Sunday, October 5, 2014

Day 274 neurogenesis

I am not going to name names - or teams. BUT…

Last night I wanted to do a little scouting on UWs next opponent. They happened to be playing our cross-state rivals (clues enough?).

The team in crimson and grey (easily the fugliest unis in all of college football) took an early lead, the result of a beautiful 90 yard TD pass. As the camera zoomed to the coach on the diselines (and his infamous smirk) behind him stood a player wearing an altogether too cocky and inappropriate grin. He was laughing.

I thought to self: Oh oh, you are asking for it kiddo.

As you know I watch only one team. So I made it to the half, curtailed my scouting activities and returned to my scholastic studies (a romance novel).

Imagine my surprise when I woke this gorgeous morning to find that the team leading at the half ended up losing by one.

AS A RESULT OF THE KICKER (the laughing guy) MISSING TWO CHIP-SHOT FIELD GOALS.

There is even a name for it.

In other news (as if the Pac12 needed more highlight media) cheek out this juicy quote from Tim Noakes, the distinguished South African Doctor of Exercise Physiology (and see if you agree - as I do):

Exercise (aerobic, ideally with complex motor movements) and mindfulness practice promote nueroplasticity and nuerogenesis - as does any activity/cognition that requires focus and concentration, which strengthens the prefrontal cortex, wherein lies will power, which I think is what your ultimately trying to train specifically for competition.

Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity, is an umbrella term that encompasses both synaptic plasticity and non-synaptic plasticity—it refers to changes in neural pathways and synapses due to changes in behavior, environment, neural processes, thinking, emotions, as well as changes resulting from bodily injury.

Neurogenesis (birth of neurons) is the process by which neurons are generated from neural stem cells and progenitor cells.

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