This is your brain on fencing: How certain sports may aid the aging brain

The Washington Post:

The two fencers pull on their mesh-front masks and face each other behind two “en garde” lines. At their coach’s signal, they raise their sabres and the practice bout begins in a flurry.

Michael DeManche, 69, is fencing his son Devin, 20, who not only has youth on his side but at 6-foot-5 also has a much longer reach.

Father and son move rapidly, advancing, retreating and attacking with precision. The skirmish continues until the score is tied at four points. Then in a flash, Devin prevails with a swift hit on his dad’s mask.

…

What might set fencing apart from other sports is that it requires learning a variety of complex motor functions, according to neuroscientist Arthur Kramer, who was not associated with either the Italian or the Taiwanese study. For example, a fencer has to think through several ways of attacking, not to mention rapidly choosing from among nine different types of parries when fending off an opponent.

Read the whole story: The Washington Post