health

[stoic pewter]

I really hate the sleeping at 4 am thing and Im fine but when I actually sleep early my body feels like it wants to die when is that gonna fix itself

[winter abyss]

a few days/a week/a month

[errant pecan]

Can anyone help me with this problem. Anytime I play kovaaks or any fps the pinky side of my wrist begins to pain. If I stop playing for like 5 minutes it goes away but then returns almost instantaneously when I try aim. This only happens when I go sub 40cm (above that I primarily use arm)

does anyone have an idea on how i could solve this?

thats the area where the pain stems from (right handed btw)

[barren shore]

dont know this for sure but i recently got diagnosed with carpal tunnel (it went away thankfully) but that was where the pain came from my hand as well

you symptons are common to mine, where if i rest for a while the pain goes away, but the moment i start doing anything aim related to comes back

go check a doctor or something

[errant pecan]

yeah i should go for a checkup. Also what did you do for it to go away?

[barren shore]

I relatively young so this might be a factor but I wore a brace for 3 days and just stopped playing games

I went to online classes for 3 - 4 hours, right after, just went to bed and that was my day

if the pain hurt throughout the day, i put my brace on just for it to feel a little comfortable, but its not recommended cause the blood flow to your hand will be decreased

after 2 days, i was able to take off my brace during the day and wear it at night

on day 3, i was able to casually game

on day 4, everything was gone

hope this helps

[errant pecan]

I'll try it out.

any other piece of info is appreciated

[dim pewter]

@errant pecan I experienced that quite a bit since I aim with my wrist predominantly you're most likely flicking at uncomfortable angles so try using your arm a bit more for wider flicks.

[errant pecan]

thanks for the response but i don't think i flick at uncomfortable angles

[surreal turret]

Does anyone here use a standing desk whilst aiming?

[severe holly]

hey i have a question about stretching, should i stretch only my aiming arm or both?

[worthy cloud]

both

symmetry is good

[cedar plover]

it won't, just don't sleep with it

[errant pecan]

i might've accidentally slept whilst wearing it. Any reason as to why i shouldn't

[cedar plover]

if you bend wrist in sleep you can cause more tension with brace

[winter abyss]

i only use my brace while sleeping 🤔

[surreal turret]

I've had lateral epicondylitis

I'd solved the problem by doing lots of little workouts with tins (literally like a tin of beans)

Id lost all of my muscle mass through being on bed rest for a few months

Sometimes it can start to flare up but I've tried to consistently train however j can

[barren shore]

yeah

[lilac carbon]

I played for a really long time yesterday and now it feels like I've lost some of my ability to aim

will this come back if I just rest it for a few days?

[crystal folio]

i just wanted to type in here to say that i appreciate KevinL

[indigo terrace]

Can anyone help me with my problem? When I'm in the game and I start to play well, good aim, good kills ... but there is a time when I think too much that I'm doing well and I can't stop thinking about it and this "overthinking" problem always gives me a bad playing style and i start to play bad as if i feel pressure or something like that

[violet swan]

Anyone got some tips on fixing my schedule? I usually go to sleep at 11:30 and wake up at 8:30. But I never fall asleep at 11:30 it takes me at least 2 hours. That means I get 6 hours of sleep but I still can't go to sleep earlier the next day

I have tried melatonin but surprisingly it just doesn't work on me

I even upped the dose slightly than what is recommended, but no effect really

u had caffeine in the same day u tried melatonin?

[ashen rune]

Anyone ever notice their crosshair blurring then duplicating? I don’t have a problem with double vision irl I’ve ever noticed besides in Kovaaks (I don’t recall even seeing this in game).

I’d like to get this to stop if I could lol, I feel like I could practice better if I didn’t have it

[charred ravine]

@violet swan stress

i have minor tremors in the hand i grip my mouse

dropping to 400 dpi and practicing smoothing helped me basically eliminate its effects on my aim

[cedar plover]

neither of those work on me lmao

envy people who wake up with coffee

[violet swan]

i don't drink caffeinated coffee anymore

only decaffeinated

[spice berry]

What is the point of drinking coffee without the caffeine?

[crude ether]

maybe the guy likes the taste of coffee?

[winter abyss]

coffee taste is nice

[cedar plover]

you don't get good coffee decaffeinated, so taste will be bad

[hollow cloak]

Is there anyone who knows about grips? I have a problem with big tension in the arm and constant tremor during fast strafes which then moves to the hand. Looking for any advice or help

[violet swan]

Tastes the exact same, literally

And yeah coffee tastes good

[cedar plover]

yeah but no one will decaf good coffee it's too expensive )

[sudden crest]

For tracking scenarios, I seem to track better when I tense my arm a little bit
should I keep doing that or should I try to relax my aim
its just a bit of tense though so I dont think it's bad but idk

[tardy rose]

always try to relax- it's better for you and it's more sustainable and replicable

when you start tensing you not only open yourself up to discomfort and health issues but you also are using sort of unnatural form that is harder to use

some players are very good despite being tense, but it's something you should be in the habit of not doing, i think

[cedar plover]

^

[sudden crest]

@tardy rose not tensing feels unnatural though, do you think I should just get into the habit of not doing it despite my aim being bit worse for a while?

it seems to he a by-product of high sens thought since it feels too jittery if i dont tense like i lose control

[tardy rose]

it's a natural instinct to want to tense up when your aim isn't very smooth because it can help you shake a little less in the short-term

but it's not conducive to the best form

i think as you train your smoothness you will be able to not tense

it's just a matter of keeping at it

so yes you should build those good habits early

aim smoothness is extremely important and doing it without potentially hurting yourself is definitely advisable

so if your speed or accuracy suffers while trying to be more smooth for a bit you don't need to worry because you're building a skill that will make you get a lot better faster

in the longer-term

[sudden crest]

thanks for the help!

[tardy rose]

np!

[cedar plover]

depends on task

every person has smoothness task so hard he won't be smooth because he can't keep up

[eternal dock]

Anyone have front/mid delt soreness from gaming?

[charred ravine]

@hollow cloak tremor only during fast strafes? you’re stressed because your not used to the scenario

natural for harder tracking scenarios

work on smoothness

oh what michael said

[wanton inlet]

yo when i clench my fist or squeeze something with my right hand my wrist starts aching, is this normal?

[fading falcon]

For the past day the bottom right of my neck/top right trap has been twitching any one know how to stop this?

[spice berry]

At what age is reaction time supposed to start slow down?

[glossy frost]

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/brains-reaction-time-peaks-age-24-study-finds

[spice berry]

By reaction time peaking at 24 does that mean 24 year olds have the fastest reaction time??

[river path]

no

[upper folio]

The next time some twenty-something complains that they feel old, you can reassure them that their feelings are, in fact, not ridiculous. Researchers found that the brain’s response time begins to decline at age 24. The descent is a slow, but nonetheless, steady one.

[river path]

the "descent" isnt even accurate. It's missing so many factors.

To determine the actual descent, the study would have to be long term with the same subjects being retested periodically. Factors such as nutrition, fitness, sleep, utilizing something that requires fast reaction time to keep you sharp all can affect reaction time.

[violet swan]

im having a shit day to begin with, im playing like shit after im already tilted af, and to top it all off i play some random music cause im unsure what to listen to and it plays british rap

im gonna kms

[tardy rose]

also worth noting simple reaction time is a pretty bad measure of practical response time compared to complex reaction time which actually ends up peaking in the 30s and is more conducive to actual practical performance

if i understand the distinction properly

simple reaction time is just stimulus -> predetermined response (i.e. clicking or pressing a button)

whereas complex reaction time is stimulus -> decision -> response

i.e. pressing one button and not the other

and you can see how the latter is probably more important

i would think it probably plays into why a lot of pro athletes peak in their late 20s to early 30s

practically every NBA player puts up their best season some time in their mid-late 20s barring injury or being a flop

of course so much goes into that that it would be stupid to say that's just because of complex reaciton time

years of athletic training, experience, crystallized knowledge, etc. all play a role

but it's an interesting factor to consider

[open ivy]

https://youtu.be/RAVaSUFwDaY

Answering questions live 🙂

[paper lynx]

guys when im playing kovaaks to warmup my shoulder aches so bad any help?

[spice berry]

Try to switch your sitting position

[paper lynx]

in what way

I've tried to move around and it still keeps on hurting

is it cause my chair is too high or low??

[ripe lotus]

Do you guys think staying up for 24h would reset my sleep? I keep waking up at random times and this has never happened before

[worthy cloud]

it might in the short term

you'd have to try pretty hard to keep it up

takes weeks to really form a sleep habit

[spice berry]

^

[cedar plover]

stop tensing
check that whole arm is on table
check that it's not too close to body
stop tensing

[paper lynx]

@cedar plover thank you

[zinc palm]

Ask a professional. That doesnt sound normal.

[sudden crest]

anyone has any experience with blue light filter? It seems to make me aim better in valorant due to less eye strain

[final kernel]

its so good tbh i have been playing with it for 2 weeks now and i sit so close to screen so yah it helped me so much i was thinking of buying a blue light glasses but this filter helped so much if u dont mind color change its so good

[spice berry]

@sudden crest I use very light blue light filter and I don't feel like it affects my aim at all

[ripe lotus]

@sudden crest do you use f.lux?

