Physical health can play a crucial role in enhancing performance in competitive eSports. Gaming is primarily mental and skill-based, but enhanced physical health can positively impact and heighten a gamers capabilities. Not to mention it contributes to their overall well-being. Regular physical activity can improve cognitive function, endurance, posture, stress management, sleep quality, hand-eye coordination, and overall general health. Each of these 7 components plays a part in gaming performance.
Reaction Time
Physical activities that enhance a players agility and coordination, especially cardiovascular activities, can increase a players reaction time in-game. Which can be the difference in a life-or-death situation, reaction time can be crucial in deciding whether or not you lose the round. Possibly impacting the outcome of an entire game.
Endurance
On average Valorant games can last anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour long. I’ve had a game last up to an hour and 26 minutes. Each round more crucial than the last. FPS games require you to stay focused for prolonged periods of time. Physical fitness can contribute to better endurance and allow a player to remain at peak performance for the entire session, without fatiguing.
Hand-Eye Coordination
There are two mechanics in FPS video games that are intertwined, sort of like yin and yang. These two mechanics are your aim and your movement. For PC players, this is your mouse hand and your keyboard hand. In order to achieve peak performance, high precision, fluidity, and least amount of error possible, hand-eye coordination is very important. In Valorant, like Counter-Strike 2, the player must come to a complete halt for their weapon to be 100% accurate. So the keyboard hand and mouse hand must move cohesively to ensure accurate aim fluidity in movement.
Focus
Regular Physical activity has been proven to improve concentration and focus. In-game it is very important the player stay attentive and focus on a number of minute details
Stress Management
I will admit, and I can testify to this, competitive games can take a mental toll on an individual. Things don’t always go your way, you can get completely overwhelmed in a match by the opposing team, you can lose an un-losable round, you can lose 10 matches consecutively. Physical activity is a natural stress-reliever, allowing a player to maintain a cool and level head during a high-pressure situation. Exercise is an excellent way to manage stress.
Posture
One of the most important contributors to mechanical performance in FPS games is posture. The way your arm is positioned, the way you’re seated in your chair, your comfortability and accessibility to various movements, these all play a part in performance. Regular stretching also helps players prevent long-term injuries, i.e. carpal tunnel.
