What is Brain Training?

What it is, how it works, and how to get started.

Whether you’re researching brain training vs. tutoring for your child, considering an adult brain training program for yourself, or simply want to learn more about how training the brain works, you’ll find answers on this page. In this guide to brain training, we’ll cover:

  • What Is Brain Training?
  • How Does Brain Training Work?
  • Who Can Brain Training Help?
  • Does Brain Training Really Work?
  • How to Get Started
Watch Dr. Christina Ledbetter of the Gibson Institute explain how brain training works:

What is Brain Training?

Brain training is a series of games, drills, and activities designed to strengthen your brain’s learning and thinking skills. In other words, it’s like personal training for your mind instead of your body!

Brain training targets and strengthens the brain’s core thinking skills. These include skills like memory, attention span, and how quickly you think. Brain training can also build fundamental skills used for activities like reading, writing and math.

By strengthening these types of skills, a brain training program can help you or your child:

  • Learn more easily
  • Think more quickly
  • Overcome learning difficulties
  • Unlock hidden potential

Who Can Brain Training Help?

Anyone can benefit from brain training!

At LearningRx, we customize our brain training plans for every client. This allows us to focus on individual skills and goals for you or your child. We offer customized, one-on-one brain training plans for:

How Does Brain Training Work?

Brain training works by challenging the mind, giving cognitive skills a workout. With targeted training and regular practice, learners can make dramatic gains in a relatively short period of time.

As simple as this might sound, successful brain training depends on a number of factors. That’s something we understand at LearningRx! Our brain training programs are built on decades of research, testing, and practice. Through our research, we’ve identified seven keys to effective brain training:

#1 Customized Training Plans – At LearningRx, every learner receives a custom training plan. Each plan is tailored to the client’s individual needs and goals. This way, we target the right skills during brain training.

#2 One-on-One Learning – For brain training to work, learners need direction and motivation from a dedicated brain trainer. Our brain trainers work one-on-one with clients, so that each client gets the attention they need during training.

#3 Concentration & Intensity – Brain training should be challenging, but not overwhelming. At LearningRx, each training session is custom designed as a true mental workout, with exercises matched to the learner’s existing skill level.

#4 Repetition & Practice – Building new brain skills takes time, dedication, and practice. To make significant gains, learners need to practice multiple times a week, and training must be sustained for several weeks.

#5 Step-by-Step Progression – Cognitive skills need to be developed step-by-step. At LearningRx, we start by building a strong foundation of core skills. Once this foundation is in place, learners work their way up to more complex exercises.

#6 Multitask Activities – As learners advance, we introduce exercises that use multiple skills at the same time. This helps new skills become more automatic and intuitive, and it helps the brain build strong internal connections.

#7 Positive Reinforcement – Brain training can be fun, but it’s not always easy. Our brain trainers offer immediate feedback and encouragement during training sessions, helping learners stay energized, motivated, and confident!

How Does Brain Training Work?

Brain training works by challenging the mind, giving cognitive skills a workout. With targeted training and regular practice, learners can make dramatic gains in a relatively short period of time.

As simple as this might sound, successful brain training depends on a number of factors. That’s something we understand at LearningRx! Our brain training programs are built on decades of research, testing, and practice. Through our research, we’ve identified seven keys to effective brain training:

#1 Customized Training Plans – At LearningRx, every learner receives a custom training plan. Each plan is tailored to the client’s individual needs and goals. This way, we target the right skills during brain training.

#2 One-on-One Learning – For brain training to work, learners need direction and motivation from a dedicated brain trainer. Our brain trainers work one-on-one with clients, so that each client gets the attention they need during training.

#3 Concentration & Intensity – Brain training should be challenging, but not overwhelming. At LearningRx, each training session is custom designed as a true mental workout, with exercises matched to the learner’s existing skill level.

#4 Repetition & Practice – Building new brain skills takes time, dedication, and practice. To make significant gains, learners need to practice multiple times a week, and training must be sustained for several weeks.

#5 Step-by-Step Progression – Cognitive skills need to be developed step-by-step. At LearningRx, we start by building a strong foundation of core skills. Once this foundation is in place, learners work their way up to more complex exercises.

#6 Multitask Activities – As learners advance, we introduce exercises that use multiple skills at the same time. This helps new skills become more automatic and intuitive, and it helps the brain build strong internal connections.

#7 Positive Reinforcement – Brain training can be fun, but it’s not always easy. Our brain trainers offer immediate feedback and encouragement during training sessions, helping learners stay energized, motivated, and confident!

Does brain training work?

Through one-on-one brain training, anyone can build stronger learning and thinking skills.

Research studies have found that brain training is effective at improving individual learning and thinking skills, like memory and attention. Studies have also found that brain training has improved overall cognitive performance in kids and adults.

We have twelve years of brain training outcomes from LearningRx programs, including the results of nearly 28,000 graduates!

During this twelve-year period, kids and teens ages 4-17 who completed LearningRx brain training improved learning and thinking skills by 3.4 years on average!

Adult graduates, ages 18-95 saw similar gains in the same period. The largest gains were seen in long-term memory, auditory processing, and sustained attention.

While individual results may vary, we’d love the opportunity to work with you or your child!