[sudden crest]

no what f.lux ?

[ripe lotus]

oh nvm then, it's a thing that automatically turns on blue light filter and stuff

[sudden crest]

i use the win 10 feature

[ripe lotus]

at what strength?

[sudden crest]

35 seems to be the most comfortable for me

[candid rose]

The extensor muscles in my left forearm are feeling sore and i can feel the soreness while typing. I tried something like using a massage gun. Any other recommendations?

[livid pendant]

When I’m playing competitive and I’m about to make money which I’m super capable of i always just get nervous and my hands get some sort of like numb ish feeling anything i can do about that

[stoic nacelle]

That could be a couple things because I have that same problem. It could be bad anxiety caused by pressure or something due to competitive. Or it could be that your cutting off blood flow to your hands by the way you sit

[runic sparrow]

why do people play with their keyboards turned inwards? is it healthy or something?

[glossy frost]

The reason why is that you have more space to move your mouse, pro's used to do this in lans because they had limited space on their desk while playing the tournement

[runic sparrow]

ohh right ty

[violet swan]

Is arm soreness normal when playing? Or does that mean theres some kind of issue with my setup or playstyle?

Like pain just below my shoulder kind of

[spice berry]

I just noticed that if I have the edge of my mousepad hang slightly from the edge of my desk it makes arm aiming more comfortable and therefore makes my aim slightly better, do any of you also do this? If not I think its worth to it to give it a try

[violet swan]

my fingers get like

on an ascended level of painful after a few runs of a scenerio

any like stretches or anything i can do to fix this

[velvet fjord]

hello gamers

is it okay to rest your arm on the table.

like your entire forearm

im able to use arm when aiming as well it doesnt lock my arm

[violet swan]

Do you death grip your mouse? Do you tense your hand? If so that might be why it hurts

yeah and the fact its a palm grip makes it worse

i tense up everytime i get a good run

i try to like think to myself to calm down but then it takes my mind off the game and i start throwing

[velvet fjord]

just have to practice until you dont tense or the pain wont go away

[violet swan]

its literally consistent i cant last a full run of a scen without my hand popping a blood vessel

stretching doesnt help either

my hands are in pain as we speak

[velvet fjord]

you just have to suck it up and stop tensing. you're not relaxing because you will get lower scores and do worse

just gotta suck it up and get good at aiming without tensing

[violet swan]

wild

[velvet fjord]

its hard on ur mental for a bit but itll pay off in the long run, just gotta trust that u'll be able to get back to where you were

and you'll be better off since no pain = more time to practice

health > ego

[violet swan]

just mind over body the thing

alright

[safe cairn]

any tips for hand soreness? I work at computer all day and try to aim train 1 hour and game for 4 hours a day. Palm mostly gets the most pain

[velvet fjord]

do u warmup before, take breaks during, and do streches/excercises after?

also do you deathgrip your mouse really tight?

[oak dew]

Bind shoot to space

[pulsar pelican]

I just realised my right hand isnt flexible compared to my left one, what are the suggested finger/hand streches/thing to do ? (in the pinned message there's a only wrist strech guide )

[worthy cloud]

@pulsar pelican

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSrfB7JIzxY

[violet swan]

My grip in my right hand sometimes just goes numb when I squeeze my hand

And just can’t really feel that hand as much and control it as well

Idk

[cedar plover]

don't squeeze it lmao

[violet swan]

You aren’t funny

[cedar plover]

well i interpreted this as "i squeeze mouse" not general

whole hand or partially?

[safe cairn]

I do try to do some hand stretches as shown in that one guide here but that was just recently. I have to pay more attention of i grip it too tight

[grand laurel]

this probably has been asked before but how high should i have my monitor? mine is at head level but i feel like when im staring at the center of my screen (kovaaks lol) i tend to tilt my head downwards and i often get some pain in my back particularly in this area when i tilt my head down for an extended period of time

[little stone]

the top 10% of your monitor should be at eye level

[violet swan]

Your eyes should be level with the top bezzel of your monitor when looking straight forward and your monitor should be as far away from you as you fully extending your arm

[grand laurel]

tyty

i just gotta move it farther back and itll help with the head tilting i think

its like half that distance right now

[violet swan]

Could also be your chair messing up posture

[untold crater]

anyone got some pain in index finger joints?
I literally have to ration my clicks and keystrokes with my index rn

[muted fiber]

I used to love this channel, but as times gone on I see the same negligent feedback. I myself, have suffered nearly a year or chronic RSI from kovaaks. Its affected my day job too. All from poor advice. I kept listening to "don't squeeze too hard, take breaks, do strecthes". Did nothing

After months of ongoing dedicated therapy I've finally managed to lower the pain and use a mouse again, yet still can't really game. This all basically comes from inflamed/weak tendons, that haven't been strength trained to cope with kovaaks.

So every time I see a kid in here saying their hand hurts etc.
GO SEE A PHYSIO AND START A TREATMENT PLAN BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. The advice on here should almost be illegal as its misleading and plays down the inevitable a good portion of us can face long term.

So stop asking here. Get professional advice. Stop thinking stretching is gonna solve your countless hours on kovaaks

[smoky pendant]

i forgot

does high sens lead to wrist issues

[worthy cloud]

it can if you're planting your wrist and not doing any arm aiming

[river path]

Is there studies that support this?

[smoky pendant]

wdym planting your wrist

[worthy cloud]

like if you're only moving the mouse with your wrist and not moving your forearm around at all

just personal experience I've seen it cause some wrist strain

basically just using bad technique

nothing inherently dangerous about high sens

[river path]

I only asked because for the majority of the 25+ years of using a mouse I'd say I actually plant my wrist so it doesnt move like 90% of the time.

[worthy cloud]

you're probably not keeping it planted while doing super wide movements

[river path]

I play with a pretty high sens always have

either fairly high or fairly low

But yes. I actually keep it planted for everything. a 180 is a flick

only time it's not planted is when I'm looking around constantly, especially vertically, which is like never

[turbid fossil]

yesterday I played kovaak all day

and now my wrist hurts

how do I stop this hurting

[river path]

Naproxen would probably work

[pulsar pelican]

Mf is grinding

All day ?

[turbid fossil]

Yeah, I invented new visuals and found a valkie routine

so I just did that stuff all day basically

[river path]

In the long term I would strengthen my hands and forearms. hand grips, finger extension bands for the hands. Wrist curls normal and reverse and any weighted pulling motion will strengthen the forearms.

weighted includes body weight, such as pull ups.

I like Captain of Crush grips, AKA CoC Grip.

[charred ravine]

@turbid fossil you should only aim train for 2 hours

like max

be super careful about the strength of your arms/wrists

[river path]

I mean you're right 2 hours is probably more than enough. But I figure he is going to do it anyway, so if he is, he should work out a bit to make it much easier and manageable. Besides those have a lot better benefits than just aiming.

[charred ravine]

no aim training is worth long term damage to your body though

trust

[river path]

If you do what i said

[charred ravine]

but yeah working out those muscles is probably a good idea

[river path]

aim training wouldn't strain you at all

but yes i agree

[turbid fossil]

yeah I got reasonably healthy wrists

it's mostly awkward positions I take with my wrist

that lead to it

[remote isle]

Guys can any1 give me advice

how do i plant bottom of my palm without puttin any strain on it

[turbid fossil]

hm

the wrist pain seems to go away after playing a game of overwatch

not sure if it is now safe to use my wrist now or if it's just masking the damage I'm doing to my wrist :?

[violet swan]

Do you guys think its fine to do static stretches in between sets?

Feel like it would be an efficient way to get my stretching in

And im doing the static stretches after im done working that muscle group

[violet swan]

not super health related but how do i keep my hands from sweating. its not from nervousness or heat they just sweat a lot for no reason

i wipe them and it does nothing

or wash

fucks up my mouse grip even with grips on

[worthy cloud]

I'm not sure

use lifting chalk lol

there are a ton of articles if you google 'stop sweaty hands'

maybe try a grippier brand of grip tape also, some kind of sports tape that'd handle sweat better

[river path]

@violet swan

[worthy cloud]

I'd assume he already tried keeping cool

little desk fan would work

[river path]

yeah

it does

[violet swan]

What?

Oh I didn’t notice the fan cause it’s so dark

[hybrid socket]

Is there any reason why someone would get nauseous playing kovaaks but not another game like fortnite?

[violet swan]

@hybrid socket I get dizzy if I set the wall texture to pure color on moving dot or tracking scenarios

[hybrid socket]

So would another texture like the grid one be better?

