensive physical training is good for the brain. For example, a lifestyle with daily heavy exercise reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease, in people who follow a moderately intensive training program, processes of aging in the brain stop and after a short exercise of half an hour the brain processes information better.
Study
The researchers were familiar with the literature and wondered whether they could find a relationship between the average grades of students at an American university and the number of times a week that those students trained in a weight room.
Strength training is the form of exercise from which you expect the strongest positive effects on mental health in the longer term.
Results
The table below tells you that there is indeed such a relationship. The students who averaged an A (the highest grade in the American education system) trained more than students who averaged a B. Students who averaged a B trained more often than students who did not get further than a C, D or F.
On paper, universities go to great lengths to encourage sports activities among students, but the researchers saw little of this in return. Students don't start strength training more often the longer they've studied for more years, they found.
Especially now that strength training appears to increase the grade point average, universities might consider stepping up their efforts to promote sport.
Conclusion
"Special interventions are urgently needed to promote strength exercise among university students given that student weekly strength exercise engagement was not increased at the first four years in higher education", the researchers conclude.
"In essence, research has noted that any changes made at this stage of life are likely to be kept for a long time. Thus, every effort is needed to improve student strength exercise in higher education."
Source:
J Strength Cond Res. 2013 Jul;27(7):1988-93.
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