Jaime HayWe all know that a fitness routine is crucial for both the physical and mental health of all of us. However, a fitness routine for eSports players is unavoidable, no matter how ridiculous and impossible it may seem to you.
Most people see eSports players as antisocial, lazy, and out of shape. This really has nothing to do with the truth (although there are always exceptions). You know, the job of a gamer isn’t just to sit in front of a computer screen for hours and press commands indefinitely. It’s one of the jobs of the gamer to be mentally and physically ready in order to achieve good results too. And good results can only be achieved by adhering to a strict fitness routine.
Why and How Important Is a Fitness Routine for Esports Players?
Average professional eSports players practice at least 50 hours a week. This means that their body will be forced to undergo many activities that can cause pain and even injuries. Since professional eSports players and teams earn great money, it’s normal for them to feel daily pressure because they’re investing the last atom of strength in order to be able to dominate tournaments with huge prize funds. This can further affect the mental state of the player. That’s why maintaining physical and mental fitness is key to success in eSports.
Many top teams and players have set physical training regimes and specific dietary requirements, and with eSports games that usually require quick reactions and strong mental skills, it’s important that the player takes care of himself. Here’s what the fitness routine of many promising professional gamers actually looks like…
Exercises to Strengthen the Arms and Joints
One of the most common injuries that affect almost all professional eSports players is the so-called carpal tunnel syndrome. Unfortunately, this syndrome can often stop and even ruin a gaming career. What actually causes this pain? Enlargement or inflammation of the tendon in the wrist, during which the carpal space narrows, and there’s pressure on the nerve.
The problems that occur are:
• Numbness
• Friction
• Tingling
• Pain
• Decreased sense of touch
The thumb, forefinger, middle finger, and part of the thumb are affected – and they’re also essential for playing video games. To avoid this, eSports players do exercises such as moving their wrists in a circle, bending their fingers, and stretching – for at least one hour a day.
Exercises to Strengthen the Whole Body
While you may find it hard to believe this, you should know that numerous studies have proven that the kind of physical exertion seen in eSports can’t be compared to any other sport. Studies have shown that the amount of stress hormone, cortisol, which passes through the players during the competition, coincides with that of race car drivers.
In addition, eSports players’ hearts often reach around 160-180 beats per minute. To prevent unwanted conditions, the fitness routine for eSports players ‘imposes’ a minimum of 60 minutes of daily physical activity. These include cycling, running, or playing football or basketball. In addition, eSports players are warmly recommended to go to the gym three times a week. Exercises that are mandatory are push-ups, jumps, running.
Improving Posture During the Game
We don’t have to be too smart to know that the biggest problem for gamers is sitting at a computer. It may not create additional trouble for those whose work is tied to sitting at a computer (except for back pain), but hunched over makes it difficult to hold or straighten the arms and joints of professional eSports players.
It may seem funny that this is also part of the fitness routine, but how could it not be when we tell you that gamers have to practice sitting too. Players straighten their backs and sit like that for at least 15 minutes if they can’t last longer than that. A bent back can cause problems with other muscles as well as digestive problems, so it’s very important to watch out for this.
In addition to fitness routines, professional gamers need to have some other things balanced, such as diet, hydration, sleep, and mental fitness.
Balanced Diet and Hydration
While playing video games and fast food go hand in hand, a fitness routine for eSports players explicitly emphasizes that a healthy and balanced diet is key to improving performance.
There are hundreds of different diets, but everyone, including eSports players, is advised:
• not to skip breakfast
• to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day
• to reduce the intake of salt, sugar, and saturated fats
• to keep the intake of carbohydrates to a minimum
• to drink plenty of fluids (at least 2 liters of water a day)
• to include fish in their diet twice a week
• to eat legumes, eggs, and cooked and stewed meat (not fried)
• to use dairy products with a lower percentage of fat
• to avoid drinking juices, fizzy drinks, and alcohol
The nutritionists’ advice for eSports players is to allow 4 hours to pass between meals or snacks and exercise so that the body has time to digest food and renew energy.
As far as hydration is concerned, Red Bull has sponsored eSports tournaments, but it’s recommended that such drinks be avoided. And too much coffee can harm players, especially energy drinks. That’s why water is an unavoidable ‘magic’ drink for a proper fitness routine for eSports players. Did you know that even a 5% reduction in hydration levels can reduce energy levels by a third? That’s why players ingest a lot of water in order to increase concentration and energy levels in addition to hydration.
Quality Sleep Is Essential
Most professional eSports players play during the night. Since everything around them is dark, and the computer screen emits light, the same light affects the circadian rhythm of the body, which is why insomnia is common. What the fitness routine for eSports players insists on is that players go away from the screen an hour before going to bed.
Good and quality sleep is important because it can reduce fatigue, irritability, and lack of focus, and can also reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
Mental Condition
In the end, we just have to mention the fact that mental health must also be taken into account when it comes to the overall fitness of eSports players. We believe that you had the opportunity to hear tough stories about professional gamers who broke down under enormous pressure. Most won’t feel this kind of pressure, but all are subject to stress that can build up over time.
That’s why talking to friends or an expert is necessary, as well as a balanced lifestyle.
Conclusion
The point of our story is that if you’ve ever wanted to join an eSports team, know that success will bring you not only perfect playing but also a fitness routine that’s necessary if you want to achieve top results. After all, only the best-prepared players will bring profit to bettors who wager on eSports tournaments on Bookmaker-Expert.com.
Zaraki Kenpachi