[violet swan]

i personally feel it's better

but I have no fact

[sudden bramble]

i have rsi and it has stopped me from using my arm period

[opal scarab]

what time of day is it best to do aim training? I usually do it late at night but idk if thats worse than doing it earlier

[violet swan]

when you feel the best physically

if it's too early, you might be drowsy

after a meal, you might be sleepy

before a meal, you might be hungry

too late, you might be tired

after work, you might be exhausted

[opal scarab]

i feel like im always at least one of those things all the time when im awake lmao

[violet swan]

ye, so choose the one that feels the best

[candid rose]

what if you wake up tired, feel sleepy after you eat, feel hungry before you sleep, and feel too energetic when you try to sleep

[violet swan]

just dont eat dont sleep

everyone knows how to eat, but not many can be aimgods

which one do you want to be? a normie? or a pro?

[candid rose]

must be pro, eat nothing, sleep nothing, abuse caffeine and other drugs

[charred ravine]

abuse copious amounts of ketamine for astronomical aim gains

[candid rose]

SoaR Kobi recently came out and said he used like 900 percs and 500 fentanyl pills along with opiods and other stuff

definitely stay away from drugs as a gamer

[charred ravine]

at what point into sleep does your brain begin learning/processing information from the day before ?

[stoic nacelle]

That depends on what you eat. if you eat high-carb diet like rice and pasta, your always going to feel sleepy cause all the blood is rushing to your stomach

[wide tinsel]

this explains why im so fucking sleepy all the time rice is practically my entire diet

[violet swan]

Indeed

For me I would like to know what a sauna actually benefits

Actually that’s a stupid question when I can just google

Ah I see, very good benefits and I have one in the basement

And to think i took it for granted

[charred ravine]

ur probably just a absolute unit

[violet swan]

I cant play good after lunch. I always have to wait for like 2h.

[candid rose]

false statement

its not blood lmao, its that starchy foods are high in glucose

aka blood sugar

spike in blood sugar comes with a dip, and that makes you feel lazy

[violet swan]

^

[silent osprey]

FIBRE FIBRE FIBRE

[cedar plover]

wtf

[cedar plover]

more accurately, in carbs which are easy to break into glucose but yeah. fats are least spike-y on sugar levels

[candid rose]

well yeah carbs become glucose

depends on the type of carbs which is why i didnt say carbs in general

white rice increases blood sugar very fast

while whole grains takes longer to break down

[stoic nacelle]

My bad guys. Never really researched, just said what I heard from others which is clearly wrong lol

[surreal orbit]

100%. It sounds like you're referring to the glycemic index here, which is a helpful way of looking at how different types of carbs affect your blood sugar levels and how quickly or slowly that fuel is made available to you.

Different types of carbs a useful at different times, too. If you're eating a quick snack before you're doing a match that'll last no more than 60 minutes, a higher glycemic index (quicker availability) snack is useful. If you're trying to fuel for a few hours of work, you probably want some lower glycemic index foods for sustained fuel.

There's an easy reference here you can check out:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/glycemic-index-and-glycemic-load-for-100-foods

[candid rose]

exactly what i meant, thanks

[gritty crest]

Hm what do you guys think of using a kneeling chair for gaming

[violet swan]

are new glasses suppose to make it hard to focus?

and I meant physically with my eyes

[tawdry ice]

mayb if your prescription changed

[violet swan]

ye

[tawdry ice]

i got new glasses last week and my prescription changed slightly

[violet swan]

it changed quite a lot

i look at my monitor

[tawdry ice]

ye could take some time

[violet swan]

and i have to pay attention for it to focus

[river path]

I remember actually playing worse with glasses on after playing without them for a couple months. It doesn't make much sense but it's true.

So I can imagine prescription changes being similar

[tawdry ice]

i remember aimer7 said glasses mess with reading skill, but take that how you will

[violet swan]

bardoz have glasses

so I guess it shouldn't be my excuse

[graceful pine]

memer7 should be taken with a grain of salt.

[surreal orbit]

If your prescription was too low for what you needed, you may have gotten used to adjusting for it. It can take a little time to get used to a new prescription, even if it's a better or "more right" prescription. Just make sure you're continuing to take breaks for eyestrain using the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes (roughly), look at a point 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

[novel whale]

does astigmatism greatly affects hand eye coordination or none at all? just asking

[surreal orbit]

I'm not sure, actually! Let me look into that a bit.

[eternal dock]

is it possible for hip issues to effect your mid thorassic/scapula/neck/shoulder etc

i've been doing alot of massage and been in and out of therapy a few times for these issues but it always seems to come back, i'm starting to think the root of the issue is linked to my hips

[winter abyss]

doesn't really impact me (that i know of)

both eyes have a difference too

[violet swan]

^

Same

[surreal orbit]

It's possible for hip issues to affect your thoracic spine, albeit indirectly. Your hips interact with your lumbar spine via the pelvis, so an issue with your hips that you compensate for with your low back/core could potentially also provoke compensations in the thoracic region. All of those involve your posterior chain muscles, which are the muscles that run down the back side of your body. Your paraspinal muscles in particular are connected across all three regions of your spine (lumbar, thoracic, cervical) and issues in one region can result in compensatory issues elsewhere.

[eternal dock]

Thanks i'll try stretching and strengthening and see if it has any effect.

[graceful pine]

I've been doing all tendinopathic exercises for overall endurance building, but I think I'm overusing them. I was doing it every day on an AM/PM schedule. I was curious in how long it takes for the muscles to relax and heal, since I'd avoided strenuous activity and omitted doing the workouts for about four days, but still had soreness. Do forearm tendons take considerable time compared to larger muscle groups? To add to that, should I instead of waiting it out, split it into a Mon/Wed/Fri schedule, allocating a different exercise set to space out which muscles are used? Ex. Front forearm on Mon, Back Forearm on Wed, using off days to stretch and recover? My strength/control and tactile feedback has never been better but I think I've overdone it.

What'd be a good path forward?

[near onyx]

tendons in general take way longer than muscles to repair

[graceful pine]

I thought as much and from what I've read. I'm more or less wondering if I should sit it out for two or four weeks, or do spaced out exercises. I'm unsure what my situation needs.

[fickle dock]

Fast onset sharp pain on the outside of my elbow, feels like it's in the crevice between the joint. any elbow movement is painful except when the arm is fully extended.

painful holding my phone or toothbrush, or in a rested cocked position. I can't really avoid using the arm in a cocked manner entirely - though I will avoid aggressive usage - anything in particular I should try?

[violet swan]

dude i think you should try going to a doctor if possible lol

nah jk, i mean what do you think could be causing these pains @fickle dock

when did these pains start to occur or when did you begin to notice them

[fickle dock]

Oh I mean I'm nearly 100% sure it's caused by repetitive stress. last month or so has been pretty heavy training on reactive flicks. Only feeling pain as of yesterday evening.

All the pt's/docs I've ever gone to for any real sports injury or hand rsi have said rest and anti-inflammatories.

[night shuttle]

i can try to help, i have a lots of exp dewaling wuith wrist and forearm injuries as a dancer and gamer. i recently dealt with repetitive stress injury and now comfortably train 12-14 hours a day, includnig a marathon 12 hour aim training seshsion

i am no9t a doctor but have lots of ideas you can try.

we may hhave to find yo0u an actually gfood PT / OT (occupational therapist). es[ecially those that work with mumsicians

in the end professional examination is the safest and best. One trip to a nationally renowned center that deal with pro athletes fixed most of my problems for a slightly higher premium. Easily worth 5 visits

[violet swan]

I have upper back pain since I changed my chair, anyone ? chair too high ?

The thing is that I was told to have 90 angle with the arms and being higher gives me better range of motion with the mouse and I have the feeling to be smoother due to less friction of my forearm

[violet swan]

like on the left is higher chair

[violet swan]

Is it bad to play with like one leg on my chair I dont get any pains from it but idk if it's doing any damage?

[cyan rivet]

Im addicted to diet coke and drink it all day tbh, what affects against my ability would that have, how can you get off it and is it possible to develop immunity to caffeine

[violet swan]

how should I position keyboard and mousepad?

I have a fairly large mousepad kovaak mains love to use, and also a keyboard with tenkeys

[ripe valve]

Tendons as a rule tend to take longer to grow stronger since they have less blood supply than muscles. If you aren't already, making sure you stretch after every strenuous activity for your hands will help manage post exercise soreness. The key thing when working on building up your tendons is remembering it may be painful. If the pain is not sharp or above 4/10 then it's okay to push through. For you I would recommend doing the same exercises but perhaps only once a day instead of twice, making sure to go slow and not forcing extra reps if they are very difficult, lots of stretching, and making sure you are sleeping enough and drinking enough water.

[ripe valve]

I agree with mzry and n0xt1 that a professional exam in your situation is not a bad idea. In the meantime, some light(2-3 lbs) dumbbell wrist extensions with a slow 3s up and down cadence for 3 sets of 10 reps would target that area well. Matt actually goes through a great video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoedUZ4OpPY& for a full wrist strengthening routine. I saw wrist but the muscles that move your wrist attach by your elbow and from what you are describing it sounds like one of those muscles is the culprit.

I would also see what your wrist position is like when you are using a mouse. Matt breaks it down here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9npnWqV-vGI Basically you want your middle finger to be in line with your elbow from the side and top when you are at neutral. If you do the same while holding your phone or toothbrush it may help manage your symptoms as well.

