To become an Elite eSports athlete, start by focusing on your health

To become an Elite eSports athlete, start by focusing on your health

We’ve spent thousands of hours testing and playing on the PlayPulse ONE, deducting that gaming on our exercise bike increases the player’s motivation to stay active. But how important is it to stay active, if you want to perform in the e-sports arena?

A decade ago, the typical gamer was associated with piling up the soda cans and energy drinks, as well as having burger or chip crumbs scattered across their desk. Today, the reality is something totally different. As gaming has moved on to become one of the most popular sports in the world, e-sports athletes have moved on from being somewhat inactive to treating their bodies as any other traditional athlete would. To be a successful gamer, you have to eat healthily and exercise both your body and mind.

Exercise Improves Video Game Performance

Prior to the last 10 years, the gaming industry hadn't really been taken as seriously as it is done today. Physical activity had been somewhat neglected by players, and one can say the typical gamer started out their journey matching the initial description stated in the paragraph above. In more recent years though, the industry has evolved and become more professional, and e-sports has developed into one of the largest industries in sports there is. This has put a lot of pressure on the athletes, who must make sure to keep their bodies and minds in top shape.

In an American study, researchers found that 15 minutes of exercise before playing League of Legends (LoL) actually had a positive effect on the players. The study was based on twenty young video gamers while playing a customized LoL. The gamers were divided into two groups, where one group was told to exercise for 15 minutes before gaming, and the other group were told to simply relax. The results were pretty interesting. The group who were told to exercise increased their efforts by 17%, a substantial amount in the context of the game.

The study concluded that a short amount of intense cardio exercise before playing LoL improved their video game performance.

Of course, we can’t make an overall deduction based on this small group of people alone. More studies are needed to fully understand the effects of exercise when combined with video games, but there is no doubt that exercise has a great effect and impact on both mental and physical health.

Gamers work out, so should you

The old perception that gamers are overweight and living an unhealthy lifestyle is one that needs to be left in the past. More and more professional gamers are placing a heavier focus on living a healthy lifestyle, such as Trihex, who is known as a “speedrunning” player. In an interview for The New York Post, he mentions that in order for his gaming career to succeed, it’s essential that he works out, which he did.

Another example to take note of is how Team Liquid is using a healthy lifestyle to help compete at their best level. Without a healthy menu and hours at the gym, they all agree that they would have all come short in reaching their goals, which is to be the best.

Fun games equal better fitness

Right from the get go, while conducting research for the PlayPulse ONE, we noticed that our first riders loved playing PedalTanks, which was the first game in development on our platform. In fact, throughout the duration of this study, these testers played an average of 50% longer than we asked them to, and they would have continued playing if we’d let them. These participants were regular people, with a regular schedule, with ordinary workout routines, but they loved pedaling on the PlayPulse ONE.

You can read more in our reference links below on the study that compares the similarities between exergaming on the PlayPulse ONE with the activity of walking. The results confirmed the beliefs held by the professors; Exergaming done the right way - is a fun way to stay active.

A fun way to get started

So, if you’re looking for a cheat code to becoming a more successful gamer, or if you’re looking for a new exciting way to treat your body as well as your mind, then we really recommend checking out The PlayPulse ONE. You’ll be able to get those extra hours of exercise every week, while having loads of fun at the same time!

Bonus: Learn how Mike “Glarung” Fisk of Tempo Storm and Fnatic’s Filip “SmX” Liljeström are using the gym to stay healthy.