"Juggling Enhances Connections in the Brain"

[BellaVita]

This may be old news, but thought I'd share it.

Changes in grey matter following new experiences and learning have been shown. But enhancements in white matter have not previously been demonstrated.

We have demonstrated that there are changes in the white matter of the brain – the bundles of nerve fibres that connect different parts of the brain – as a result of learning an entirely new skill,’ explains Dr Johansen-Berg.

also:

There are potential clinical applications of this work, although they are a long way off,’ adds Dr Johansen-Berg. ‘Knowing that pathways in the brain can be enhanced may be significant in the long run in coming up with new treatments for neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, where these pathways become degraded.'

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1016114055.htm

[Fuzzy12]

Interesting. That gives me hope. Maybe I can improve my brain after all. I'd love to continuously learn new complex skills. Well, I'd love to if I was a bit less depressed...

By the way I can juggle fairly well with 3 balls. Time to move on to 4....

[BellaVita]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy12

Interesting. That gives me hope. Maybe I can improve my brain after all. I'd love to continuously learn new complex skills. Well, I'd love to if I was a bit less depressed...

By the way I can juggle fairly well with 3 balls. Time to move on to 4....

Yeah, it gives me hope too.

That's awesome!! 4 balls aren't much harder, basically you just do the cross-over juggling 2 balls in each hand - so it's fairly simple. Practicing doing "columns" (juggling with one hand with 2 balls) is recommended when preparing to go up to 4 balls. (I like to juggle. )

[BellaVita]

I have a question for those who juggle:

Since you began juggling, have you noticed any "improvements?" (For example, better hand-eye coordination, boosted reading comprehension, etc. )

-The improvements I have noticed:

I myself have noticed juggling has boosted my reading comprehension. I also have better hand-eye coordination - such as increased "shot" accuracy when playing basketball, and an increased ability to catch objects that are thrown at me. My handwriting has also significantly improved since I began juggling.

(I have been juggling for a little over 2 years. BUT I began seeing noticeable improvements/results in as little as 1 month.)

[Fraser_0762]

I can't juggle at all! That's me humped! =[

[Unmanagable]

Learning to juggle objects physically. (never been able to)

Learning to juggle all the stuff mentally. (lol....."Watch this wreck!!")

Big props to anyone who can do either with any success.

[Fuzzy12]

Originally Posted by BellaVita

Yeah, it gives me hope too.

That's awesome!! 4 balls aren't much harder, basically you just do the cross-over juggling 2 balls in each hand - so it's fairly simple. Practicing doing "columns" (juggling with one hand with 2 balls) is recommended when preparing to go up to 4 balls. (I like to juggle. )

I thought when juggling 4 balls, you basically do two columns. I can do columns with either hand but for the life of me can't do both hands together.

I should try juggling 4 balls, just the way I do it with 3 (I assume that is what you mean??).

I don't know if it made any difference to my brain. I learnt it in about an hour when I was about 15 but never practised it regularly. Maybe I should start practising it daily. I guess the key is that you need to be constantly in the learning stage. Once I've mastered a certain number of balls, it won't improve brain function that much more, I guess.

My piano teacher always told me that playing the piano has a similar effect since you use both hands for quite challenging tasks and also need to coordinate and sync both your hands.

[Addersaurus]

I can play guitar and piano, i can juggle 2 balls with one hand just about, 3 balls with 2 hands maybe for 3 seconds... what are my prospects?

[Perdurabo]

Well i can't juggle but i did teach myself freestyle nunchaku (back before i had access to the internet) for the hell of it and am rather good at it. And i guess that at a fundamental level it is similiar to juggling. ( with the added bonus that wacking myself around the head a few times taught me how to focus better on what i was doing out of pure self preservation)

"Since you began juggling, have you noticed any "improvements?" (For example, better hand-eye coordination, boosted reading comprehension, etc. )"

Hmm- well my handwriting did not improve( always been messy) and i did not notice a change in my reading comprehension( reading and language is one of my strong suits) It did definitly increase my hand eye coordination and proprioception( when you have a solid length of rosewood speeding around you it helps to know exactly where your knees, shins, hands, feet and head is. atleast if you dont want to spend the next day or two limping) It also definitly helped me keep my concentration focused on what i was doing.

[Addersaurus]

Nope still can't juggle 3 balls, drinking doesn't seem to help.

[mildadhd]

Originally Posted by Addersaurus

Nope still can't juggle 3 balls, drinking doesn't seem to help.

What a mind boggling thread.

I am not juggling , but my eyes seem to be,

while I'm imaging practicing juggling.

I little in the knees as well.


Similar force throwing the ball up seems important.


I can do a few times,

if I put the ball up, over, down and under, up, over, down, and under....

It would be interesting to hear other people describe their techniques.

I learned a bit with 3 balls of tinfoil and a big empty parking lot

Two in one hand is funniest to me.

Might be able do 2 balls, 5 or more times, depending on the size of parking lot.

Tinfoil is light and doesn't have much momentum, wind is is another factor as well.

White Matter is something I have been planning to learn more about.


Great thread! BellaVita and Everyone! Thanks

[jeaniebug]

I took a class at work one time where they taught the entire class to juggle by starting with really light sheer small scarves. You can start out slow that way. You can find those cheap sheer scarves at any Goodwill or thrift store. It really works!

[midnightstar]

I can't juggle to save my life, never have been able to.

[Conman]

...now if only i had the coordination to juggle

[mildadhd]

Originally Posted by midnightstar

I can't juggle to save my life, never have been able to.

The idea should be added to the ADD diagnostic criteria.

"-Tries learning to juggle, during life or death situations."








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