[ripe valve]

We actually encourage people to change up their position often, even over having perfect ergonomics because even perfect ergonomics will still have load build up over time. So, don't be afraid to put your leg up but then put it back down after 30 minutes and put the other leg up or sit with both feet on the ground. Standing up every 30 minutes would be even better!

[ripe valve]

Matt goes through a great ergonomics guide here: https://www.1-hp.org/blog/healthy-movement/good-posture-better-performance-what-you-need-to-know-about-gaming-posture/

I would look at where you arms naturally fall when you are relaxed with them by your side. Ideally the space between your arms and your side is only 1 hand length or smaller. Then find a way to position your peripherals to maintain that position.

[violet swan]

ty for this

[ripe valve]

You're welcome! If you have any follow-up questions feel free to ask

[graceful pine]

I appreciate the response. Last year in September is when I fooled around absentmindedly with some therapy putty and realized how much sudden control I had back in everything, which is no surprise in retrospect considering how I beat my hands up playing over the last few years after graduating and having a lot more free time. I ended up going a little too hard and spent up until December on and off. Early in January I picked it up again sorta put myself in the same position albeit I have a better idea of what to do now. It's funny that I've never had rsi or carpal to stop me, only my bullheadedness.

Today is almost done so I'm thinking tomorrow, I'll start exercises again but take it easy with reps, bump them down from 12/15 to 10. Since I don't have any shooting pain or numbness, only mild discomfort when playing/typing for long from what feels like strained/tired muscles, mainly in center palm and lower forearm, should I introduce a stretch-only day? Ex. Sat/Sun, in-between like Tues/Thurs/Sat, or see the week out doing them everyday first?

[fickle dock]

Hrm.
Considering this particular thing is after reactive flick training with abnormally high arm speeds, I'm worried that it's more serious than cumulative rsi stuff that I've experienced in the past. It's certainly a sharper, more intense pain than I've had with other rsi issues. is there a risk of strengthening/stretching exacerbating this? Pain doesn't seem to be correlated with hand usage, but is actively painful as long as my arm is bent. It's not really viable for me to avoid having my arm at a right angle, but I'm hesitant to add load to it while it's this painful.

Regarding examination, what realistically are the possible outcomes? Outside of surgery I don't have experience of docs suggesting anything suggested beyond rest/nsaid.

I hold my mouse in a very neutral manner for even l/r ROM, and have done regular stretching before+after aggressive usage for some years since a run in with thumb tendonitis that had me swapped lefty for 6months.

[ripe valve]

Based on what you are saying this sounds like a good plan. Both the change in reps and introducing a stretch-only day. I would lean towards putting it mid-week right now. If that feels good you can always scale it up to a full 6 days before taking a break.

[ripe valve]

That is an entirely reasonable fear. I think we are drifting into the realm of needing a more robust assessment. We do offer Injury Coaching on our Patreon if you were looking for help from people who have more experience with gamers. I will say you have beautiful mouse ergonomics!

[ripe valve]

It is completely your decision and if for whatever reason Patreon isn't an option I would rest, stretch, heat until the pain becomes more manageable then work on loading things to increase your capacity. I know pain is a scary thing but it is really a protective mechanism. This video explains it very well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikUzvSph7Z4&t=1s All pain is real but we have to realize that our brain not just our soft-tissue contributes to pain perception. If you do have any questions feel free to ask!

[fickle dock]

@ripe valve Oh I'm not really complaining about the pain - usage limitations are way more impactful - I'm more just worried that it's an indication that simple reduction won't be adequate. Thing is, I can probably reduce usage to maybe 80% and avoid agressive aiming tasks - but I'm not able to cut out kb/mouse usage entirely, or resting in positions that are bent.

[ripe valve]

I actually highly encourage people to approach an injury that way. Focusing on what you can do functionally is more important than pain which often fluctuates. And I would also agree simply reducing your load is likely not the answer, you need gradual loading to increase your capacity. But, you also need to manage your load from other tasks while you're recovering. This doesn't mean you should stop them completely, moving is important so some kB/mouse usage is good as long as you aren't getting sharp pain or pain above 4/10

[violet swan]

im getting pain at the top of my wrist how can i tell if its bad or just normal

had it yesterday then woke up and played for 20 mins and its still hurting

[plucky otter]

Hey, does anyone listen to Huberman's podcast? Will doing handstands before aim training really make me learn faster? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx3U64IXFOY

[stoic nacelle]

I just listened to it and that podcast is awesome]

[stoic nacelle]

So from my understanding of what he said, he is basically using handstands as an example of doing something novel to our brain to activate a learning state. So for a short period where you are very bad at handstands, it may help you aim train but thats for you to try and experiment

[thorn matrix]

You're better off doing a 3 minute cardio workout before aim training https://youtu.be/CIt9NycV4qw

[violet swan]

yoo

the compression sleeves are worth?

like

help u in arm temperature and arm slide on the pad?

[prime canopy]

yo man this video just open my mind totally

not kidding

now im motivated as hell

i was like why would i training, im fps player, no need muscles and then I saw this video after 7 years, thx man! these 20 minutes per day sounds easy compare to 8h gaming

do u have more videos like these?

[plucky otter]

Yep, that’s right. Though he also makes the broader point that, in general, activities that stress test your balance are going to flood your brain with more of the “learning chemicals”. I guess not falling over is a pretty powerful drive, so that makes intuitive sense to me.

[plucky otter]

You say “better off”. I’d be curious to know what studies you’ve seen in terms of the differences in learning rate between exercise-induced BDNF and Huberman’s error-induced neurotransmitter flood. It’s great that he’s a Stanford-tenured neuroscientist, but I’m having trouble following up on his sources (though admittedly some of those will be “I led these experiment myself”).

Also: it’s not clear to me why you say it’s an either/or proposition. Couldn’t you do intensive exercise that also stress-tests your balance?

[thorn matrix]

If the proposed benefit of handstands is to do something novel for your neuromotor system performing a creative 3 minute cardio workout would accomplish the same result and give you the added benefit of of the bdnf release

Example agility ladder

[plucky otter]

The benefit of the handstand was that it was novel/error-inducing + involved falling over

[thorn matrix]

Agility ladder can very much be error inducing

[plucky otter]

“Falling” being a driver of one-trial learning systems

[thorn matrix]

Handstand push-ups could be there for sure haha

Bosu ball hops

Jump squats onto a bosu ball

The possible for cardio×error inducing activities are endless

[plucky otter]

Squats on a bosu would have longevity - inflate/deflate to tune the stability challenge, add weights for the cardio challenge

[plucky otter]

What stability challenge would you recommend for recovery phase during HIIT?

(I should note that Huberman recommends 7-30 mins of error-inducing activity, so you’d need to exceed the 3 mins you recommend for BDNF)

[little stone]

Hey guys, is it normal for my heart rate to skyrocket when I'm in a clutch situation in Valorant? It beats so fast and strong it almost hurts. I try to breath slowly, but honestly doesn't help much, sometimes I can only calm myself down after 10 minutes, while the game is being played. I've been also trying yoga everyday for 3 weeks now but also haven't seen a lot of results

I'm also taking victan (benzo), prescribed by a doctor, for anxiety. It calms me down over my day overall, but I think it has little to no effect in these intense situations

[violet swan]

yeah thats completely normal

dw about it

make sure you keep breathing and you're calm

the more you play the lesser you're this nervous

[split glen]

@little stone have you tried using chewing gum? it might calm you down a bit

[charred ravine]

@little stone it has to be a normal occurrence before you’re used to it

it’s because your body is producing endorphins

[little stone]

I actually vape while I game, and the nicotine helps. I might try chewing gum as a different/healthier option. Thanks

[little stone]

The thing is, I've played csgo and lol for a few years now, but I never took the games very seriously and I still managed to win some clutches but they were easier because of weaker opponents. Only now that I'm actually at a somewhat high-level and I'm putting all my effort into the game has this started to happen. But as some of you said the more I play the better I will be able to handle these sort of situations I guess

What worries me the most is the "hurting" part, it isn't really pain, more like chest discomfort

[split glen]

i don't know anything about vaping so i can't say whether it is to do with vaping or just anxiety

sometimes i get uncomfortable in my shoulder so it might be a similar thing

[rough otter]

anyone know if using your non-dominant hand to aim can have a affect on you possible aim potential? not sure if this is the right channel

[split glen]

also does anyone think that doing really slow reps on arms could help smoothness and precision, just a theory

[violet swan]

@split glen probably

i find myself shaking alot trying to be smooth in general

wrist tends to get all shaky and not in a good way

could be because i rarely ever stretch before/after playing

[wheat ether]

That’s what I’m thinking because I’m a lefty

[blazing jungle]

asking probably in the worst place but any1 have any good weight training routines

[eternal dock]

Anyone have some stretches or things I can do to help with strain when doing vertical motions?

