The brain is divided into two hemispheres, each of which controls and processes different mental and physical activities. The left side of the brain is active when the right side of the body is used, and the right side of the brain active when the left side of the body is used. According to Paul Dennison, the originator of Brain Gym, the midfield line in the brain is the area where the left and right fields overlap. Movements that stimulate this area of the brain require the muscles of the body to work together, a skill not all elementary-aged children have developed. Exercises that stimulate the midfield area of the brain help students, or anyone, perform mental or physical tasks more efficiently, said Joey Waters, LFK's gifted and talented teacher.
Children quickly learn the benefits of the exercises.
She said she has seen her students using Brain Gym before tests, or to just relax and focus. Brain Gym also helps teachers recognize children who may have certain learning problems, Waters said. Research has shown that students who don't cross the midline of their bodies during Brain Gym exercises have trouble in reading. There are exercises for just about every need, Waters said. Although the exercises were designed to help promote learning, Ference pointed out that anyone can use them during the day when feeling tense or when focus on work is fading.