how the pros do it

A pro gamer has more hours of training than an elite soccer player
A professional soccer player trains 2 to 4 hours a day, with intermediate rest days to avoid physical overload between games. You will be surprised to learn that “Piglet” Gwang-jin from Team Liquid spent 14 to 17 hours a day practicing. Both the footballer and the gamer turn their work into a lifestyle, the main difference is that in sports such as soccer, physical health tends to be enhanced, while mental health prevails in eSports.

An eSports professional trains his coordination, his motor and reaction abilities daily, reaching up to 400 movements with the keyboard and mouse per minute, four times more than a normal person.

The daily training routine of a pro gamer

Some teams like Vitality and Liquid have already revealed what their players’ daily routines are like to reach the highest level in different games.

Most teams train by playing 8 hours a day, in which they dedicate themselves to self-improvement, strategy development, or pre-designed play practice. And, while not all soccer players would like to play a game after a hard day of training, the vast majority of gamers do continue to play day after day after training. After all, as for many athletes, their hobby and work are the same.

Diet and physical health are not left aside

Team Vitality has a chef at its facilities who takes care of the nutrition of team members, taking into account their training hours they spend sitting down. They also have the regular visit of a physical therapist and three weekly fitness sessions, to avoid chronic injuries to the neck, back or fingers.

Most of the Gaming Houses incorporate spaces where you can practice exercises. It is common, for example, to play table tennis to improve reflexes. Some teams even have their own gym.

The balance of the body and mind

During competition seasons the demands intensify, and gamers must make many sacrifices to their personal lives. That is why we are currently experiencing the rise of sports psychology. If emotional management is important for any athlete to use, it is even more important for an electronic sports player, since his mind is his main tool.

It is increasingly common to find sports psychologists in the ranks of professional teams. Although the means and routines are different, both in the traditional sports field and in that of eSports the objective is the same: to achieve maximum player performance.

The vast difference between pros and casuals

The competitive sports industry already consists of billions of dollars a year, with seven-figure prize tournaments. It is estimated that eSports will be Olympic disciplines in the coming years, so more and more gamers want to adopt the techniques of the pros.

The main difference is the hours of training, and we have already seen how much a pro can spend practicing per day. In addition, it is not only training a lot, but training smart. Individual training and hours of practice must be separated from tactics and strategies. It is a lifestyle that demands a lot but the rewards are undoubtedly worth it.