The impact of physical inactivity on our mental state has been revealed for the first
time in the Mind Race, an ASICS experiment to show just how important exercise is for our mental
health. The ASICS campaign sees regular exercisers and athletes including Olympian, Ewan Thomas,
stop exercising for one week to quantify the impact on our mental state – testing anecdotal evidence
that ‘when we don’t move, our minds race’.

Led by Professor Brendon Stubbs, a leading researcher in movement and the mind, ASICS used its
cutting-edge Mind Uplifter technology to measure the impact of movement on the mind, analysing
data from thousands of people exercising in 21 countries and when they paused their regular exercise
routines for just one week.

The results were significant. After just one week without exercise, participants’ confidence levels
dropped by 20%; positivity fell by 16%, mental energy levels slumped by 23% and their ability to cope
with stress reduced by 22%. Overall State of Mind scores dropped from a high 68 out of 100 when
physically active to a mediocre 55 out of 100.
These negative mental effects were powerfully visualized in the Mind Race film - launched globally
across Paid, Owned and Earned channels - which showed for the first time what a lack of movement
looks like on the mind.

But the Mind Race also provided good news. The global data showed that only 15.09 minutes of
exercise is needed to significantly positively impact our mental state - even after periods of inactivity.
The Mind Race campaign encourages the public to track their own mental uplift from returning to
exercise using the Mind Uplifter technology, available for free at https://minduplifter.asics.com/

Since 1949, ASICS' founding mission has been to help everyone achieve a ‘Sound Body, Sound
Mind’, with an unrelenting philosophy that sport holds that power to uplift the mind. The Mind Race is
Golin’s first creative campaign since the agency was appointed to the business in November 2021.
The creative campaign was developed and rolled out globally by Golin London. Creative production
was led by UNIT9 and directed by A Common Future. Technical production was led by Solar Flare.

Caroline Fisher, communications director, ASICS EMEA said: “Our founding philosophy is literally in
our name, Anima Sana In Corpe Sano or a Sound Mind, Sound Body. And we believe our focus on
the benefits of sport and movement, not just on the body but also on the mind, has never been more
relevant. We know the last two years have been tough on the mental state of many. And while not the
answer for everyone, we know exercise can make a difference. Through this research, we hope to
inspire more people to move, even just for 15.09 minutes and feel the benefits on body and mind.”

Asics - Asics - Mind Race

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