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Gaming is no longer just a hobby for nerds. Video games are part of pop culture and compete with established and popular sports such as football and basketball. In 2020, more than two million gaming fans watched the opening show of the Gamescom computer game trade fair alone. The audience: just as diverse as the games that were presented there. Are you thinking about starting out as a professional gamer in e-sports? Or do you just want to improve your performance in your favorite game? No matter what your personal goal is: We will support you with practical tips – for full power in e-sports and gaming.

One thing is certain: digital sports are competing with those in the “real” world. It is not for nothing that, according to the eSport Football club register, there are now almost 450 digital football clubs in Germany and Austria. In major e-sports tournaments such as the FIFA Nations Cup 2021, the winning team can win up to $400,000 in prize money. Not bad - especially if you consider that until a few years ago gaming was considered a leisure activity for lonely nerds.

Real professional gamers who make their living solely by participating in e-sports tournaments are in the minority. Most people follow e-sports competitions on streaming platforms or play as a hobby in their free time. But even if you only game in your free time and don't want to become a professional e-athlete, our three tips will help you easily improve your gaming performance .

Tip one: Get up

If you have to sit for a long time while studying or have ever taken a long plane ride, you probably know the feeling: If you sit at your desk for several hours at a time , your legs often hurt at the end of the day. Then they itch or tingle or are even swollen. This is because your sitting position makes it difficult for blood to flow back from your legs back to your heart .

It also doesn't help that both your knees and hips are bent when you sit. This makes it even more difficult for your blood to get back to your upper body. That's why we recommend that you: Even if you're completely immersed in your game, break away and take small breaks every now and then to get up from your desk and move around. Take a few steps around the room at least once an hour.

If you're bad at tearing yourself away from your game, the best thing to do is set a timer on your phone . The gentle ringing (or alternatively: the shrill and penetrating wail of an alarm) regularly reminds you to get away from your desk.

Short break from sitting: This is how you can take an active break

Shake out your legs and rock from front to back, rolling your foot from the heel to the ball of your foot . You can also stand on your toes briefly and then rock back again. This is how you relieve your veins. The reason: The movement creates pressure in your muscles and activates your muscle-calf pump. It ensures that the blood is pumped up from your legs and back to the heart. Perform this movement several times in a row - this way you actively support your veins in the return transport.

If you stand on your tiptoes, you can also make yourself really long and stretch your whole body - as if you were “reaching for the stars” . But no matter whether you run, jump or stretch: How exactly you take a break from sitting is up to you. The only important thing is that you create a balance to sitting.

In addition, you should regularly challenge yourself before or after playing with a workout that is tailored to your fitness level. An expert will explain to you in our interview what you should pay attention to when running and how to avoid common fitness mistakes .

Tip two: Gaming Nutrition – pay attention to your diet

Even if you quickly grab fast food while gaming because it's convenient, we advise you: Don't neglect your diet. This is especially true if you take part in e-sports tournaments - but also if you simply play computer or video games regularly, for long periods of time and with pleasure.

You can also let some dextrose melt in your mouth while you play. Thanks to the rapid supply of glucose, you replenish your sugar stores and provide your body with quickly available carbohydrates.

You can get dextrose from Dextro Energy* in many different flavors and forms - for example as

• “Cubes” in individually wrapped, larger bars with cranberry flavor or with additional calcium ,
• “Fuel” in smaller bars in the can with cassis or orange flavor or
• as “minis” with a fruity peach or currant flavor .

You can also get dextrose in powder form. In general, your diet as an e-gamer should be varied and balanced and include the following:

• a lot of fruits and vegetables,
• healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids and
• Proteins, which you can also consume in the form of protein powder , as well as carbohydrates.

By the way: You probably already have most of the healthy foods in your fridge. We'll tell you how to combine them optimally.

If you want to supplement your diet with functional foods, you can give your body protein from a plant source, a protein powder with a high protein content . Proteins contribute to an increase in muscle mass and the maintenance of muscle mass and normal bones. You can easily make a shake with Plant Protein from Dextro Energy*: Simply mix 30 grams of powder in 300 milliliters of cold water or a vegan milk alternative and shake everything thoroughly.

You don't want to miss out on proteins, but you're not a fan of shakes? Then try these delicious energy balls – you can make them quickly and easily.

