In the performance world, we spend a lot of time training the body: sets, reps, load, tempo, angles. But if we want to truly elevate athleticism, we must also train the system that governs the body—the brain.
At Aruka, we teach that performance isn’t just built from the ground up—it’s built from the inside out. That’s why combining brain-to-body and body-to-brain challenges is one of the most powerful tools you can use in training, rehab, or return-to-play.
Let’s unpack what that means—and why it matters now more than ever.
What Is Brain-to-Body Training?
Brain-to-body training starts with the nervous system and flows down into the body. It includes activities that prime the brain to improve physical execution, such as:
- Reaction drills
- Visual tracking and peripheral awareness tasks
- Pattern recognition under movement constraints
- Dual-task exercises (e.g., naming shapes while sprinting cones)
- Vestibular re-training
This primes the central nervous system (CNS), improves processing speed, and sharpens motor control. You’re not just making the athlete stronger—you’re helping them access that strength faster and more precisely.
What Is Body-to-Brain Training?
Body-to-brain training takes movement and uses it to influence the brain. This includes:
- Rhythmic locomotion (walking, crawling, skipping, etc.)
- Complex coordination drills (e.g., cross-crawls, bear crawls, Turkish get-ups)
- Balance training with visual or vestibular inputs
- Movement-based problem solving (e.g., navigating an obstacle course)
This kind of movement increases neuroplasticity, supports sensory integration, and enhances executive function. In rehab, it reconnects broken pathways. In athletes, it raises the ceiling for skill development.
Why Combining Both Closes the Loop
The real breakthrough comes when we combine brain-to-body and body-to-brain challenges in the same session, circuit, or season plan. This is what we call “closing the loop.”
- Brain-to-body drills wake up the CNS and prepare it to receive input.
- Body-to-brain drills provide rich, sensory feedback and drive adaptation back up to the brain.
Together, this creates a feedback-rich environment that builds faster skill acquisition, motor learning, and movement resilience.
Practical Application: What This Looks Like
In our Aruka Neurogenic Circuits, a typical loop might include:
- Visual tracking + auditory cue response (brain-to-body)
- Crawling variation across different surfaces (body-to-brain)
- Reactive change of direction under time constraint (brain-to-body)
- Unilateral balance under distraction (body-to-brain)
You’re challenging input and output, processing and performance, stability and speed. This is where athletes start to not just move better—but think better while moving.
When to Use Neurogenic Training
- Youth development: Build wiring early while the brain is highly plastic
- Return to play: Reconnect pathways disrupted by injury
- Elite performance: Push the ceiling of decision-making under fatigue
- General population: Support brain health, focus, and movement confidence
This isn’t just for pros. It’s for anyone who wants to move, perform, or think at a higher level.
Final Thought
Strength and speed matter—but the nervous system is the organizer of it all.
If we ignore it, we miss the greatest force multiplier in the body.
Close the loop. Train both directions. Watch the difference.
Research Highlights
- Dual-task training improves motor function and attention in both athletic and aging populations.
Beurskens et al., 2014; Al-Yahya et al., 2011 - Neuroplasticity is driven by novel, challenging movement—especially when combined with cognitive tasks.
Taubert et al., 2010; Herold et al., 2018 - Motor learning accelerates with feedback-rich, variable environments involving sensory and cognitive demand.
Wulf & Lewthwaite, 2016 - Cognitive-motor integration enhances executive function and reduces injury risk.
Vestberg et al., 2021; Grooms et al., 2015
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