Activate Your Brain Through Movement | Anat Baniel & Jim Kwik

Welcome back, Kwik Brain. Your question for today is, how do you use your brain for greater strength, greater energy, flexibility, and mental clarity? And who doesn't want an extra dose of all those different things? I am your brain coach, Jim Kwik, of, uh, the podcast Kwik Brain, and we're here to help you to learn faster and really live your limitless life. And we're excited to have on the show today a friend of mine, Anat Banyal, thank you so much for being on the show. Anat is a trained clinical psychologist. She's a dancer. She's a bestselling author. I have 2 of her books right here. Kids Beyond Limits: Breakthrough Results for Children with Autism, Asperger's, Brain Damage, ADHD, and Undiagnosed Developmental Delays. And another book here, which is called Move Into Life: Neuromovement for Lifelong Vitality. Thanks for being on the show.

Wonderful being with you, Jim. I'm really excited.

We met many years ago in a group that our friend Jack Canfield hosts and curates for transformational individuals who are going out there and helping people to make leaps in their lives. And we recently reconnected. We have a mutual friend, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, who endorses your work heavily. And we also have had her on the show also as well. I encourage people to listen to that episode. But in this conversation, I wanted to talk to you about a number of things. And your book, A Move Into Life, it talks about overcoming aches and pains, increased strength, flexibility, energy, enhanced mental clarity, creativity, and joy.

That's a heavy toll here.

It's a lot to cover in a very quick show, but I want to go into some of your essentials and some of the elements in there. We probably won't have time for all of them. And then I want to do another follow-up show for those of you listening, make sure you subscribe because I want to have a conversation with you also about children and children with also special needs. Let's start here. What is Neuromovement and what does your method entail?

My method is how to empower the learning and create possibilities for people, empowering learning and creating possibilities. We utilize, I utilize movement as a mechanism of communicating with the brain. I call, I say that movement is the language of the brain. Actually, it's the main engagement of the brain at all times, but it's not movement alone. It's movement with the 9 Essentials that we'll be talking about that bring the brain to function in a way that it can learn a lot more, a lot better. So I'm going to say just a few things here. So when normally when we try to get better at something, the unconscious model for most of us, if not all of us, is the mechanical model, the linear model. So we think if we push harder, if we do it faster, if we do it more times over and over and over and over again, the same thing, We will— we are more likely to get to the outcome that we want. And the brain is different. It's an information system. So it works by different rules, so to speak. And the brain needs new information in order to learn to do something new or to improve on something we know. And the new information does not come just from stimulation, which is what most people think, that more stimulation would give the brain more information, but it's really in the brain's ability to perceive differences. Because when there aren't perceived differences in the flow of stimulation, then it doesn't exist. It's like it doesn't occur to us. It doesn't exist. There's nothing for the brain to work with. So really my work through the 9 Essentials empowers the brain, potentiates really the brain to perceive differences better, be it in music, be it in movement, be it in cognition, awareness, all kinds of stuff.

And now here you also have Then the 9 Essentials. And how does the 9 Essentials relate?

Well, the 9 Essentials are ways of applying yourself that when you utilize them, you really upgrade, literally upgrade the functioning, energetically upgrade the brain in its own ability to make sense of the world, to learn. So the job of the brain is to make sense out of the nonsense and put order in the disorder. And the more the brain does it, the better the brain can do it, the more brilliant learners we become. I developed the Essentials by— it was with my work with adults too, musicians, dancers, and just general people and so on. But with the kids, the little babies and the children, they were just popping, right? They were doing things they were not supposed to do. They came with diagnosis, all kinds of stuff. So between the adults and the children, I asked, what about what I do works? People said to me that I have Jesus hands. People told me I have amazing intuition, you know, But I knew that I was doing certain things that worked. I took a year to define them, to actually extract. I looked at my own work and I said, what about what I do works? And that is when I came with Essentials. And then I was very, very lucky to have Dr. Michael Merzenich. I don't know if you know about his work. And he took interest in my work and he basically, I mean, I also read research and stuff, but he was a huge supporter in terms of, he said, You're pretty much there, right? So do you wanna hear about the essentials?

Very much. I have essential number 1 here is movement with attention.

