5 Best Gamer Exercises
I'm exhausted today from my run. I did a little trail running through some fields, trees, rivers, and even a swamp……Online….In PubG.
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In the past, exercise and gaming were rarely associated with one another. Typically their prospective stereotypes were at the opposite ends of the spectrum. However, this trend is dramatically changing thanks to the rise of Esports, streaming, and the influx of money into the space.
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Numerous studies have shown that exercises not only benefit the body but increase cognitive function for short term and long term benefits.
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I assume most of you skipped the hyperlinks to the studies so I'll sum up the articles with the old adage but still remarkably accurate quote of, "Exercise gets the blood pumping!"
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As we exercise, we circulate the oxygen/nutrient-rich blood throughout the body. The nutrient-rich blood enters the brain and delivers the payload, thereby enhancing brain activity, which allows you to land your shots more consistently.
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Experiment Time
My position on movement is simple, "When the body is moving, it's happy." Put this mantra to the test next time you're on a plane or in a movie theater. As you're sitting in a cramped seat for an hour, or so you will begin to notice your knee will start to feel stiff.
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This pain is due to the lack of movement within the joint, causing various muscle groups to be in a contracted or stretched (orientation to the joint dependent) state for long periods with a decrease in blood flow. Once you're able to straighten out your leg, it feels just short of amazing right?
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Experiment complete.
Wowser Mister!
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Cool story bro, get to the gamer exercises and stretches that I came for.
Got it. Let's dive in.
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Exercises For Gamers
Squats
But Why: The basic squat is one of the best full-body exercises you can do. The squat works on stability and core activation all while strengthening of numerous muscle groups (mentioned below). The squat is a solid combo exercise for between games or while waiting in the lobby.
HP restored: Glutes, Quads, Hamstrings, and even the stabilizers of the spine.
Queue Time: We aren't going for speed here, so slow controlled movements are the key here, preferably in front of a mirror to lock in your form first. I recommend a 20-40 second duration for the exercise and once again going for proper form like above rather than speed.
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Supine Plank
But Why: We have all seen the low and high plank performed a million times. I believe the supine plank is much better for gamers and deskers. The supine plank focuses heavily on the posterior chain muscle groups, which are commonly weak in almost all humans (that means you).
HP restored in: Intrascapular muscles, gluteal group, hamstrings, erector spinae of the lumbar spine
Queue Time: Until fatigue. Try not to arch the back here. You can also perform this exercise off of the elbows as well if that is easier for you.
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Knuckle Push Up
But Why: The knuckle variation keeps the wrist in neutral, rather than in extreme extension, which can be a problematic position for gamers. This exercise is once again, a basic compound exercise that recruits numerous muscles group in a short amount of time.
HP restored in: Pec major, triceps, deltoids and trunk core musculature.
Queue Time: Until fatigue. If the standard push up is difficult, first begin with push-ups from your knees. There no rush into ripping out 30 push-ups with poor form. Baby steps first.
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Face Pulls (FP)
But Why: This is one of the best exercises you can do regardless of your occupation or fitness level. As humans, we perform the majority of our tasks directly in front of us and therefore create a muscle imbalance.
While working out, we tend to focus on the anterior muscle groups i.e., bicep work, chest press/fly, etc. The Face Pull counteracts this muscle imbalance by strengthening the posterior chain muscles that are commonly overstretched and strained, which in turn helps tremendously with posture.
HP restored in: Rear deltoids, rhomboids, and external rotators of the shoulder
Queue Time: Depending on Theraband resistance or pulley system weight. 10-20 reps. Once again, our emphasis is on proper form rather than weight or reps.
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Hand Strengthening systems
But Why: As with any athlete, the goal of training is to build up strength and endurance in the muscle groups most commonly used. With gaming, we need to build up the stamina of fingers, hand, wrist to perform precise actions with extended periods of play. Here is one product I recommend.
HP restored in: Provides self-mobilization, endurance building, strength building, and promotes dexterity.
Queue Time: We don't want to become fatigued during practice, so try to perform these when you have a good chunk of free time. I would also recommend icing after performing to keep the inflammation down in the area.
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Gamer Exercise Bonus
Eccentric Loading of the Wrist
I also wanted to throw in some fantastic eccentric loading (loading of the muscle as it's lengthening) exercises to help with some of the most common wrist pains seen by gamers. Here once again, I'm a big fan of active icing or ice massage following this exercise do minimize inflammation of the tissues.
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Closing
As with most list type articles, there will be essential gamer exercises left off for the sake of readability and the attention span of most people. If you have any suggestions on some that I've left out, please leave them below.
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The goal of this blog is to help the community and grow as a doctor in Esports. I'm not here to argue why my list is the best or the end all be all. So please let me know your thoughts below.
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Part II of this series will be my top 5 stretches for gamers, which I will link here in the next week or so.
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