Imagine you have a computer with advanced processing power. This computer can do all the tasks that a regular computer can do, like creating documents and surfing the web. It also can do many tasks that a regular computer can’t do, like advanced processing and calculations.
But this advanced computer it has one big difference from an ordinary computer: unlike a laptop or tablet that you can just open and start using, this advanced machine only functions when it’s plugged into a power source.
When it’s not plugged in, this computer’s capacity is limited. It might be able to do simple functions like a basic note or word-processing document, but even with the most basic tasks, it’s output will be limited.
And if you try to get it to do tasks or run apps that require more processing power – like accessing the internet, running calculations in a spreadsheet, photo editing, or working in AI apps – it will completely shut down.
This advanced computer is the ADHD brain and nervous system.
The Potential of ADHD Brains
The ADHD brain and nervous system — which collectively form one “system” — have the potential for performing complex processing and delivering high-quality output, both in cognitive tasks like creative work and physical tasks like weightlifting, yoga, and exercise.
ADHD brain see patterns and have levels of creativity that are unmatched by neurotypical brains.
The ADHD neuromuscular system has the potential for robust endurance and high-power output.
But the system only works when plugged in.
The Challenge of an Unplugged ADHD System
When you try to get an ADHD system to perform at peak capacity without first plugging it in and grounding its energy, it will short-circuit itself.
This leads to a dysregulated system that is unable to perform even simple movement or tasks, let alone the complex tasks that it’s capable of performing.
The unplugged ADHD system will struggle to activate motivation to get started with a task.
When facing cognitive tasks, the brain will spin out, fog over, and be rendered incompetent. It might even struggle with the most mundane administrative tasks — things you might call “brainless.”
In physical tasks, like exercise and weightlifting, it will often be unable to activate the primary muscles that should be engaging in a given movement pattern. For example, it won’t be able to “turn on” the glutes. It will also struggle with neuromuscular coordination — the ability to coordinate complex movements.
Without these fundamental activations, the ADHD system will default to compensatory movement patterns. In these compensations, the system often relies on synergist muscles to do the heavy lifting that the primary muscle doesn’t do. For example, the hip flexors and adductors take over for the glutes for the job of hip extension.
This often results in increased pain not only in the area impacted, but often throughout the entire musculoskeletal system.
The longer-term consequence is that these primary muscles remain “shut off” or “disconnected” from the rest of the system, while the “assistant” muscles continue to take over. Over time, this creates chronic pain.
How to Plug in the ADHD System
To function optimally — or even to function at all — the ADHD system needs to be plugged in.
And the best way to plug in the system is though exercise.
But general exercise isn’t enough. For the system to plug in without short-circuiting, it needs an effective workout.
For the workout to be effective, it must be vigorous and intense enough to trigger the production of dopamine and noepinephrine, the neurotransmitters that fuel the system.
Without these chemicals, the system remains unplugged.
This is where many people fall short. You might think you’re plugging in, but if you haven’t triggered the release of the neurotransmitters, you’ve essentially plugged your computer into a dead outlet.
You’ll spend a lot of effort to gear up only to have it backfire on you.
I’ve been experimenting with my workouts in a daily practice that I’ve sustained for over 12 years. My personal research has revealed that not all workouts are created equal when it comes to producing the chemicals necessary to plug in my system for peak performance.
In future posts, I’ll share what I’ve learned about what makes an effective workout, and how this changes for women when perimenopause hits.
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