Yeah. So this is like the basic, the biggest essential without which not— first of all, no movement, no life, right? So we need to move. And movement, very often when people exercise and so on, We do it and we do it very often semi-automatically. But when we pay attention to what we feel as we move, the brain starts creating huge amounts of new connections with which it can, of course, spontaneously integrate into new neural networks, new patterns, basically learning. And there is research that shows that movement without attention— it's actually Merzenich's research— that movement without attention, they couldn't see an increased density of connections in the areas associated to where the movement took place, which was the fingers. And when they got the monkeys to pay attention to what they were doing as they were moving, to what they were feeling, there was a very clear intensified increase of connections. Then a group of other research on children showed that when children pay attention and Babies, infants, and so on pay enormous— I mean, that's what they do. They sort of live in the world of their own sensations and feelings, right? Without it, they would learn nothing, actually. But the estimated rate of creation of new connections is estimated at 1.8 million new connections per second. So we're looking at like around a billion new connections in 10 minutes. And this probably explains why within 15 to 20 minutes we are better off stop doing what we are doing and take a break or learn something else, or even sooner, within 10 minutes. Yeah. So that's the first essential. And by the way, you can do it in exercise. So for example, if people go to hike or walk or they go to the gym on a treadmill, you can slow, I mean, you can slow the speed of the walking so you're safe and take 2, 3 minutes to just feel your body. What does your back feel like? Your shoulders, your neck, your eyes. And then just walk, you know, and immediately there will be changes. I've never not seen changes in anybody that's— even people unconscious. Like, I worked with people that had brain damage and when they're unconscious and I work with them, they change.

We know as your body moves, your brain grooves. And one of the primary reasons we have a brain is to control our movement. And it's not a one-way channel. As we use our body, it also stimulates different parts of our brains. And that's a great example. I think everyone could bring attention to and be more mindful of their movements. I know we're not going to have time to go through all the essentials, but maybe we could go on to another critical essential that— and give people an example of something that they could do. Just like you did with the first one.

Okay, so I'll go— the next ones I'll go very fast. I mean, slow. Fast, we can only do what we already know. That's how the brain is built, right? It's already grooved deeply. If you have to rely on it, you do it fast. Slowing down allows you to feel what's going on, which is of course the opportunity to perceive differences, right? And it really potentiates the brain into a learning mode. I'm listening to your book the way you read it. It's beautiful because the speed at which you read really allows me to hear it internally and then come back and move with you and I don't lose you. So when people do something fast, we need to be able to do fast, but that's when after we grooved it in. We want something new, we've got to slow down. Variation is another one. Variation is differences. We generate externally, I mean intentionally, differences. And the brain needs variations and generates variations all the time. Every step we take is a little different, but we can bring it intentionally. And it's a— so if you have a hard time doing a certain movement in sports, or if you can't bend down easily to the floor, if you do just a few variations, you do different things. We don't have time for it, otherwise I would've guided people through a Kwik movement lesson. You know, just 3 minutes. And you see how you just move your eyes in different direction than usual when you do the movement.

Yeah.

You do it backwards instead of forwards. You find different ways of doing the same thing. Very, very potent. I'll say one more and then you tell me when to stop. Is a reduction of force, you know, because the more intensity, stimulation intensity we put into what we do— sound, muscular, you know, the movement itself, visual, every— or even emotional— Or cognitive, like we've got to get it or we've got to understand it, it reduces our ability to perceive differences. That's the Weber-Fechner rule: the more intensity you put, the bigger the difference you have to give the system for it to perceive differences. So in athletic training, and I've worked with, you know, top athletes and dancers and so on, and I would just take them in— sometimes it took a while to convince them, but I would take them To gentler and smaller and slower. And then once they were in that mode where the brain could do something new, they went back to the usual thing. You know, I worked with this national runner that was training for the Olympics and she started to get injuries. Anyway, I convinced her after her first session to absolutely not run for 24 hours and then not run for time. And she called me afterwards, she did her best time ever. But it's very hard for people to trust it because we trust the strength and the intensity and the forcefulness. So it's a big transition, almost like emotionally and cognitively and sometimes even spiritually.

I appreciate you walking us through that. And I encourage everybody to see the rest of The Essentials to be able to connect with Anat for more of her work. Why don't we take a couple minutes and walk through that exercise?

I think, I think Oh, you would like to do it? Wonderful.

Yes, absolutely. Can people, if they're listening, also go through the exercise even if they're just listening and are not watching you and I on YouTube?

Yes. I mean, as long as they're not in the car.

Okay.

So are you able to sit or are you— you can also do it standing, but it'll be a little more effective if you can sit.

Okay.

So I will give for standing position a slightly different instruction. Okay.

But you could give those at home who, who mostly might be sitting or standing, give them both.

