eSports has become quite popular over time, and though not much physical training is involved in practicing for tournaments, it has become commonplace for the athletes to take part in an exercise. Exercise helps them nurture their endurance, opens up their minds and improves their physical well-being. The types of activities come in various forms.
Endurance activities
The most of the digital sports involve sitting and withstanding long hours of practice. Without regular exercise, the long hours of sitting can lead to back problems, wrist problems, and elbow problems.
There are exercises designed to help athletes build up stamina. These practices are known as aerobic exercises. They work by increasing your breathing rate, and they increase the amount of oxygen needed in the body. You take up a lot of oxygen while participating in these activities and this, in turn, leads to an increase in your heart rate given that more blood needs to get pumped throughout your body.
With an increased heart rate, you are required to endure heavy breathing for long moments. This increase in oxygen rises your heart flexibility, the volume of blood in your system as well as your hemoglobin levels.
These activities also lead to the development of healthy lungs as they hold large volumes of air at a time, the distribution of white blood cells in your body and the increase in the health of your cardiovascular system. All these in effect lead to your general well-being, and you can appreciate why it is vital that esports athletes take part in such activities.
Types of aerobic exercises recommended for esports athletes include:
- Brisk walking
- Jogging
- Yard work such as raking
- Dancing
Esports athletes are advised to take part in such activities for about twenty to thirty minutes a day for best results. Athletes who stick to a routine can see changes in their practice sessions regarding growth of stamina.
Strength exercises
Strength exercises are also known as strength training or resistance training. Athletes who spend a lot of time in practice can strain their muscles too much, leading to the development of health problems such as tennis elbow and tendonitis. Such complications are avoidable by engaging in activities that lead to the strengthening of tendons.
Though flexing your wrists from time to time during your breaks from training aids in the avoidance of inflammation, it is necessary that you undertake activities that can increase the strength of your bones and muscles. The stronger your ligaments are, the less likely you are to suffer from inflammation as a result of prolonged hours of training.
These exercises can be quite tasking to the body, and as such, esports athletes are advised to take part in them about two to three times a week. Those sessions are adequate for one looking to build some form of endurance and strength without building up their body too much.
With time, you will find that strength training has made you more independent than you were. You can now go up flights of stairs with ease and carry your shopping bags on your own in addition to withstanding hours of practice.
What exercises are best for strength training?
- Lifting weights
- Using resistance bands
- Using your body weight
These exercises work by pushing your muscles to endure loads which in turn strengthen them. When esports athletes take part in such activities, they can withstand long hours of practice without exhaustion. As with all types of exercises, starting slow is recommended so as not to strain your body beyond its limit.
Flexibility exercises
Your tendons get exposed to a lot of strain during esports, and they need to be stretched from time to time to avoid the development of aches. These exercises stretch your muscles to help them become limber as this reduces your chances of getting injured while training. The beauty of these activities is that they enable you to take part in other exercises with more ease as you can move your body in ways that you could not before.
Shoulder and upper arm stretch- these reduce the exhaustion that comes about due to sitting in one position for hours on end. You can perform these exercises in between training to minimize fatigue.
Calf stretches - while training, you are advised to make sure that your feet remain on the floor while training. Though this prevents backaches, it can be tasking to your calves. Stretch your calves as a form of relaxation.
Yoga - of all stretching activities, this is the one that has received praise from its fans worldwide. Yoga can stretch every muscle in your body and is responsible for the reduction of fatigue and stress. Another good thing about this exercise is that it also helps in anger management and aids in the achievement of better sleep cycles.
Participating in physical exercises enables esports athletes to lead healthy lifestyles while ensuring that they stay on top of their games.