More than Hitting the Buttons: The Physical and Mental Aspects of Preparing in Esports

With the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic helping Esports become more popular than ever, the debate still continues: are "e-athletes" considered as athletes? If you are to look at how they prepare for international competitions such as the 2020 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Esports Open in which the Phillippines will be among the countries who will compete, one can say that these "e-athletes" should be considered as regular athletes because their preparations are somehow similar to those of the actual athletes.

And no, it's more than just turning on your computers or consoles, sitting down, properly holding the controllers, and knowing the best techniques. Nope.

In preparing for an Esports competition, a professional gamer must undergo certain training regimens that are designed to help gamers possess the proper sitting posture, hand-eye coordination, and strong forearms, hands, wrists, and fingers. After all, one aspect of being successful in Esports is having the best physical condition which includes one's endurance. These gamers also undergo cardiovascular exercises while focusing on their nutrition as well as participating in cryotherapy which could help in the healing of the muscles. And after each gaming session, professional gamers are advised to practice deep relaxation methods primarily to relax their eyes and nerves. And that's just the physical aspect of a professional gamer's preparation.

The other aspect of preparing for an Esports tournament such as the National Basketball Association (NBA) 2k League revolves around the mental fitness of gamers. After all, we've been hearing side effects of playing too many video games ever since games came into our lives and that, being mentally fit is an important aspect that a gamer needs to take seriously. For a gamer to be able to keep focus, wakefulness, have a quick reaction time, and clear strategic way of thinking during competitions, their nutrition will play a crucial part in this and this is something that even traditional sports supplements cannot provide properly. 

As mentioned, endurance plays an important key to the success of a professional gamer and that, having that endurance will depend on the supplement that a gamer is getting. While sports supplements are being sold left and right, not all sports supplements aren't properly balanced to give gamers long-lasting energy because the supplements' don't have the right balance of sugar level that will run in the bloodstream. As a result of the low sugar level, this will have a direct impact on the gamers' state of mind, productivity and, overall performance in competitions. 

Aside from getting the right supplements suited for their needs as Esports athletes, these gamers also need to take care of their mental health and for that, they also have a mental component in their training regimens. While gamers are subjected to experience random emotional wings, Esports, being a computer-based environment, allows these gamers to get coached by performance psychology experts online and in return, these professionals can now monitor and even provide immediate feedback. This aspect will be helpful especially for gamers who deal with mental problems such as anxiety and depression as having the professionals' advice will help gamers channel their anxieties to better performance in games.

In the end, it boils down to having the right mindset regardless if you're a traditional athlete or a professional gamer. While there's a similarity in the way they prepare compared to the traditional athletes, professional gamers do undergo serious training before hitting the buttons. And it's more than just hitting the right buttons. 

Photo is from NeuroTracler