I'll give both versions. Okay. It's very easy. If you're standing, spread your feet comfortably, you know, just comfort. Comfort is very important. Safety is extremely important. So you stand comfortably. Then if you are sitting, which is the easiest for most people, sit, spread your knees, spread your feet, and sit at the edge of the chair. And now very gently, that's— here we go, that's the essential. So do the movement slow, do it only where it's easy. Don't push, don't stretch, none of that. And pay attention to what you feel. So very easily turn your head to the right and just look to the right. So turn your head and look to the right and see what you see. So it's like, don't go even further than you're comfortable, come back. And then one more time, turn your head to the right, turn your head to the right and come back. And now turn your head to the left and look and see what you see. And come back. And then do it one, one more time to the left and see what you see. Now, for those of you standing, it'll be really great if you have a desk or something where you can put and lean on your right hand. So do you have something you can safely lean on it? And the idea is to take some of the brain's need to manage your balance so it's free to learn New things, right? So you're gonna lean. Those of you sitting, lean on your right hand behind you on the chair, on the seat of the chair. And now look at me what I'm doing, and I'll also describe it. You're gonna bring your left arm up. You're gonna put your chin on the back of the hand. That's right. And give the— some of the weight of the head goes on the arm. Excellent. And now very gently and slowly, and I'm gonna start doing the lesson with everybody and describe it. Turn your shoulders, arm, and head to the right and keep leaning on your right hand. Let it take some of the weight and come back. Come back, but actually lean on the, the right hand so you're moving around the axis of the right arm, and you come back. And now turn the head again to the right and stay there. And now what you're gonna do is you're gonna stay twisted But you're gonna just— the head, let the chin leave the back of the hand, and the head turns a little bit more to the right and more to the left. Very gently, very easily, right and left. Very nice. Now lean the chin again on the back of the hand. Make sure you're twisted. And now only the eyes Very gently, so you don't give yourself a headache, turn the head— the eyes right, look to the right gently, and to the left, and to the right, and to the left. That's differentiation. Now we're going to go to the next degree of differentiation, of complexity. What you're going to do now is you're going to turn very slowly your head to the right, so you detach the chin from the back of the hand, but you take the eyes to the left at the same time. And then you take the head to the left, but you look to the right. Uh-uh, you don't take the head with the eyes.

Okay.

Stay twisted. Twist yourself, Jim. Twist yourself. Twist yourself to the right. Stay twisted.

Okay.

And now, that's right. Look, that's right. But don't take the rest of the body. And then take the head to the left. Take your head to the left and eyes to the right. The head to the right, the eyes to the left. Try to breathe if you can at the same time. Bring everything to the middle, all of you. And now, very simply, keep leaning the chin on the back of the hand and twist everything to the right. And notice if you're twisting— twist everything to the right, keep leaning on the hand, and see if you're twisting more than before. And do you feel more movement in your back, in your ribs, in your hips? And now stop it, stand. And first of all, it's amazing to see the changes. One of your shoulders has grown. Can you see how much your right shoulder is taller, longer now?

Hmm.

Yeah. Feel this face. I mean, you have a very powerful brain. I mean, your face looks completely different. Your right side, you see, it's fuller, longer. Then that's it. And now, as you stand, don't lean on the table anymore. Just gently turn your head to look to the right and let, of course, the chest and everything move with it. And then turn to the left and feel the difference. Oh, you feel the difference?

Yes, I do.

Yeah, immediately feel the difference in the pressure on the feet. This is the power of differentiation in the context of a function. It's always in a context. The brain is a context. So it's a context of a function. Here it's the twisting the head to look. It's a very central function.

Amazing.

That's it. And it's just nothing. I mean, it's, it's, it's, I get so excited about it. I love it because it's like being a magician, but the magic is, is done in your brain, not in my brain. So I love it. Yeah.

Thank you for this. And I encourage everyone to make sure you're subscribing so you could get— I want to have another conversation with you in a little bit about doing this with children. Also with children with special needs. But I encourage everybody to go and get Anat's books also as well. We'll put links as we always do in the show notes. We have Move Into Life and also Kids Beyond Limits. You can get the show notes at jimkwik.com/notes. And Anat, how can people connect with you or social media, website?

Yeah. First of all, we're going to give a free offer. It'll be anatbanielmethod.com/jimkwik, but I'm sure you'll have a link on your On your site. And all they need to do is anatbanielmethod.com. And just, that's my website and they can reach us there or staff@anatbanielmethod.com.

Amazing. Amazing. Also, are you on social media as well?

Oh yeah. Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn.

Well, make sure you follow Anat. Also, we'll put the links to all her social media in our notes as we always do. Make sure if you haven't watched this on YouTube, we put the extended version there also as well. And it's good to see these physical exercises also on video if you want to do that or save it and watch it another time. I definitely want to have you back for a follow-up episode. Thank you so much for joining us on the Kwik Brain Show.

Thank you so much. It's such wonderful to be conversing and interviewed by you because you— I believe you really get what I'm talking about. So that's wonderful.

We greatly appreciate you. Everyone, thank you for listening. Share this episode and remember to Be limitless. Hi, Kwik Brain. It's your brain coach. I want to thank you so much for watching this video. 3 things to do. Number 1, make sure you share this because when you teach something, you get to learn it twice. Update your learning so you can update other people's learning as well. Number 2, make sure you subscribe to this channel so you don't miss a thing because if you miss a video, you miss a lot. And finally, make sure you hit that bell so you're notified and you find out when we put out the latest One extra thing. If you want really close attention, then text me. Here is my phone number: 310-299-9362. Did you remember that number? 310-299-9362. Shoot me a text and we'll stay in touch. Ask me your burning question. And I wish your days be full of lots of life, lots of love, lots of laughter, and always lots of learning. I'll see you in our next video.