Session number: 96

Average n-back: 6.95

One word: MENSA. Just opened the envelope and still can’t believe it…

MindSparke Brain Training Software

This post was submitted by Witek.

Session number: 2

Average n-back: 5.4

So i’m back on track. Was able to go up to 6n on the first exercise and to 4n in the second. I’m exercising daily, keeping my brain active with chess, go, logic and math, reading lots, sleeping well. I’ve cut down on coffee (from 4 cups a day to 2) and drinking green/black tea instead, and lots of water. I’m feeling great. Wide awake, active, and im starting to notice improvements in memory… I feel quite agile and am very motivated

Thanks for the great program!

MindSparke Working Memory Training

This post was submitted by Miguel Guasch.

Successful Smart Person

In recent years the idea that higher intelligence and brain capacity don’t equate to a greater chance of success has gained ground through books and articles by the likes of the New Yorker’s Malcolm Gladwell and the New York Times’ David Brooks. Intelligence plays a role up to a point, they’ve argued, but after that it’s down to practice and persistence.

Michigan State University researcher Zack Hambrick disagrees, and he’s done the work to prove it. Through extensive studies Dr. Hambrick has gathered real-world data that indicates that Gladwell and Brooks are just plain wrong. Good news for those of us who dedicate time to working memory training to increase IQ.

“While the specialized knowledge that accumulates through practice is the most important ingredient to reach a very high level of skill, it’s not always sufficient,” said Hambrick, associate professor of psychology. “Working memory capacity can still predict performance in complex domains such as music, chess, science, and maybe even in sports that have a substantial mental component such as golf.”

“David Brooks and Malcolm Gladwell are simply wrong,” said Hambrick, “The evidence is quite clear: A high level of intellectual ability puts a person at a measurable advantage – and the higher the better.”

Session number: 22

Average n-back: 3.6

I find that staying in the moment, simply being curious and allowing my brain to find new ways of operating is my best method of breaking new ground in my ability to progress. By giving up thoughts of “I have to improve my n-back” or “I have to try harder”, I am able to discover new ways of brain operation and ability which is the sweetest gift and benefit of Brain Fitness Pro. There are lots of parallels with other areas of life..in particular, learning new activities, learning and mastering new skills or new levels of existing skills.

MindSparke Working Memory Training

This post was submitted by nale.

In particular, I have been struck by the different way that my brain tries to grasp onto and hold different kinds of information. In the visual sphere I’ve found the color sequences tremendously challenging, very much harder than the grid sequences at Stage 3. I can feel myself pressing my brain to do something it has no particular inclination or aptitude for — i.e., remembering a random color sequence.

On the aural sequences the musical tones are proving equally tough. As a musician I was looking forward to this aural variation. And while I’m enjoying it, I’m surprised at how hard my brain finds it to hold each note, and how it gets confused between the relationships between tones as the sequence changes. I’m curious to see how this ability improves and what impact it will have on my music.

Random, constantly modified pitch sequences challenge the brain’s working memory much more than a repeated melody, I suppose, because we’re lacking the feedback of the relationships between the notes. Someone with perfect pitch (the ability to identify a pitch without any reference point) would probably fare much better with this exercise than those of us who don’t!

Anyone else have impressions on Stage 4?

Session number: 18

Average n-back: 2.4

Going a bit better today. Despite lower n-back scores, have been pleased with the mental changes i.e. letting my mind be open to new ways of thinking and coping with the data and also releasing distracting thoughts. The ability to focus and stay focused for longer periods of time, is certainly one gain I would love from this training.

MindSparke Brain Training Software

This post was submitted by nale.

Session number: 10

Average n-back: 2.5

Secret to improving is (I think)not to be ‘trying’ to improve, instead to stay in the moment in each block and let all else fade into the background. I could feel how that really helped, especially when changing between n=3 and n=2 which notoriously messes me up. I can notice a conscious decision in my everyday life, to stay in the moment and that I am acknowledging to myself how important it is to be in the ‘now’ totally and not only with half my attention. Which is a very good thing. I notice that I was getting lazy about being totally in the ‘now’ and instead tending to try and multi-task between the present with thoughts about the past and future in my head at the same moment:)

MindSparke Brain Training Software

This post was submitted by nale.

Session number: 9

Average n-back: 2.4

Okay, n-back went up this session, and i could feel the improvement, tangibly, at least for 4 blocks in a row..managed to get to n=3 and stay there for 2 session before falling back..and then alternating between n=2 and n=3..also, obtaining 0 errors in n=2 much more frequently..the most common error score is becoming 0! Woohoo. Noticed i was sharper in the music rehearsals today..hope it helps music…that is my key plan for doing this memory work:)

MindSparke Brain Fitness Software

This post was submitted by nale.

Session number: 8

Average n-back: 2.3

Working through stage 3 requires much more patience and a new kind of flexibility of mind to deal with changing up and down within n-back levels. Also, the impact of stray thoughts and tension when completing a block, becomes super apparent. Likewise in life itself..one can extrapolate..paying attention and carefully..to the nuances is very important. People are noticing a clear-headedness and ability to come to a crystal clear point about an emotionally charged situation…in a neutral way. Things do seem clearer..both when I consider other people’s situations and my own.

MindSparke Brain Training Software

This post was submitted by nale.

Session number: 21

Average n-back: 2.4

I was so scared to do #19 session and discover no benefits. I pushed through and am surprised. They improvements are small, but improvements, all the same. My attention span is growing. I’m listening more closely. I feel more calm. Still doing Entrainment and meditation, often.

MindSparke Brain Fitness Software

This post was submitted by Jennifer .