I only really have shoulder/upper back issues when training verticality

[oak relic]

are you a beginner

[blazing jungle]

yes

pretty beginner i can bench like 70ish pounds

[oak relic]

not bad

you have your own setup or do you go to the gym

[blazing jungle]

i go to the gym and i have this app that tells me what to do

i spend usually an hour every time 2-3 times a week

[oak relic]

whats your current routine

[blazing jungle]

4 sets dumbell curls (17lb) & bicep curl machine thing dunno whats its called (20lb) bench press (60-70lb) skullcrusher (40lb) dumbell row (40lb) 8-10 reps each

@oak relic

[oak relic]

you do that everytime?

[blazing jungle]

yeah pretty much dunno what else

[oak relic]

i would recommend fullbody workouts with more barbell movements with squats and deadlifts

you can check out GZCLP which is what i followed until quarantine started

https://thefitness.wiki/routines/gzclp/

[blazing jungle]

thanks

[oak relic]

imo one of the better beginner routines to follow

just watch a lot of youtube vids on correct form so you don't injure yourself early

[warped timber]

is it a bad thing that i don't feel pain when aim training? everyone complains about pain but i rarely feel any

[desert nova]

of course it's a good thing lol

[worthy cloud]

Pain is bad

No pain is good

[rough otter]

crazy stuff

[quasi phoenix]

So I just had a pretty long convo in the aim training section about how I haven't improved in months and how I seem to be unable to focus while training. Some people told me I might have ADHD but I feel it's highly improbable since I have issues focusing only in kovaaks and nothing else

I think my issue with focus is due to a lack of interest/enjoyment to the process itself. Is there any way to fix that? I'm not talking on how to start enjoying training ofcourse, I'm asking if there is a way to make me "forcibly" focus

[rough otter]

find scenarios that you like

[quasi phoenix]

I hate the mall

[rough otter]

its hard to improve if you dont enjoy it

[quasi phoenix]

I tried all the the most popular ones

I am almost master

btw

dunno if that can help

[rough otter]

well then play actual games

if you dont enjoy it dont burn yourself out man

[quasi phoenix]

they also told me that

but

and I dont want to be a dick here

I DO want to improve

I simply do not enjoy it

I tried taking week long breaks

When people tell me that if I don't enjoy it I shouldn't be doing it it feels like they are denying my hard work and effort

I put in during this past year

of training

[rough otter]

if your nearly masters but hate doing aim training you could just train in games. Focus on other stuff. Aim is relatively unimportant thing for games

[night shuttle]

im only a silver but i found that changing up the visuals/audio helped

[quasi phoenix]

but what if I want to have great aim? I have no delusions about being gm or above ofc but damn

[night shuttle]

like using meme sounds

or hentai moans

make it a bit more interesting

the erection subsides

[rough otter]

masters is still the best of the best

[night shuttle]

once you get used to it

[quasi phoenix]

it feels as if everything I did up until now has been utterly useless

[rough otter]

kek

[night shuttle]

sex is also powerful, i feel like it motivates u to hit

[rough otter]

how?

[night shuttle]

just to hear that moan

[quasi phoenix]

how?

it took me a year and im still not master

and im not improving

its like preparing for a 100 m dash

and you putter out at th 95m mark

[rough otter]

being just below masters is still god tier aim

[night shuttle]

what if you prepared for a 105m dash?

i feel like people here dont give themselves enough credit

[quasi phoenix]

So what\

[night shuttle]

you guys achieved a lot

[quasi phoenix]

lol I did not

most certainly

[rough otter]

go get better at in game aim

[quasi phoenix]

also Im sorry to say again im not here for your pity

[rough otter]

apply your raw aim

get gud at the other stuff

[quasi phoenix]

What I was asking about is if there's a way to fix my focus deficit

precisely on kovaak

[rough otter]

also you probs are making progress

[quasi phoenix]

after 15 secs in a scenario my mind wanders off

[rough otter]

your probs in a mindet

[quasi phoenix]

since i get bored

I would agree that mindset is a huge component of improving

But im not silver anymore

I;ve been doing this for a year

I know there are ups and downs

[rough otter]

you what high diamond?

[quasi phoenix]

yeah

[rough otter]

there ya go

[quasi phoenix]

so what

lol]

I dont get you

im sorry

[rough otter]

thats really good

[quasi phoenix]

dude

[rough otter]

thats improvment

[quasi phoenix]

dude

again

thanks

but thats not the point is it

[rough otter]

ok I get ya now

[quasi phoenix]

I am not here to make people tell me hey youre good

if I wanted that I would go to reddit

and upload a shitty montage

[rough otter]

lol

[quasi phoenix]

lol

[night shuttle]

maybe supplements?

physical health?

[quasi phoenix]

Like gfuel and shit?

[night shuttle]

not so much gfuel

well it doesnt work for me just gives me anxiety

[rough otter]

idk how to help. This aint something I know anything man

gl tho

[quasi phoenix]

You see I thought of that I used to meditate aswell back when I started

[night shuttle]

brainwave entrainment helped

anti anxiety helped

[quasi phoenix]

But the issue is

I have no anxiety of adhd

[night shuttle]

my arm aim was (still is but better) unstable

[quasi phoenix]

in ANYTHING

[night shuttle]

working out m y rotator cuffs

and shoulder stabilizer muysces

helkped

[quasi phoenix]

its litterally specific to kovaaks

[night shuttle]

especially standing on one leg, anything to make the body recruit stabiliizer muscles

[quasi phoenix]

are you even reading what I write

..

[night shuttle]

@quasi phoenix i am

[quasi phoenix]

welp thanks anyways

[night shuttle]

youre talking about "focus deficit"

right?

[quasi phoenix]

no

i am not

or rather

i am

but I dont have focus deficit

[rough otter]

hes talking about being bored of kovaak

[quasi phoenix]

at all

I only have it

[night shuttle]

oh yeah

[quasi phoenix]

during kovaak

[night shuttle]

try the sex stuff

haha

[quasi phoenix]

lmao

[night shuttle]

im serious tho

[quasi phoenix]

how would that help me focus instead of distracting me lol

[night shuttle]

well it would distract you

if the stimuli was decoupled from your training

meaning if you just put on hentai or porn while aim training

but if its a result of your actions (hitting target)

and you just replace the hit sound with a moan

which i did

[quasi phoenix]

I mean it sounds pretty far fetched lol

ngl

[night shuttle]

you're activating your reward circuitry

who knows

im an experimental person

and im willing to try anything if it helps

[rough otter]

wtf am I reading

[night shuttle]

i guess if you're truly stuck in a rut

lmao @rough otter

[rough otter]

news just in hentai help your kovaaks aim

til

[night shuttle]

hentaim

[quasi phoenix]

I mean I don't mind being stuck in a rut that's the point. There are so many during improvement im used to it

the issue is that I cant seem to find a way to fix it

lol

so I came here hoping some people would have anything for me besides " dont do it fi ou dont have fun 4head"

and I got hentai instead

seems like a win all in all

lmao

[rough otter]

wait till people with actually knowledge show up. Im just a random tard

[quasi phoenix]

Yeah will do

only issue is that I'll have to lurk the channel for a bit and paste what I wrote before since we got so sidetracked

same thing Im asking here

apparently hentai helps

[violet swan]

haha

[near onyx]

check with ur doctor if it’s a general problem

and see if u might have adhd or add or smth

[plucky otter]

Huberman had a recent series of podcasts on the neuroscience of how to achieve focus for training and put yourself into more effective learning states. Stuff like visual tricks, supplements, how to curate a portfolio of motivations, etc. He’s a Stanford medical neuroscientist, not just some Youtuber, so it’s legit up to the minute stuff.

[quasi phoenix]

oh thanks

I'll look into it

do you have any links for me?

[plucky otter]

It’s probably 3-4 hours of content all told. Just search “Huberman Lab”. Bring a notebook. I put maybe 20% of his recs into practice a week ago and have broken PBs every day since. I’m like you, a year into training, so that’s unusual.

[quasi phoenix]

@plucky otter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuP-1ioh4LY&list=PLPNW_gerXa4Pc8S2qoUQc5e8Ir97RLuVW&ab_channel=AndrewHuberman I'm sorry are you talking about this? I Want to make sure before I dive in

[plucky otter]

Yes, that’s the guy - though I’d start with the video “how to increase focus”.

Is also available as a podcast if you prefer to just listen

[quasi phoenix]

the 6th episode?

[plucky otter]

https://youtu.be/LG53Vxum0as

[quasi phoenix]

yeah that one

thanks

As i see it the one pertinent to me should be the 6th

the 8th

and the 7th

[plucky otter]

“How to learn faster” (the seventh) is really excellent. Haven’t listened to the one you linked yet.

If your sleep is anything other than rock solid 8 hours / night it’s also worth looking at his January episodes

It’s crazy what a difference it makes to you learning

[quasi phoenix]

I sleep around 8/9

so its fine I think

[plucky otter]

Nice

[quasi phoenix]

Hell I have to stop myself from oversleeping aswell since I dont have a job anymore\

due to covidhaha

[plucky otter]

Too many people get too little. I was super macho about it for years, doing like 3-4 hours

What. A. Moron.

