Here’s how a lot of people imagine a professional gaming session: you sit down, eat some chips, and click through a mindless colourful game that requires no skill to play. You have a little bit of easy fun with your friends until you get bored, and then you go home.
Here’s how a professional gaming session is really like: you are tense, focused, and ready to act at a drop of a hat. You communicate with your teammates and work hard to reach a goal. Your reflexes are tested every second, and you have to put every ounce of your skill into the endeavour if you want to ensure victory.
Regardless of what grumpy curmudgeons may think about the world of gaming and esports, it’s hard work, both mentally and physically. This is why, if you want to play professionally, you need to be prepared — body, mind, and spirit. Here’s how.
Introduce some cardio and core work into your exercise routine
Here’s why you need cardio: it will help you build up energy. The healthier your heart is and the more you get used to the strain of cardio, the easier time you’ll have staying sharp and focused when the situation requires it. Cardio is also necessary for people who spend a lot of time sedentary, which is exactly what will start happening once intense gaming sessions start.
Speaking of sedentary, here’s why you need core work: because it will keep your body strong and prevent back pain. Gamers frequently struggle with back pain, and this can lead to distractions when you really need to stay sharp and focused.
If you don’t really have an exercise routine and don’t know where to start, you could try this workout.
Eat well whenever you can
If you sign up for a tournament, you probably won’t have enough time to think about cooking yourself healthy meals. That’s fine — you can’t always make the perfect healthy choice for yourself. But you can take a few healthy steps that will help you get all the nutrients you need to stay alert.
Instead of crisps, prepare yourself tasty and healthy snacks like a mix of almonds, peanuts, and cranberries. Instead of regular sugary soda, choose performance-enhancing gamer drinks that will increase your concentration and keep your energy up.
When you’re not gaming, try to eat well and stay hydrated.
Choose your own way to unwind
While gaming usually does this for us, things change during tournaments and competitive sessions. We need some time to rest and refocus so we’d be able to get back to the game properly energized, and even more importantly, calm.
This is why unwinding in a way that’s unrelated to the eSport you’re playing is so important: because it gives you a way to assess your own gaming practices, to look at them more objectively, and learn from your mistakes.
You can unwind by watching a show, taking a walk, playing with your nephews, meditating, or whatever floats your boat. Doing something creative like drawing, or woodworking, or cooking, or playing an instrument can be particularly beneficial.
Hang out with your friends and family
Humans need physical contact, and gamers are definitely no different. Hanging out with friends online is absolutely good, and valuable, and real, but sometimes you do need to see people face-to-face to feel the full benefit of social interaction.
Concentrating only on gaming can leave us feeling lonely and a little frayed, and that’s definitely not a good vibe for a gamer. Family and friends can soothe you, which is essential for those who want to retain that laser sharp calm that’s needed for competitive games.
Bear in mind that you need to spend time with people who actually do feel soothing and who support your gaming. Hanging around those who question or demean you all the time will only leave you frustrated and tired. Surround yourself with cool people, not jerks.
Remember, your wellbeing will influence your gaming skills. If you neglect it, you’re more likely to play poorly. If you take care of it the way you need to, you’re more likely to feel relaxed, confident, and entirely happy. This is exactly the kind of feeling that will lead you to victory.
