How to Learn Faster by Using Failures, Movement & Balance

Huberman Lab

In this episode, I discuss how we can use specific types of behavior to change our brain, both for sake of learning the movements themselves and for allowing us to learn non-movement-based information as well. I describe the key role that errors play in triggering our brains to change and how the vestibular (balance) system can activate and amplify neuroplasticity. As always, I cover science and science-based practical tools. Thank you in advance for your questions and for your interest in science!

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

Timestamps

00:00:00 Introduction  

00:00:29 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up  

00:06:20 Nerves and Muscles  

00:12:00 Exercise alone won’t change your brain  

00:12:58 Behavior will change your brain  

00:13:30 Remembering the wrong things  

00:15:00 Behavior as the gate to plasticity  

00:15:45 Types of Plasticity  

00:17:32 Errors Not Flow Trigger Plasticity  

00:21:30 Mechanisms of Plasticity  

00:22:30 What to learn when you are young  

00:23:50 Alignment of your brain maps: neuron sandwiches  

00:26:00 Wearing Prisms On Your Face  

00:29:10 The KEY Trigger Plasticity  

00:32:20 Frustration Is the Feeling to Follow (Further into Learning)  

00:33:10 Incremental Learning  

00:35:30 Huberman Free Throws  

00:38:50 Failure Specificity Triggers Specific Plastic Changes  

00:40:20 Triggering Rapid, Massive Plasticity Made Possible  

00:43:25 Addiction  

00:45:25 An Example of Ultradian-Incremental Learning  

00:49:42 Bad Events  

00:51:55 Surprise!  

00:52:00 Making Dopamine Work For You (Not The Other Way Around)  

00:53:20 HOW to release dopamine  

00:55:00 (Mental) Performance Enhancing Drugs  

00:56:00 Timing Your Learning  

00:57:36 (Chem)Trails of Neuroplasticity  

00:58:57 The Three Key Levers To Accelerate Plasticity  

00:59:15 Limbic Friction: Finding Clear, Calm and Focused  

01:04:25 The First Question To Ask Yourself Before Learning  

01:05:00 Balance  

01:07:45 Cerebellum  

01:10:00 Flow States Are Not The Path To Learning  

01:11:18 Novelty and Instability Are Key  

01:14:55 How to Arrive At Learning  

01:15:45 The Other Reason Kids Learn Faster Than Adults  

01:19:25 Learning French and Other Things Faster  

01:22:00 Yoga versus Science  

01:32:00 Closing Remarks  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada