ASICS is inviting the world to ‘experience the uplifting power of sport and be part of the world’s first live study into the impact of movement on the mind.’
‘ASICS is inspiring people to move and, for the first time, see the uplift on their own mind, their city, and their entire nation. Starting on Global Running Day 2021, ASICS is aiming to uplift a million minds around the world.’
Mind Uplifter Tool
ASICS is enabling everyday athletes all over the world to see, for the first time, the impact of movement on their own mind. Using a combination of facial scanning technology and self-report data collection, people will be able to capture the impact of sport across 10 emotional and cognitive metrics – including confidence, positivity, calm and focus – to see how different sports impact how they think and feel.
This data will feed into a live global study, capturing individual Mind Uplifts from around the world and visually transforming them into a dynamic and interactive World Uplift Map.
The map will seek to quantify the positive impact that sport is having on the collective mood of cities, nations and the world as a whole.
Through the live study, ASICS adds that it will deepen its understanding of the relationship between movement and the mind on a global scale, underpinning its belief that sport has the power to uplift minds all over the world.
Yasuhito Hirota, President & COO of ASICS, said “As we all come to terms with a much-changed world in the wake of the pandemic, the uplifting power of sport is a constant that endures. That’s why our sole ambition is to empower as many people as possible to experience the physical and mental benefits of movement.
“By taking part in any number of our different events and activities running across the year, you’ll contribute to vital research to help us further understand the uplifting effect of sport on the mind. That way we can continue finding new ways to highlight and unlock the benefits for everyone in 2022 and beyond.”
Over the past six months, ASICS notes that it has conducted scientific research alongside world-leading experts to explore the impact of sport on the mind among a select group of athletes ahead of the live study’s wider rollout.
The preliminary study was developed by EMOTIV, a bioinformatics company headquartered in San Francisco, with the support of Dr Brendon Stubbs, a leading exercise and mental health researcher based at King’s College London.
The study used a combination of EEG and self-report data collection to show the positive impact of running on the mind across a number of core cognitive and emotional metrics – including contentment (14.4% average increase immediately after exercise), energy (9.7%) and relaxation (13.3%) – among a sample of 42 elite and everyday athletes.
ASICS is applying the findings to enable the rollout of the study on a global scale… ‘enabling athletes everywhere to see and experience the impact of movement on the mind first-hand for any one of 25 different sports of their choosing.’
Dr Brendon Stubbs said “Our preliminary research findings outline the profound impact that something as simple as a 20-minute run can have on our minds. With exercise playing such a valuable role in the maintaining of our mental health and wellbeing, it is more important than ever that people can see and understand the positive link between the two.
“The unique way in which we are applying our initial findings using robust EEG measures, validating the Mind Uplifter, will enable the translation of this research for people everywhere to experience and reliably measure the uplifting power of sport like never before.
“Our ambition is to inspire as many people as possible to move their mind and reap those all-important cognitive and emotional benefits for themselves.”
ASICS is challenging runners everywhere to use the Mind Uplifter tool to capture their pre and post-run mental wellbeing before sharing their results on social media using #UpliftingMinds.
‘Every Mind Uplift shared with #UpliftingMinds will raise funds for mental health charity Mind to help provide services for people experiencing mental health problems.’
ASICS will host a series of Uplifting Minds events across the year to encourage wider participation… ‘and prove the power of all sports to uplift the mind, starting with the London 10K on 25 July 2021.’
Steps
- Go to minduplifter.asics.com to capture a Mind Uplift.
- Scan face to read emotional state.
- Answer scientifically-developed questions to gauge brain function.
- Complete at least 20 minutes of exercise.
- Repeat steps two and three.
- Get Mind Uplift results and share them on social channels via the hashtag #UpliftingMinds
- See how results contribute to the ‘World Uplift Map’ (from July 1).
