Season 9 is here, and that means another year of ranked frustrations and the feeling of wanting to climb again. From some simple stretches to dealing with the dreadful feeling of losing, here are some tips to take on you before you log onto the Rift.

Mental State

Now this may seem tedious, but not everyone can handle playing multiple games in a row even when they commit to playing a full day of games. The most I’d say is two games at best before taking a small intermission in between each set. The idea is to keep you mentally prepared before each game and not have any mental shutdowns because a game isn’t going your way. This can be done by playing a normal or ARAM as a break between games as well and just playing something fun and random that you normally would never try in a ranked game.

Another way to help with this is to go in each game with a mindset that this is merely a game and it shouldn’t matter the outcome because there is plenty of time to make up losses. The season is barely starting, so a loss this early isn’t the end of the world and you will bounce back easily. Not every game is going to be a loss, so you just merely got to move on and look to the next game already. Only use the last game to look and analyze and not think of the stress of losing any LP.

Stretch

Before even getting into a game you should stretch your hands and fingers because prolonged playing could cause problems. Even pro players experience these issues and it causes them to suffer in their games on the big stage. So, before having to need a doctor to help you with wrist or hand issues, always stretch before even booting up the computer.

Follow these simple stretches:

Clenched fists

• While seated, place your open hands on your thighs with palms up.
• Close your hands slowly into fists. Do not clench too tightly.
• With your forearms touching your legs, raise your fists off of your legs and back toward your body, bending at the wrist.
• Hold for 10 seconds.
• Lower your fists and slowly open your fingers wide.
• Repeat 10 times.

Praying position stretches

• While standing, place your palms together in a praying position. Have your elbows touch each other. Your hands should be in front of your face. Your arms should be touching each other from the tips of your fingers to your elbows.
• With your palms pressed together, slowly spread your elbows apart. Do this while lowering your hands to waist height. Stop when your hands are in front of your belly button or you feel the stretch.
• Hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds, then repeat.
• Extend one arm in front of you at shoulder height.
• Keep your palm down, facing the floor.
• Release your wrist so that your fingers point downward.
• With your free hand, gently grasp your fingers and pull them back toward your body.
• Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.

Champion Pools and Roles

A very big part of playing ranked is to have a moderately sized champion pool to adapt to each game. I recommend having at least five or six champions you can play in a position with different playstyles. This will allow you to be versatile in each game and play better to the changing conditions. This also helps to prevent having your champion picked or banned in champ select.

Another useful tip is to be proficient in multiple roles, so in case you are filled to the secondary role you will not be forced to play in unfamiliar territory. Depending on your primary position I recommend playing these other roles.

Top -> Mid/Support

Mid -> Top/Support

Jungle -> Mid/Top

Bot -> Support/Mid

Support -> Jungle/Mid

These are based on how similar some roles are to others and be more comfortable in an off-role. I would suggest being proficient in as many roles as you can, but two or three roles is good enough. This will again allow you to be versatile and prevent being shut down before the game even starts.

Learning Champion’s Kits

This isn’t about learning how to play a champion. Instead, you learn the capabilities of a champion you are going against. The more you know your opponent the more you can figure out what you are capable of during the laning phase. For example, a Darius top lane would struggle against Riven, Teemo, etc. This is due to their mobility and kits which counter Darius’ kit. If you can pick out the moments and weaknesses of those champs such as timing out Riven’s ultimate or Teemo’s Blinding Dart, then you can win easily. It is recommended to do this when new champs are released so that you can figure out what champs you can still play without being entirely oppressed in the lane.

Watch Streams and Videos

This is self-explanatory. Watch videos and streams of pro players and other league personalities without taking rank into account. You may find some tricks to certain champions or new playstyles you never knew before when watching others. This doesn’t just apply to champions but new ward spots, strategies, team compositions, etc. With the vast player base of League of Legends, there are hundreds if not thousands of players who like to theorycraft and test things out. This means there will always be something new to try out constantly throughout the year. It is recommended you test things out yourself in practice tool or co-op vs AI first before taking it into a ranked game.

Conclusion:

These tips will help you get through the new ranked season without much issue. Focusing on your health is just as important as focusing on your gameplay. Changes to your style as well as your habits can improve your ranked win rate. Overall the new ranked season is a time to climb summoners, so let’s start this season off right. If any of these tips helped you out and you see some improvements, let me know via Twitter!

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