With all of the disagreements outstanding in this field, the least we can do is clear the semantic hurdles that may stand in the way of synthesis. One issue that is still outstanding, but can easily be dispatched, concerns how we think about inhibits. In the past I have variously contrasted Sue’s largely reward-based training with Val Brown’s largely inhibit-based approach. The distinction is quite clear to me in my own mind, but Val Brown comes back to point out that his system does allow the promotion of amplitudes in particular bands as well. In his approach of box targeting there is both an upper and a lower threshold set for every band. One can choose to raise the lower threshold with an imposed offset, thus rewarding the brain for larger amplitudes in that particular band. That could then be seen as a reward strategy. (The upper threshold gets raised as well, in that the whole box is moved upward, but that is not of interest at the moment.)
Now in fairness it must be said that Val has moved away from the use of this terminology of augments and inhibits in his own chosen framing of what he does. So the problem is not his but ours, as we try to understand his approach in our traditional framework. On the other hand, Val also has an interest in not having his system misrepresented. So, why do I still talk of Val’s approach in terms of inhibit-based training? (more…)