Your Secret Weapon for PRs in the Gym

You may be asking, "what possible benefit can I get from understanding how brain chemistry relates to sport?" The answer may surprise you—it matters more than you think. A deeper understanding of brain chemistry can lead to improved outcomes for you and/or your athletes.

First, it’s important to recognize that there’s a lot more going on in the body during exercise than just muscles moving and joints working. Brain chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, adrenaline, endocannabinoids and more all play a crucial role in mood, fatigue, performance, and even pain, all of which affect how we perform in sports or at the gym. In other words, those moments when weights feel unusually heavy or surprisingly easy? That’s brain chemistry at work.

Here’s a couple examples which show how lifestyle affects brain chemistry and performance:

• Burnout in the Gym: Do you feel exhausted in the gym the day after a high-stress day? Your brain and body has already depleted dopamine and adrenaline, which fuel that "strong" feeling during a workout. These chemicals take time to replenish.
  

• Stress Comes in Many Forms: Stress doesn’t just come from work or life events. It can also stem from things like excessive fasting, inadequate caloric intake, injuries, overtraining, or even other traumatic experiences. These all deplete your brain’s stores of dopamine and adrenaline, leaving you feeling drained.

• Dopamine is Made From Amino Acids Found in Protein: A lack of protein leads to poor neurotransmitter function and impairs motivation and focus during workouts.
  

• The Power of Fun: Training feels easier when it's enjoyable. Why? Because dopamine increases motivation, and the simple act of having fun boosts dopamine.
  

Neuro Prime Supports Optimal Neurotransmitter Levels

atplab's Neuro Prime is another tool to optimize neurotransmitter levels for training. Ingredients like Alpha GPC support acetylcholine levels, shown in research to increase power output. L-Tyrosine is an amino acid used to produce adrenaline and dopamine. Finally, Acetyl L Carnitine reduces fatigue and improves mitochondrial function in the brain. Neuro prime can be used as a pre workout before your heaviest training sessions in order to improve strength and power.