[near onyx]

should elbow be hanging off desk or is it ok to have it on top of desk

[quasi phoenix]

it depends

I have mine resting on the chair arm for example

[near onyx]

nah my arm chair

is way below

my desk

[quasi phoenix]

but it can also be hanging it doesnt really matter

as long as you dont have pain/high tension

[near onyx]

yeah i dont

i was just wondering

[quasi phoenix]

I am talking from my own experience at least

I could be wrong bear in mind

[near onyx]

yeah ik ik

its whatever

im comfortable like this anyways

[charred ravine]

it depends on how seriously you take it yeah @little stone

i dont know any other way of fixing it other than just being in that situation so many times it doesn’t scare you as much anymore

same way for any game

like every time im about to drop a 20 bomb in apex my heart beats super fast, but in cs when i would be in a 1v5 and win it wouldn’t beat as fast anymore because i had been through the situation so many times

so i guess it could also depend on confidence

[rough otter]

the more times your in a 1v5 the more comfortable you get with em

[quasi phoenix]

confidence is number 1 thing you can have in any game tbh

[rough otter]

absolutely. part of the reason getting tilted ruins your in game performance

if your certain you will win your more likely to win

[quasi phoenix]

100% agree

also being confident may lead to mistakes but at least you will be able to recognize and fix those

not to mention that if you go 1v5 and ace its priceless lol

you'll never 1v5 by standing still in a corner

[rough otter]

thats true

have confidence not over confidence

[violet swan]

about stimulants like coffee, as someone who has never consumed anything like caffeine or shit like energy drinks, is that even viable

or necessary

honestly i've shied away from even touching coffee or the like because i've never needed it, but sometimes i do find myself having days where my energy feels depleted

actually nah, fuck all that

not gonna rely on any stimulants

never necessary

^

[charred ravine]

never necessary if you have a hard time waking up coffee is nice though

[clever galleon]

i go to sleep at 1 am and wake up at 8:00 am

[desert nova]

you could use another hour of sleep

[cedar briar]

A little more would be useful as well

Would any of you guys say that there is a health benefit of using wrist rest or is there no proven information on that topic yet?

[vast fractal]

My sleep schedule have been crap lately..

[nova rapids]

Someone didn't have crunch time yet

[desert nova]

sparky aimers dont have healthy sleep schedules 😎

[muted fiber]

@cedar briar Dont use them. They force you to restrict all movements to pivot at the wrist, and compress the tendons and nerves forcing them to rub against each other. Practise good posture and strengthening your forearms instead

[runic pebble]

Hey Guys, I'm getting into running lately, but I'm not sure what's the best time to run, do you guys have any advice?.

[violet swan]

also how do you start running?

just... run?

what about water supply

do I carry that with me

drink after

thats what i do

usually run 5km, takes like 20 minutes

then drink after

[vast fractal]

Same, usually run 5km, takes like 40 minutes.

[runic pebble]

Ok thanks for the tips

[cyan rivet]

Are there any recommended ergonomics calculators online, i been using one from blitz but im not sure if these are any good to use

[violet swan]

what’s an ergo calculator bro

[haughty forge]

Any advice for posture? Like 1-2 yrs ago bought a shitty gaming chair and next like 1-2 months gonna upgrade but is there any tips for helping back pain when using pc? feel like my postures terrible

[violet swan]

you can look at the posture guide in #resources bro

includes stretches and tips on resolving bad posture

@haughty forge

[haughty forge]

Okay ill take a look at that thanks!

[violet swan]

np bro

[near onyx]

how to get rid of calluses

[oak relic]

sandpaper

nah im joking just use warm water and rub the callus with your finger

[near onyx]

i peeled them off

is that bad

[oak relic]

nah i do that too

its fine as long as you dont peel too deep

[near onyx]

ok yeah it’s surface level

[oak relic]

you talking about calluses on your hand?

[near onyx]

yeah

[oak relic]

i dont really do anything to mine unless they start bothering me

[near onyx]

mine are super hard and scratch me

just super rough

[oak relic]

yeah i would probably get rid of them too if I were you

[near onyx]

ok ty

[rough otter]

How tf does one sleep

[near onyx]

pop a melly

[rough otter]

A what

[charred ravine]

close your eyes and think about better kovaaks scores

[near onyx]

melatonin

[rough otter]

Didn't do anything

[near onyx]

takes 30-60 min

and u have to get off screens

[rough otter]

Yeah I had two like 3 hrs ago

[rough otter]

Ik but what else is there to do?

[near onyx]

exert more energy throughout the day

[rough otter]

I did a 5 k run and resistive trainin. Maybe I should just walk more as well

[plucky otter]

Light is the main driver of your sleep rhythm, according to Huberman. If you listen to his podcast on sleep you’ll (a) probably fall asleep; and (b) figure out a bunch of good stuff you can do: https://youtu.be/nm1TxQj9IsQ

He’s not just some Youtuber by the way. Professor of neuroscience at Stanford Medical. Doesn’t mean he’s right about everything, but he knows the literature (and wrote a lot of it himself).

[silk drift]

how do i tell the difference between soreness and pain?

[violet swan]

yup do not joke about getting of the sc reen before going to bed, i had to do a sleep analysis in november 2020 and the result was that i wasn't producing enough melatonin like it was actually really low , so i have to take pills of melatonin 1 hours before sleeping now

[cedar briar]

I mean those pills are useful but won't you grow addicted for pills. I would usually stick for the melatonin gummies instead.

and don't the pills carry more of the dose than the gummies carry??

[winter abyss]

depends on pills

depends on gummies

[floral lintel]

Is stretching too much bad?

[worthy cloud]

yea you can overstretch

especially if you force a stretch

[surreal orbit]

It can be! If you're finding that you continuously feel like you need to stretch, you should consider a) if there's something you're doing that's building up an excessive degree of strain/tightness/etc., like having poor wrist positioning while playing and b) if there's some muscular strength or endurance insufficiency that's leading to some muscles being overused or inadequately prepared for the work they have to do.

And like Kevin said, you can absolutely cause issues by forcing a stretch too far.

[upper folio]

Can someone show me how to do this part?

[rough otter]

Cheers

[rough otter]

Idk what to do instead of screens ya know. Plus I found melatonin to be useless : (

[violet swan]

i wasn't a big reader before , but now i read a lot before sleeping , you'll see , pick a book that interrest you and read it until you feel sleepy

[tawdry ice]

if i am forced to sleep during daylight hours due to my schedule. what can i do to make my sleep better?

[rough otter]

I used to be a big reader when I was much younger. but I would stay up all night readin

[lament pewter]

anyone aim feels weird after gym session?

[pulsar pelican]

Yeah and it makes sense

[graceful pine]

My aim was always best two hours after lifting in high school.

[pulsar pelican]

Does vision affect aim a lot ? Like I haven't test my vision in so long i don't even rememer the last time i went for a test but I feel like my vision has gotten worse and it affects my aim in some way. I don't need glasses at all for IRL stuff tho which is weird so idk

Idk if it makes sense at all but doing static made my vision a bit blurry but when I do tracking/ts or play any game it doesnt happen

[charred ravine]

if you cant see up close yeah

my vision is only bad far away so it doesnt effect my aim

[pulsar pelican]

Like i don't see as much as what i was able too before in games but i didnt realise any change IRL

[humble parcel]

Dunno if this is the channel but should I buy these rn and do they actually work?

Wondering bcz ik this stuff is popular on this discord and I have problems focusing in my daily 6 hour online classes

[charred ravine]

if u end up buying them lmk how they are

[violet swan]

@humble parcel wouldnt recommend relying on caffeine

or any stimulants for that matter

but if you need help focusing in classes its up to you

[humble parcel]

ordered them man ill tell u

[humble parcel]

yah but its like an adult drinking coffee for work dont u think?

[violet swan]

ye

but im nearly 21 and i personally havent touched caffeine in my life and im perfectly fine, but it depends on person to person so

[humble parcel]

yeah i respect that

[violet swan]

🙏

[violet swan]

@onyx grotto I know this is more of a question towards an optometrist, but I sometimes just get really bad eye pain for like 10-15 seconds sometimes in one sometimes in both eyes. Just stings really badly randomly sometimes

Thoughts?

[onyx grotto]

My first thought would be dry eye syndrome. It is certainly the most common cause of intermittent, sharp/burning/stinging pain that lasts seconds at a time. Many people have underlying tear deficiency but remain asymptomatic until something exacerbates it. Symptoms are more common when doing any visually attentive task (e.g. reading, watching TV, gaming, etc) because we tend to blink at only half the rate we otherwise do, so the tears evaporate more readily and any underlying deficiency becomes more apparent. It's also more common in the winter months because the humidity is lower. In a way not unlike your hands might get dry and crack in the winter time, when the tear layer becomes deficient, the corneal nerves get irritated, causing the sharp pain.

The simplest treatment is artificial tear drops (can be purchased over the counter at almost any drug store). I usually have my patients start at three times per day scheduled and use more frequently if they experience symptoms. They can then self titrate up or down from there based on their symptoms. There are more invasive options for dry eye as well, including punctal (tear duct) occlusion therapy, which will keep moisture on your eye longer, or prescription drops that can actually help you produce more tears.