Energy balls with whey: protein-rich snack – ideal for e-sports or in between

@rontav/Shutterstock.de

Make your own whey energy balls – here’s what you need:

• 50 grams of almonds
• 50 grams of walnuts
• 30 grams of plant
• 60 grams of dates
• Coconut oil as desired
• dark chocolate chips as a coating

Make your own whey energy balls – step-by-step instructions:

• Step one: Crush almonds and walnuts with a blender and add the whey protein powder.
• Step two: Cut the dates into small pieces and add them to the nut and whey mixture. Mix everything again.
• Step three: Add some coconut oil - this will make the mixture nice and smooth.
• Step four: Form the mixture into small balls in your hands.
• Step five: For the coating, roll the energy balls through slivers of dark chocolate.

The best thing about the healthy, protein-rich Energy Balls: You can also snack on them while gaming or at an e-sports tournament . In addition, you can easily adapt them to your personal taste preferences. For example, replace the almonds with cashews or use coconut flakes instead of chocolate chips as a coating. If that's too much effort for you, there are other protein-rich chocolate bar alternatives . For example, before you start gambling, cut a protein bar like the Cream'n Crunchy from Dextro Energy** into small pieces and snack on them in between - simply practical. You can get the Cream'n Crunchy in the delicious flavors of peanut caramel and hazelnut nougat. This snack is not only delicious - with it you also get a valuable 14 grams of protein per bar. Enjoy your meal!

Tip three: Adjust your equipment

Do you like to play online multiplayer games often? Then you know how important a stable internet connection is. And high-quality equipment can also give you advantages when gaming. For example , ergonomically shaped gaming mice with additional buttons or gaming keyboards prevent accidental incorrect entries due to the way they work.

But does it have to be the best of everything? We say: no. It is much more important that your gaming accessories fit your personal goals and requirements . This means: If you play online with friends from time to time, you don't have to invest in the most powerful gaming PC or the best equipment.

If you still want to treat yourself and you sit at your desk often and for long periods of time while gaming, we first recommend a good gaming chair. What’s special about special desk chairs for gamers? They can be individually adjusted and adapted to your body.

For example, on many models you can individually adjust the height and distance of the armrests. This will relieve your shoulders and neck. Many gaming chairs also have self-locking backrests that support your lumbar vertebrae and contribute to what is known as “dynamic sitting.” You change your sitting posture automatically and prevent tension from arising because you have sat in one position for too long.

When you stand up, you can also stretch your back with a few simple exercises . The stretching exercises stimulate your blood circulation and counteract shortening of your back muscles, which can occur due to a lack of exercise. This in turn increases your mobility.

Back stretching: three effective exercises

• Lower back stretch - back extensor: Stand with your knees slightly bent and your hips slightly bent so that your upper body points slightly forward like a skier. Now slowly bend and stretch your spine in your lower back, vertebra by vertebra. Repeat the exercise 40 to 50 times.
• Middle back stretch – Y-lift: Stand again like a skier with your upper body bent forward. Then extend your arms upwards so that they form a “Y” with your torso. Keep your elbows stretched and your thumbs pointing backwards. Then slowly lower your arms again. You can also do the exercise with dumbbells. Try to get to 30 reps and hold the final position for ten seconds on the last rep. Important: The entire movement comes only from your shoulders, not from your hips or spine.
• Upper Back Stretch – T-Raise: Bend your hips and knees until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Now raise your arms to the sides so that they form a “T” with your torso. As with the Y raise, the entire movement should come from the shoulders. Try to do 30 controlled repetitions and then hold the last repetition for ten seconds.

E-sports tips to make the game more fun

From regular breaks to a healthy, protein-rich diet to the right equipment and targeted stretching exercises - our tips will help you achieve good results in e-sports . And even if you don't care about top results, they will ensure that you enjoy the game for a long time.

* contains carbohydrates

** Smart Protein: smart mix with a high protein content, without added sugar (NATURALLY CONTAINS SUGAR).

SOURCES

Casey, D.P., & Hart, E.C. (2008). Cardiovascular function in humans during exercise: role of the muscle pump. The Journal of physiology, 586(21), 5045-5046. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2008.162123

Kennedy DO (2016). B Vitamins and the Brain: Mechanisms, Dose and Efficacy--A Review. Nutrients, 8(2), 68. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8020068

Cook, RL, Parker, HM, Donges, CE, O'Dwyer, NJ, Cheng, HL, Steinbeck, KS, Cox, EP, Franklin, JL, Garg, ML, & O'Connor, HT (2019). Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids status and cognitive function in young women. Lipids in health and disease, 18(1), 194. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12944-019-1143-z