Note: the self-experiment below is excerpted (with minor modifications) from the book Smarter Tomorrow. For more on creativity, read chapter 10, "Creativity". For more on the power of exercise, read chapter 14, “Sweat”. To run a full version of this self-experiment, follow the instructions in chapter 4, "The Nuts and Bolts". The scholarly articles that this self-experiment are based on include studies showing the benefits of walking and of high-intensity interval training. Full sources at the bottom of the page.
This experiment compares the effects of two interventions on creativity: walking vs working out. There are multiple choices for the workout suggested below.
Materials
Cost: Low ($0 to $50)
Complexity: Low
How to Customize the Workout Intervention
Directions
Your Workout Intervention Options: Just Pick One of the Below Options
A: HIIT 7-minute workout (about 10 minutes with warmup and cool down)
Here are the instructions for the 7-minute HIIT workout. There are also some stretches before and after the workout that will take you to the 10-minute total.
For an example of a 7-minute HIIT workout, video here. Alternatively, you could try a 10 minute HIIT bike workout, video here.
B: Sun Salutation Sequence
Note: inhale and exhale with the instructions below; take 50 seconds for each of the 12 poses
For an example of the sun salutation yoga sequence, video here.
Sources from the Endnotes of Smarter Tomorrow:
This experiment compares the effects of two interventions on creativity: walking vs working out. There are multiple choices for the workout suggested below.
Materials
- A creativity measure (a short, performance-based assessment of your current creativity levels)
- Clothing you can exercise in and a space where you can lie down and kick, or walk in. If you choose to do the 7-minute HIIT workout: a chair, a surface for push-ups and sit-ups, a wall for wall-sits, and a 7-minute HIIT workout app (or just follow the instructions below)
- Your Neurohacker's Lab Notebook where you'll record your experiment and your results (for tips on how to pick a notebook, see chapter 5, "Organize to Motivate" of Smarter Tomorrow)
Cost: Low ($0 to $50)
Complexity: Low
How to Customize the Workout Intervention
- If you're able to do the 7-minute workout, I like the Johnson & Johnson 7-minute workout app because it includes a warmup and cool down, too. This will push you to a little over 10 minutes total. There are plenty of other high-quality apps available, including free versions of the 7-minute workouts. Whichever app you choose, remember to repeat the first 3 minutes of the exercise at the end so you get a full 10 minute intervention (that will match the 10 minutes of walking).
- Especially if you have injuries or other medical concerns, check with a doctor before starting an exercise regimen. Note that the 7-minute HIIT workout is somewhat high impact. If you need a lower-impact exercise, you could try biking for 30 seconds "on" and 10 seconds "off" for 7 minutes instead. If you are not cleared for HIIT exercise, ask your doctor if you can do the sun salutation yoga practice (instructions below).
- If you decide to do any of the interventions outside in nature, you should do all of them outside. Being in nature is, itself, an intervention shown to improve mental performance.
- Remember, you should just pick one workout intervention - either the 7-minute workout, the biking, or the yoga - don't alternate which one. Otherwise, you won't have a consistent activity against which to compare the walking intervention.
Directions
- Fill out the creativity measure.
- The 10-minute walk is your experimental intervention. Your control intervention is whichever workout intervention you chose (remember not to change the workout option after you start).
- Re-fill out the creativity measure.
- Record all your scores in your Neurohacker’s Lab Notebook.
Your Workout Intervention Options: Just Pick One of the Below Options
A: HIIT 7-minute workout (about 10 minutes with warmup and cool down)
Here are the instructions for the 7-minute HIIT workout. There are also some stretches before and after the workout that will take you to the 10-minute total.
For an example of a 7-minute HIIT workout, video here. Alternatively, you could try a 10 minute HIIT bike workout, video here.
- *Stretches*: Dynamic stretches with leg raises for 20 seconds, stretches from side to side for 20 seconds (10 on each side), torso rotations for 20 seconds (10 on each side), forearm extension stretches for 20 seconds (10 on each side).
- Jumping jacks for 30 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Wall sit for 30 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Push-up for 30 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Abdominal crunches for 30 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Step-ups onto chair for 30 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Squats for 30 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Triceps dips on chair for 30 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Plank for 30 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- High knees—running in place for 30 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Alternating lunges for 30 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Push-ups and rotations for 30 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
- Side planks for 15 on each side (total of 30 seconds), then rest for 10 seconds.
- *Stretches*: Inner thigh stretches (butterfly stretches) for 30 seconds, hamstring stretches for 20 seconds (10 on each side), quadriceps stretches for 20 seconds (10 on each side), triceps stretches for 30 seconds (15 on each side).
B: Sun Salutation Sequence
Note: inhale and exhale with the instructions below; take 50 seconds for each of the 12 poses
For an example of the sun salutation yoga sequence, video here.
- Prayer pose—exhale
- Raised arm salute—inhale
- Forward fold/hand to foot—exhale
- Left leg lunge—inhale
- Downward dog—exhale
- Staff pose/8-point salute—inhale
- Cobra—exhale
- Downward dog—inhale
- Right leg lunge—exhale
- Forward fold/hand to foot—inhale
- Raised arm salute—exhale
- Prayer pose—inhale
Sources from the Endnotes of Smarter Tomorrow:
- Lifehack. 2013. “7-Minute Workout.” YouTube. youtube.com/watch?v=ECxYJcnvyMw; Rey- nolds, Gretchen. “The Scientific 7-Minute Workout.” New York Times, May 9, 2013. well.blogs .nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/.
- Oppezzo, M., & Schwartz, D. L. (2014). Give your ideas some legs: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 40(4), 1142–1152. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036577
- Ruiz-Ariza, A., Suárez-Manzano, S., López-Serrano, S., & Martínez-López, E. J. (2019). The effect of cooperative high-intensity interval training on creativity and emotional intelligence in secondary school: A randomised controlled trial. European Physical Education Review, 25(2), 355–373. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X17739271
- “Surya Namaskar.” Wikipedia, November 9, 2020. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surya_Namaskar.