If it isn't dry eye and is not relieved with artificial tears, it could also be certain types of corneal dystrophies. Of these, recurrent erosion syndrome is probably the most common, though is still far less likely than dry eye syndrome. In recurrent erosion syndrome, the corneal epithelium gets scratched away with even minimal trauma (e.g. just rubbing your eyes) due to a defective protein resulting in weak adhesion of the epithelium to the underlying basement membrane. That condition would need to be diagnosed by an ophthalmologist and treated, but remains a chronic condition with no definitive cure. Treatments can include micropuncture therapy and/or laser to help promote epithelial adherence.

[plucky otter]

On a scale of 1 to Chernobyl, how ill-advised would it be for me to try and extend the range of motion of my wrist to the right? E.g. using regular stretches or something.

[plucky otter]

The other alternative I just figured out is to roll my wrist slightly to the right and anchor my hand using just the bottom right part of my palm. That seems to give me equivalent (and further) range of motion to the right and left. Only concern it leaves me with is whether that's going to be ergonomically a disaster.

[violet swan]

@plucky otter pretty sure you'll naturally be able to extend the range of motion with your wrist over time given you do stretches every day

[violet swan]

could my eyes be dry as fuck because i stare at a screen all day?

i heard that causes you to blink less or whatever

[onyx grotto]

Yes

[ripe valve]

I usually use a few metrics. Is it sharp? Is it something completely new to you? Does it last for more than a few days? Was there high speed impact involved? Is the pain greater than 3-4/10 with 10 being the worst pain possible? If you said yes to any of them I would suspect pain instead of soreness.

hope that helps!

[ripe valve]

I would recommend creating a sleep routine that tells your mind and body you are ready to sleep. Part of it should be trying to get your room as dark as possible before you to bed. If that isn't possible a sleep mask can help! Some other ideas would be journaling, some light stretches, or hygiene routine.

Good luck!

[ripe valve]

I would also recommend making sure you are starting with your hand in an initial neutral position. If you are already biased towards the right then moving to the right is going to take more of an extreme of motion than if you are in a neutral initial position. The anchoring isn't a deal breaker to me, as long as your wrist is still roughly parallel to the table. If your palm is very turned over to the sky then I would be more concerned.

Regular stretches are also a great way to extend your range of motion. 3x30 seconds a couple times daily is a good starting point. Make sure there is no sharp pain and no pain over 4/10 when you are stretching into that range>

This is a good example of a neutral starting position

[silk drift]

Thanks so much! It helped

[ripe valve]

You are welcome! Glad it was useful

[plucky otter]

Thanks, mate. I think I’ll adopt a regular stretching regime as you suggest (just look up #resources?) and also adopt the slight twist of the wrist. It’s arguably a less stable postural platform for aiming, but it’ll also have less static friction and won’t hurt my smoothness as much with the wrist towards the right. I figure I can probably practice my way through its downsides, given it’s not ergonomically a disaster. Any red flags I should watch for?

[ripe valve]

This is a great video we made with both stretching and strengthening! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoedUZ4OpPY&

Sharp pain, pain over 4/10 with 10 being the worst pain you have ever felt, pain lasting more than a couple days, noticing increased pain after gaming

[silk drift]

is it normal for your wrist to shake when its tired/sore?

[plucky otter]

It is a great video, thanks! Useful set of exercises - is it important to make all the same facial expressions and occasionally wink at the camera like the guy in the video?

[candid nacelle]

why is it when you stimulate the vagus nerve, heart rate decreases i.e. blood pressure decreases

I tried watching medlife crisis explaination

but im still confused

[ripe valve]

Absolutely crucial

[worthy cloud]

I think that's the most important part

[ripe valve]

The vagus nerve is part of your parasympathetic nervous system. This is the department that tells your body to rest and digest. E.g. slow down your heart rate because you don't need more blood pumping to move.

I hope that helps

[candid nacelle]

ah I see

[candid nacelle]

thx

[silk drift]

is it normal for your wrist to shake when its tired/sore?

[candid nacelle]

would this be done for people who are having panic attacks and hyperventilating?

stimulating the vagus nerve

[edgy kettle]

Hey guys some posture pics, trying to figure out when I'm playing in a neutral shoulder position and when not, here's 2 pics once is my chair lower and one is higher and cant really tell which one my shoulder is in a more neutral position?

Also is flaring out with my elbow like this normal, cant seem to play any other way since it feels like im squeezing my body together if I try to have the elbow closer to my body

[plucky otter]

Does it make sense to stretch before training then strengthen after?

[ripe valve]

Stimulating the vagus nerve isn't a bad thing to calm someone down but the parasympathetic nervous system uses several nerves to rest and digest. It would likely take several nerves not just the vagus

[ripe valve]

Strengthen first then stretch, some research says stretching before a strength workout can actually reduce the ability of the muscles to contract.

[open ivy]

Hi Yall - in about 30 minutes we will be going live for our second AMA for the Voltaic Community

with this months topic as Nutrition & Performance in esports

https://youtu.be/eF3CjPmBtDo

[violet swan]

@open ivy 💯 lets gooo

[open ivy]

WE ARE NOW LIVE - come hang out 🙂

https://youtu.be/BMZ40hkTRKw

Looks like the link changed... but here we are anyways

[grand laurel]

i burned more calories in 7 months of kovaaks than i did from all the mental stress from the rest of my life https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/603398681147867143/815376066817687582/unknown.png

[worthy cloud]

nice

my heartrate stays pretty low even when I'm feeling it in games

[open ivy]

https://youtu.be/BMZ40hkTRKw

For anyone who missed the discussion and wants to learn 🙂

[candid nacelle]

can I have the study for that

want to show my dad rhat

[river path]

just google it there are several

[ripe valve]

There are a bunch but this one is a slightly more recent meta-analysis: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2012.01444.x

[candid nacelle]

aight thanks

[clear adder]

Is it bad to be in a slanted sitting position?

[silk drift]

is it normal for your wrist to shake when its tired/sore?

[violet swan]

yeah

you want to do some stretching before and after you play bro

mainly for your hands but also for your legs and back so when you sit you won't feel pain as much if you're sitting there for long sessions

[flat current]

what should i eat before playing?

[upper folio]

blueberries

kiwis, apple

any fruits

[clear adder]

Is joint creaking normal?

I’ve fucked my hand up so many times from climbing or MMA, is it finally catching up to me

[tranquil cradle]

Yes, muscle fatigue. Can build up endurance with exercise.

[tranquil cradle]

Generally normal - unless it comes with pain. Often it just happens when you haven’t moved your joints far enough for a while. The crack sound comes from the gas in the joint moving

[clear adder]

Not cracking

Like creaking

Sounds like a door hinge that needs some dw40

Well, it's not super audible but it feels like that

After messing up my knuckles the tendons started rubbing to the point that you could hear it

But they went back to normal pretty quickly after resting

[tranquil cradle]

Right, creaking - no need to be alarmed if not cause pain. However it is when one structure is sliding forcefully against another. You want to stretch the structures which are applying the compress force. In your case I suspect it is the tendons are the back of your hand (finger extensors). Check out the the stretch for these in 1HP’s 7 scientifically based exercise video (i’ll link it if you can’t find it)

[granite inlet]

Hey guys from playing games a lot my back is screwed when i walk i cant walk straight and cant even sit straight. When i sit i make a C shape with my spine :/ please help

[vagrant canyon]

Visit a doctor / chiropractor

[whole delta]

You need to go to a doctor m8. Probably will recommend PT etc but don’t wait to address back issues

[signal jungle]

uhh

so i was walking my dog right

and shes a crazy dog so she started pulling the leash really hard to catch a squirrel

and i was holding onto the leash in a weird way where it pulled my index finger

and now my index finger hurts when i curl it and when i wiggle my thumb back and forth

its been doing this for days and its not getting better. should i be concerned/stop playing games for now because of this?

[violet swan]

i need help with my arm

i was playing with the mouse using my wrist it it didnt hurt me playing all day , but when i switched to arm it started hurting me , any fix for longer playing?

[trim charm]

I'm getting some aches and pain in my lower shoulderblade (mouse arm). I recently removed the armrests from my chair so I no longer brace my elbow during mouse usage. My shoulders sit in a neutral position (middle of my range of motion) when sat down. I would have thought this is just muscle pain from adapting but the pain is a bit more than I would have expected.

[violet swan]

eh i'm getting pain time to time on my neck to shoulder ( right side , mouse side ) do stretching can help with that ?

[marble oak]

My arm is tensing up after only like 3 minutes of scenarios, should it even tense at all?

[final forum]

Can too much sleep badly affect my concentration/focus?

[light moon]

um so my hand has been like almost tensing up by its self when playing its like it gets sort of numb kind of hard to explain but if anyone knows wjat this might be let me know

[violet swan]

I suggest you insert some arm extension exercises with associated head extension on the opposite side every end of the game session, it could help to soothe the pain

[tough basin]

Should I avoid caffeine or not? I'm getting 252 ms on the reaction test..

