PCM Training: A Holistic Brain and Body Workout

Welcome to the world of Perceptual Cognitive Motor (PCM) training – a unique approach that challenges your body and stimulates your brain in fascinating ways. PCM training is a method that helps you develop skills such as decision making and anticipation. Think about football players who run drills like running laterally, run backwards, and then throw the football.

This method can also be used to help develop cognitive function for seniors. For example, one of the drills I run with the seniors I work with looks like this: in the first round of our exercise, I’ll shout out “left” or “right” to have you run to the left or right side of your training area. Once you have that down, we’ll move on to round 2 of the drill.

For round 2, we’ll assign “blue” as left and “red” as right, so that as I shout out the colors, your brain has to anticipate the changes and work together with your body to enhance your decision making.

PCM can be tailored for all, including seniors and beginners in fitness, and can be a great source of motor skills activities for adults as well as motor skills activities for seniors. The combination of the mind and body in PCM training enhances both cognitive function and

The Performance Loop diagram

Credit to SwitchedOn

Benefits of PCM for the Active Aging Community

Within the community focused on active aging, the most common cause of bone fractures is falling. A study conducted by Okubo, Schoene, & Lord (2016), widely regarded as the gold standard of evidence, revealed that engaging in reactive step training with PCM (responding to a randomized external stimulus by stepping in a particular direction) led to a notable 50% decrease in falls among elderly adults.

Since PCM training is focused on helping individuals develop their anticipation and decision-making skills, this training can help seniors develop both their mind and body connection and agility to avoid falls, and also benefit memory retention and exercise.

The Science Behind PCM: Unveiling Neuroplasticity and Cognitive Enhancement

PCM's adaptability challenges your brain's flexibility and responsiveness, fostering neuroplasticity – the brain's ability to form new connections and adapt to novel situations. This dynamic approach keeps your mind agile and fortifies neural pathways associated with motor skills.

Beyond its impact on movement, PCM training has remarkable cognitive benefits. Engaging in PCM activities requiring cognitive and motor skills enhances executive functions, improves processing speed, and heightens attention, and incorporating PCM training can be a great way to include motor skills training for adults into your exercise routine. The interplay between cognitive challenges and physical movements within PCM creates a unique environment fostering cognitive resilience. This resilience positively influences memory, decision-making, and overall cognitive performance, making PCM a transformative experience that enriches the mind body connection.

Key Scientific Principles of PCM Training

PCM training is underpinned by four essential scientific principles, tailored to cater to the specific needs of seniors:

External Focus:

PCM training compels users to lift their gaze and concentrate on the surrounding environment. This external focus has proven benefits in cognitive enhancement.

Perception-Action Coupling:

While typical training focuses on physical repetitions, PCM training requires split-second decision-making, activating the entire nervous system.

Inconstancy (Variability/Unpredictability):

Traditional training often involves repetitive and predictable movements. PCM training introduces randomness, unpredictability, and chaos, challenging the brain to adapt and improve cognitive function.

Challenge and Pressure:

PCM training creates an environment with controlled external pressure, challenging exercisers to perform optimally. This unique feature ensures that the training mirrors real-life scenarios, enhancing cognitive resilience.

PCM Training: A Dynamic Fusion for Body and Mind

retention and exercise. PCM provides you a break from the ordinary exercise routine, presenting a fusion of cognitive and motor exercises. Imagine engaging in activities where you react to random cues, prompting your brain to adapt swiftly. Seamlessly integrating into various fitness routines – from strength and conditioning to balance, coordination, agility, and rehabilitation – PCM offers a comprehensive approach to well-being.

Conclusion

Incorporating PCM training into the routine I use when working with seniors reminds me of when I worked with the Marine Corps. In my tenure as a physical training, I created fun, out-of-the-box drills while working with the Marines. These drills helped keep the cadets engaged and in peak physical condition. For example, having them do a puzzle before moving onto the next exercise.

I am also an ACSM Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer (CIFT) Certified, meaning I can work with anyone with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. To learn more about my certifications and who benefits from training with me, check out my Qualifications page on my website.

Whether you are interested in brain training, incorporating PCM training, or learning about how to create a workout routine that works for you, send me a message here.

Learn about PCM Training – the Mind Body Connection for a Holistic Workout that helps with Memory and Cognition