Poker players have long known the significance of maintaining both mental and physical wellness, yet recognising and treating common physical discomforts is just as essential to playing better poker. Addressing common physical discomforts early can prevent injuries while improving gameplay overall.
Prioritize rest and healthy eating before engaging in longer sessions. A balanced diet provides your mind and body with essential fuel to perform at their peak potential.
1. Keep it light
Poker requires intense concentration and calculation over an extended period, particularly when money is involved. This can be straining on both mind and body, leading to discomfort and fatigue.
Change takes time, but making small steps over a prolonged period can have a big impact. Get yourself comfortable by investing in better chairs, eating healthful foods and sleeping enough.
Do not engage with rude players and staring down other tables, gossip about other players or tell bad beat stories at the table; even if these stories are true, they can be mentally draining for both you and other players. Instead, learn to detach emotionally from losses by treating them as learning opportunities; this will keep your emotions under control and bring you closer to achieving your poker goals.
2. Move around
Sitting for long hours under stressful circumstances like life-altering money decisions in tournaments can put undue strain on your back, neck and shoulders. Integrating some simple mobility exercises and stretches into your poker routine may help alleviate this discomfort while increasing physical resilience, helping you to maintain peak performance for longer.
First, recognize your playing habits such as how you sit or position yourself at the table. Next, consciously make small adjustments like extending one leg out from under your chair in order to stretch out your hamstring, or shrugging shoulders back and forth for reduced shoulder and neck stiffness. Over time these small modifications will add up and create real change.
3. Take a break
Poker is a long-form sedentary game played over extended periods, and most full-time poker players lead unhealthy lifestyles. Poor diet, no exercise and irregular sleeping schedules all deplete energy and focus for full-time players.
Breaks during a tournament allow a player to rejuvenate and refresh, alleviating fatigue. They also allow a player to refocus, avoiding temptation to chase losses that could damage performance further.
At break times, light physical activities such as stretching or walking may help maintain muscle flexibility while stimulating blood flow to the brain, maintaining alertness. Furthermore, drinking plenty of water regularly during sessions to avoid dehydration should also help.
4. Don’t overdo it
Poker players tend to focus on mental wellbeing issues, which is great, but physical wellbeing should not be neglected either. A balanced diet and regular physical activity are proven ways of keeping both mind and body in optimal condition.
Long poker sessions can quickly lead to fatigue, so it’s crucial that you learn to conserve energy efficiently. Regular breaks, staying hydrated and applying mindfulness techniques are all effective ways of increasing poker stamina.
Make it a point to practice mobility exercises or stretches during tournament breaks for optimal health and focus. Try doing seated twists or simple yoga stretches.
5. Breathe
Many players overlook how powerfully breathing can be a weapon in poker. By controlling your breath, you can effectively calm the fight-or-flight response and prevent hyperfocus that might make you anxious or even make you erratic – all while staying relaxed! Breathing control is a discreet technique you can employ any time!
Integrating the 4-7-8 breathing technique into your pre-game routine can help you relax and prepare for an enjoyable session without needing equipment. Like in fitness, practicing this method will become second nature over time and you’ll be able to use it without hesitation when needed.
When in a downswing, it can seem as if you’re taking steps backwards. Your own narrative changes from one of progress and ascent to one of stagnation and decline.
