Training maps can be a great way to get the blood pumping to your fingers before a Counter-Strike match. They're also great for peacefully and consciously practicing key exercises, such as spraying and crouch-tapping. But, CS:GO is not a conscious game. Things fly by like a lightning strike, leaving you almost no time to process the situation and reach a decision. That's why in a game of CS:GO, everything, ranging from your aim to your decision-making, must be instantaneous and sub-conscious.

That means that practicing with low-intensity training maps may not even impact your game that much. So should we just constantly grind free-for-all deathmatch? Not necessarily. The difference with deathmatch is that it's very fast-paced and challenging, just as a real match is, but it's also hectic and doesn't allow for methodical practice. Therefore, in order to effectively improve, we need to reach a happy medium between the monotony of training maps and the chaos of deathmatch. Let's call it elevated intensity. Take a look.

The Practice-Performance Theory

When you are practicing, you are allowing yourself to slow down and make mistakes. This fosters a growth mindset and allows you to improve according to your effort. But, when you're in a performance state, such as in a match, you are forced to be constantly vigilant and unassailable, causing your improvement to slow drastically. Therefore, it's imperative that you delineate practice from performance. However, a distracted practice routine is just as detrimental to improvement as a performance situation. So to maximize your practice efficiency, you need to find a "gray area" in your practice intensity.

Let's take a look at a few potential paths to reach this "gray area." In Deathmatch, we are in a constant hyper-alert state of "performance." But, to improve in a specific target area, we must transition ourselves to a state of "practice." However, training maps have the exact opposite problem of becoming monotonous, which decreases our concentration on improving. Therefore, to achieve the perfect "practice" state, we could either "slow down" deathmatch or "speed up" training maps.

An ideal player should be able to practice with both techniques. In fact, many professional players say that they Deathmatch with a specific purpose or restriction in mind, therefore artificially creating the practice state by limiting chaos. A great example of this is the Hiko Challenge pictured below, named after former-Team Liquid superstar, Spencer "Hiko" Martin.

Image courtesy of /u/officialrexoN

However, it's called the Hiko "Challenge" for a reason, as most players are not able to fulfill its requirements before running out of patience and rage-spraying. A much better solution for us amateurs is to "elevate" the intensity of training maps. Professionals can also be seen doing this frequently. Maybe you've even seen a certain someone showing off his skills in one of these offline practice maps and getting accused of cheating for his absurd aim. Cheating or not, the clip of Yassine "Subroza" Taoufik's shown below is an excellent example of elevated intensity discussed previously.

Even though this guide won't transform you into the next FPL god, it will definitely elevate your training map experience. By recognizing the flaws and pitfalls of various training maps, you'll be able to craft a perfect practice routine. This will lay the foundation for you to build upon. Eventually, when you've reached a high proficiency, you'll be able to branch out into more demanding practice regimens, such as the Hiko Challenge. You'll even be able to take your proficiency in the practice setting to the coveted performance environment of PUGS, scrims, matches, and even championships. Let's take a look at a few training maps and exactly how you can efficiently achieve championship proficiency through elevated intensity.

Aim Botz

Image courtesy of @uLLeticaL

Aim Botz is equipped with a plethora of features, as featured in the Subroza clip above. With them, you can drill a variety of exercises, ranging from flashy flicks to methodical crouch-tapping. But, this calm environment, akin to other training maps as well, can easily lead to boredom and ineffective practice. To remedy this, you should establish a challenging regimen within your time playing this map. For example, dedicate five minutes to slow taps with the AK-47 and gradually picking up speed. Then work on your AWP flicks by allowing the bots to strafe. Finally, conclude with a time trial and track your progress as you improve throughout the weeks.

Recoil Master - Spray Training

Image courtesy of @uLLeticaL

Known as Recoil Master - Spray Training, this map is made created by the same user who made Aim Botz. Still armed with plenty of features to play around with, Recoil Master is intended to help you improve nearly every aspect of your automatic weapon spray patterns. The map provides extremely helpful visual stimuli for those tricky spray patterns. But, the main pitfall is routine. Too often, I see players spray at only one distance and wasting their practice time as well as the map's potential. Not only that, but it also fixates your muscle memory so that you're only comfortable spraying in one scenario: close-range and stationary. So, switch it up if you aren't already! With just a few moments of tinkering, you can practice long-range sprays, moving sprays, and even spray transfers.

Training_aim_csgo2

Training_aim_csgo2 is a unique training map because it does not include any bots. Instead, you, as the player, are given a wall, some platforms, and a bunch of red dots. But hold on now! Even though the map seems lackluster, it's actually a great benchmark to test your mechanical skills. You can test your reaction times, train your flicks, and practice your strafing. Here's an example of Gambit Gaming's Dauren "AdreN" Kystaubayev playing the map's flick training until his he is literally shaking:

Fast, elevated, and intense. That's what this map has the potential to be. However, it should not be a warmup map or a consistent practice map, as there are better options. Rather, this map should be used to periodically benchmark your speed and improvement. After all, CS:GO is all about speed; it's not about how many shots you can hit, but about how fast you can hit them. Therefore, imagine these training runs as tests or exams. You could even set up goals that you must surpass before continuing, all in the name of elevating your game. In terms of pure practice, there are better options. Let's take a look.

Fast Aim / Reflex Training Image courtesy of yolokas

Fast Aim / Reflex Training is a personal favorite of mine. In it, you spawn in the center of the map. Harmless bots charge at you while you sling bullets at their faces. The map is not only excellent for warming up, but it's also a solid choice for building muscle memory in the early stages of a player. However, that's only if the player applies dedication to practice. For a newer player, it becomes too easy to crouch-spray every bot that comes in his/her way. Not only is this inefficient and lethargic, but it also doesn't make for very good practice. To combat this nasty habit, you should take advantage of the bot's tendency to jump into the death pit that protects you. Try to make sure that no bot dies to the death pit. Instead, fill their faces with lead. You'll be hailed as a hero.

Prefire Practice Maps

Image courtesy of Yesber

Finally, we will take a look at Prefire Maps. For those unaware, prefire maps spawn you into a real map from the CS:GO map pool. Stationary bots are scattered across the map so that you can practice your crosshair placement, peeking, and of course, prefiring. Learning your angles is essential to mastering competitive play in CS:GO. With this collection of maps, it may seem daunting to have to memorize all of these angles. Therefore, in contrast to the other maps, I'd encourage you to take your time in prefire maps. Ensure that you know each angle and how it will affect you in-game when entering a chokepoint. Do not just idly shoot your way through bots while carelessly peeking multiple angles.

Conclusion

Just like any other practice-until-perfect profession, you as a CS:GO player must carefully analyze and control your practice regimens. Custom maps are extremely convenient and customizable, giving them a firm place in any professional, semi-professional, or amateur gamer's practice schedule. However, it must be balanced with other mediums. Besides maintaining variety, as this does, the key to establishing an efficient practice routine is to clearly identify the gray area of practice in the practice-performance theory.

Once you've acknowledged the most efficient state of practice, you must strive to achieve it. For most players, the first step is to utilize the myriad of practice maps. And, to maximize their effectiveness, you need to reach a state of elevated intensity. The suggestions made in this article to help you achieve this state are simply starting points. You should experiment and find what suits your style the best. Eventually, through meticulously planned exercises within these maps, you'll begin to see faster improvement in your CS:GO game. And finally, once mastering your practice habits, you'll also find your skills to deliver much more often in performance situations.

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