Steady hands, steady nerves. Sharp and alert.
Not too anxious, not overly relaxed.
Able to observe minute changes and react instantly.
I could be describing a soldier, a surgeon or a race car driver.
In this case, I’m describing elite-level video gamers. And now there’s a new kind of athlete. The video gaming kind.
After all, if an athlete has physical strength, speed or endurance, then pro gamers qualify on at least two fronts (speed and endurance).
Gamer Nutrition Will Drive the Future of eSports Athletes
In the rapidly growing world of eSports elite gamers are esteemed for their unique skill sets, just as traditional pro athletes are in organized sports. Elite gamers can compete for college scholarships (yes, colleges have teams that compete in eSports), gain sponsors, go pro, and even earn a very good living.
A new line of nutrients and gamer supplements like Neuro Vite Plus will drive this competitive space into the future by supporting speed, agility and endurance.
What are the Mental Skills of eSport Athletes?
In addition to incredible dexterity, sharp mental skills are necessary to play at the elite level. Gaming is very taxing and requires athletes to train, just like in any other sport. Beyond practicing and playing games (which can occupy 6-12 or more hours per day!), training may include brain exercises to enhance some of the following areas critical to excelling in the gaming arena:
- Manage an extremely heavy cognitive workload. (Learn more about cognitive load.) Cognitive load is associated with working memory (that is: the short-term brain activity for doing daily or current tasks). Because gaming is so taxing on the cognitive load, being mentally present and “on” or “in the zone” for extended periods of time is essential. Unlike a lot of sports, the playing time is continuous, high intensity, and with very few breaks for the mind or body.
- Visual-spatial skills that allow gamers to perceive, recognize, manipulate and respond to the environment. Seeing a change on the screen is of little consequence if you cannot properly analyze what the appropriate response is, then make adjustments. Whether it be League of Legends, Guitar Hero, Fortnite, or any other competitive games, you must be able to evaluate friend or foe, one note or three, engage or retreat.
- Enhanced attention span. Practices and matches can last for hours. eSports athletes must have the mental capacity to stay focused, alert, and tuned in without sleepiness or distractibility.
- Managing emotions and anxiety. One of the most challenging aspects of gaming is managing the stress, emotions and anxiety that comes with elite gaming. Sports Psychologist Dr. Isaac Zur of Mental Performance Consulting of NY is an expert in his field, including working with eSports athletes. Helping manage stress, anger and anxiety can not only help athletes in daily life. Developing coping strategies and channeling the emotions has been shown to improve reaction time.
Gamer Nutrition & Fitness Are Often Overlooked
Ask competitive athletes in most sports, and they’ll tell you fitness and proper nutrition are paramount to performance in their respective fields. Gamers, however, have often overlooked the importance of fitness and nutrition and their potential to contribute to enhanced performance, as well as prevent injuries and increase longevity within the sport.
Pro gamers often retire in their mid-20s, either from stress and burnout, injury, or just a slower response time, giving younger competitors the edge.
Fitness comes into play in a couple of different ways. Relaxation and taking a break away from gaming gives your mind and body time to process and recover. Plus, there are certain exercises that can help the body improve reaction time as well as reduce injuries.
Professor Ingo Froböse of the German Sports University in Cologne, Germany, began studying eSports athletes in 2011 and was shocked to find just how much pressure the mind and body were under when gaming. “The amount of cortisol produced is… that of a race-car driver,” he reported.
The pulse rate, he noted, was that of a marathon runner, 160-180 beats per minute on average. Froböse goes on to state that exercises that strengthen and support the shoulder and neck areas could improve fine-motor skills in the arms.
Gamer Supplements Trusted by the Pros
Supplements such as PQQ and CoQ10 can provide longer sustained energy with less propensity to crashing than sugar or caffeine. They also improve concentration and focus, which is critical to elite gamers.
- PQQ has the added benefit of improving sleep, a challenge to gamers who are exposed to blue light so many hours of the day.
- CoQ10 has been shown to benefit cognition and memory.
Taken together, these supplements, along with a healthy diet, may improve reaction time, alertness and reduce physical and mental fatigue.
Game On!
Whether you are a competitive gamer or want to be one, taking care of your mind and body through proper fitness, nutrition, supplements, rest, and mental exercises can lead to better results, both in and out of the gaming arena. Start supporting your brain and body with Neuro Vite Plus, a nootropic gamer supplement and multivitamin/mineral.