Don't just exercise your brain

​Recently the New Zealand Air Force celebrated its 80th anniversary at the 2017 Air Tattoo. Spectators were treated to a magnificent display involving aircraft from today’s F-16 and F/A-18 jets and back through time to impeccably maintained historic aircraft including the Grumman Avenger, Harvard and Spitfire.

During the Black Falcon aerobatic team display, I appreciated that all 9 pilots had to have not only a great sense of awareness of their own space and immediate surroundings, but also those of other team members and what they would do. It was beautiful to watch. I reflected on this sense of spatial awareness that pilots must have while flying and wondered whether it is just practice or something else that improves spatial awareness.

We all know that exercise is good for us. The experts know it's because exercise causes hippocampal neurons to pump out a protein called brain derived neurotropic factor BDNF and this helps to grow new neurons. But is brisk walking, running, cycling or rowing better for us than lifting weights?

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