When you play CSGO what aspects do you focus on the most to get better and have fun: aim, game sense, nade lineups? What if I told you that the activities you do off the server have as much impact as those you do in-game.
If you have ever suffered from tilt while competing, you will know how much impact it can have on you and the team alike. A tilted teammate won’t only be toxic but will also create a bad environment for the whole team in which you will find that you are not playing to your maximum capacity.
Apart from this you may also be suffering from fatigue while playing for prolonged periods of time, and may even develop chronic back pain and other ailments if you don’t take care of your posture in the long run. In order to prevent these symptoms of burnout you can take various steps off the server which can reduce the impact of the abovementioned things and keep your mind in an overall peaceful state while playing CSGO.
A study by G science clearly correlates the advantages of staying hydrated during your gaming sessions especially if you are competing at a semi-pro or professional level. Since water constitutes about 60% of our body, it's natural that several studies have shown dehydration to have a negative impact on your mood which include increased negative emotions such as anger, confusion, tension and fatigue. Apart from preventing these emotions, arguably the most important benefit of staying hydrated for a gamer is the correlation that water has with neurological function.
This will also have a direct impact on the reflexes and hand-eye coordination of the player which are one of the most important skills to master in a FPS like Counter-Strike.
Staying hydrated has numerous benefits for CSGO players
So the next time you are in the middle of a Faceit or MM grind session, try to have a bottle of water near you in order to stay hydrated and it's bound to help you tap some heads in the server.
Causing stress to your eyes will only be benefitting the enemy who will always have an upper hand on you in case of direct duels. You can prevent it by taking small breaks in between continuous gaming sessions and follow this simple universal rule which is followed by a majority of people who work or play for prolonged hours on a desktop.
The 20-20-20 rule simply states that every 20 minutes spent using a screen; you should try to look away at something that is 20 feet away from you for a total of 20 seconds.
Apart from this you should try to care of your eyes in various other ways like:-
No, I am not trying to sell you on the already popular trend of RGB lights. What I am trying to talk about is the amount of lighting you need to have in your room in order to prevent eye strain which can lead to severe headaches.
One thing which can be said for sure is that sitting in a dark room, staring at your display is bound to cause eye strain and headaches. You need to have some form of lighting in your room in order to lessen the strain on your eyes. A well-lit room reduces the strain on your eyes and helps you perform better.
However, when it comes to pro players everyone seems to have different choices when it comes to lighting up their playspace.
A well lit playspace is beneficial for a player’s health and performance
Posture
If you have been following the CSGO esports scene, you must be aware of Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo who is a legend of the game.
During the Legend Stage of the recently concluded PGL Antwerp Major 2022, he was reportedly suffering from severe back pain and was required to get medical assistance.
In a later interview, he also talked about how he regretted not taking care of his posture during the early phases of his career and advised others to not repeat his mistakes. This just goes to show how much impact posture can have in-game and in real life.
A good posture is very much required to prevent such chronic ailments and give a good output while playing CSGO. Apart from increased concentration, faster reactions and reduced physical pain it also allows you to conduct prolonged gaming sessions than you would otherwise wouldn't be able to do. Having a good chair can also affect your posture (but in no way is a necessity) and it’s advised that you do proper research if you wish to purchase one.
As I touched upon in the opening of this guide, having a positive vibe and confident outlook while playing CSGO will surely improve your skill ceiling than what it normally is. Having confidence allows you to play to the best of your ability. You may surprisingly find that you are getting more successes than you do on average. This is natural to happen if one is confident in himself and his skills.
Not being toxic towards others and avoiding toxic people in-game will allow you to focus more on the game than the toxic players rant about your skills and then calling you ‘noob’ or throwing unintentional slangs and rude words towards you. Ignoring such people is the best approach and muting them is something you should always consider.
But sometimes you may find that you yourself can get tilted and unintentionally speak some toxic things towards your teammates. It's not easy to stop at that very moment but keeping such situations in mind, learning from them and trying to avoid them is something which you can do. If you are tilted after a recent match then you should probably refrain from queuing for sometime and call it quits for the day because a tilted player won’t only miss his shots and rage, but will create a bad atmosphere for others too.
Taking frequent breaks to prevent toxicity and physical burnout is a must for a player to have fun while playing and also be competitive at the same time.
If you are an avid gamer then you must have come across this phrase from time to time, be it your parents or friends. In hindsight it’s not bad advice to go out for a while and get some fresh air, a change of scenery, loosen your body and relax for a bit. Going out and doing some physical activities have a positive impact on you and your gaming skills because a healthy mind is directly related with a healthy body. So, touch some grass from time to time.
Following these simple, yet useful tips outside the game server can improve your gameplay and your physical health as a whole. It also prevents burnout, helps you enjoy the game, play at your maximum skill level, help you prevent chronic ailments you may get from prolonged gaming sessions during an extended period of time and keep you fit and healthy. I hope this guide helps you in your endeavor to become good outside the server.