[violet swan]

try to check your posture, incorrect posture could be the cause

[violet swan]

@tough basin never rely on caffeine

[tough basin]

Why's that?

[violet swan]

unless you need it because you have to wake up for long days at work or something don't use caffeine

its just not necessary

[tough basin]

Gotcha.

[violet swan]

if you find yourself slump everyday even when you get good sleep and your diet is alright, and you're taking care of yourself, then sure, go for it

but don't otherwise

highly unlikely and i'm most likely wrong when i say this, but as an observation that i made, some people will go as far as using "i haven't had my caffeine yet" as an excuse to take it

scapegoat basically

[tough basin]

Hm.

[violet swan]

are there any ways to stop caring about the score and just flow while doing a scenario?

cause every time there are like 20 seconds left, everything feels like it has more weight

tried disabling both session stats and timer but that just put more weight

[severe gorge]

Play freeplay, then there is no score, if you playing for improvement challenge mode isn't that important

[violet swan]

But what about submitting scores?

[severe gorge]

For your rank?

All that gets you is a role, I wouldn't worry about it

[violet swan]

I guess so

[violet swan]

wish i didn't drink that monster

bcuz i just went a whole night awake

[humble parcel]

any way to feel energized?

I wake up everyday with no motivation it sucks

do to anything

[violet swan]

i feel the same way sometimes bro

it helps to find hobbies that isn't gaming and being on the computer given you aren't doing something productive like online classes for uni or something

@humble parcel

[smoky breach]

I think my health is beyond shit. I usually eat mcdonalds everyday and snacks in between and I feel full. I just googled for my age I should be having 3k calories a day. I googled how many calories are in my regular mcdonalds meal and its like 600

Wtf

[violet swan]

@smoky breach kcal?

because

you're probably eating 6000 calories a day

dude bramza holy fuck

[smoky breach]

Idk what kcal is im stupid af

[violet swan]

don't eat fast food literally everyday

[smoky breach]

I just googled calories

[violet swan]

and snacks as in processed sugar?

[smoky breach]

Its not literally every day, its like 4 times a week (inc weekdays) on average

[violet swan]

grrrrr

fast food is a sin!!!!!

nah sike but

try to lower having fast food to once in a blue moon homie

[smoky breach]

The reason I googled is because my arms are always shaking and I just feel weak

[violet swan]

gotta have a good diet

well, if you eat shit like mcdonalds 4/7 days a week and don't exercise ofc you're gonna feel weak

i have the same issue xd

not the diet part though

just the weak feeling

[smoky breach]

Even when I don't have fast food I just don't eat a meal I just have a pizza or chicken nuggets

Something on its own

I thought exercise would help the shaking in my arms and shoulders but it didn't

And now I think its because of my shit diet

[wraith wolf]

that’s pretty bad

[smoky breach]

And idk what to do. I'm not eating because I have an eating disorder or whatever. Its literally only because I'm just not hungry

If I'm hungry I eat

But I'm just not really hungry

[smoky breach]

Yup idk what to do

Any suggestions?

[violet swan]

you're eating when you aren't hungry bro

so just... stop!

it isn't being caused by a disorder according to you so all you need to do, is just stop overeating

and exercise more often/stretch before and after playing as i said before

[smoky breach]

What

I'm not overeating

My problem 8s I'm not eating enough

[oak relic]

track calories and eat better quality food

[tawdry ice]

not really a crazy number

i mean the 600 calorie meal

easy way to lower calories and eat the same is only drinking water or diet sodas (most are 0 cal)

and avoid alcohol

you can still eat fast food a few times a week and be fine on calories

not to say it would be good long term for your overall health

[hollow sedge]

everyone here seems to be missing that he's saying he isn't eating enough food

[tawdry ice]

not our fault his statements contradict themselves

he said he was eating mcdonalds every day for meals and snacks in between

then said he needed help eating more

[hollow sedge]

I think he's saying he feels full but it's not enough calories

[tawdry ice]

if he wasnt hungry he wouldnt be eating snacks

and 3k calories is not what he should be aiming for anyway

[hollow sedge]

Yeah that is high right?

[tawdry ice]

2-2.5k is normal

[hollow sedge]

yeah I think my recomended is like 1800 or something because I sit on my ass all day

[tawdry ice]

he'd be gaining weight if he went for 3k a day unless hes already big or is super active

i try to stay under 2k a day

[tawdry ice]

and yea you cant have as much and not gain weight if you dont do anything

metabolism

[hollow sedge]

software dev lifestyle

never leave the chair

[tawdry ice]

but id rather eat less than be more active and eat more

[hollow sedge]

eating is a chore

[river path]

3500-4000 calories a day for me. It sucks.

[violet swan]

spicy food

yay or nay?

[runic sparrow]

yay

[violet swan]

yay with crying

[runic sparrow]

mabye not for health but

if your talking about if you like it then yes it tastes good

[tawdry ice]

spicy food makes u better at aiming

[violet swan]

spicy food will increase your smoothness by 69%

and reactivity by 1337%

[tawdry ice]

capsaicin boosts reactivity by 20%

proven fact

[violet swan]

practice boosts reactivity

proven fact too

[thorny dew]

What kind of stretching is recommended while/before/after gaming/playing kovaaks? I don't know anything about it but don't want to get injured, so can someone fill me in?

[smoky breach]

I'm saying I'm eating when I'm hungry but that still isn't enough

I'm not saying in eating snacks all day

I'm saying I'm usually eating one small meal and smacks when I get hungry

[violet swan]

should i wake up when my body does it automatically or is using an alarm better by using the ones that calculate the right time to wake up?

[thorny dew]

What kind of stretching is recommended while/before/after gaming/playing kovaaks? I don't know anything about it but don't want to get injured, so can someone fill me in?

[runic sparrow]

yeh its in resources

[thorny dew]

oh actually?

got it ty 🙂

[runic sparrow]

np

[sudden bramble]

im back, sort of

[violet swan]

Hi , one question , tips to win motivation playing a game? The thing that happens to me , is that when i get 100% focus into the game , im unstopable , but im always distracted or stressed , you know what im talking about prob...

[violet swan]

"always distracted or stressed" is not something anyone can help diagnose or fix for you bro, you have to figure out what it is that's taking your concentration away from the game and other things that you want to do and eliminate those issues

@violet swan

i know exactly what it is you're talking about bro, and i know what i need to do to achieve my own peace, both inner and overall peace

[sudden bramble]

i would love to discuss this sometime in a vc with yall. this is a really important topic, these stresses often interrupt and prevent us from entering flow state

[violet swan]

@sudden bramble bro

of course

[violet swan]

helps to vent out what's been bothering you to others, as long as its shit you want to share

[lethal cloak]

is 900-1200 calories a day bad?

[violet swan]

how old are you?

@lethal cloak

and given your diet isn't shitty, you should be fine if you don't go over 2000 calories

obviously this depends but if you're around 19-30 y/o you should be fine

i'm no doctor so i can't really speak on this topic

[lethal cloak]

im 19

[violet swan]

ye you're fine bro

[ripe valve]

It depends on a few different factors like how active you are, your current weight and what you do doing the day. This calculator calculates what we call a TDEE or total daily energy expenditure. This is meant to roughly calculate how many calories you burn a day so if you want to maintain your weight you need to eat this many. Keep in mind this is a rough calculation so take it with a grain of salt: https://tdeecalculator.net/

[ripe valve]

I actually wrote an article on a similar topic, choking. I outline the two main ways I like to approach it. Give it a look: https://www.1-hp.org/blog/foodforthought/how-to-game-under-pressure-reduce-choking/

As a general rule some mindfulness meditation can help you let go of some of those distracting or stressful thoughts before you get into game. My article is more aimed at what to do when you are in-game

[ripe valve]

This is an interesting question. When we are building a sleep schedule for a player we look at a few things. Are they getting enough? Is it high quality? Is it not interfering with their responsibilities during the day? If the answer to all those things are yes then you can wake up how you like. I do recommend consistently waking up at a predetermined time. It helps your body know when it should be awake and asleep.

[ripe valve]

It sounds like overall you are struggling with how to approach your diet as a whole. Before zeroing in on your caloric intake I would recommend taking a step back so you can see the forest through the trees. When we look at how to structure a diet keep it simple, eat unprocessed whole foods as much as possible, include some lean protein with each meal(a palm sized piece is a good ballpark), prioritize fruits and vegetables with each meal. This is assuming you are eating three meals a day. If you want some reading on the topic Cait did a great nutrition basics article here: https://www.1-hp.org/blog/healthy-eating/nutrition/

I will also mention that using something like a TDEE calculator can be misleading. Everyone is built differently and unless you are working out every day and already have a significant amount of lean body mass then 3k calories is quite a bit to be eating every day.

[umbral flint]

Anyone know what meds to take for extreme back pain?
What type of pain killer
I know there are a few and they do different things
Google is being in decisive

[smoky breach]

Wow tysm

[violet swan]

I did some bicep curls for the first time in a while so I can’t fully straighten my arm. I know it’s just soreness but google says I might have killed a bunch of cells or some shit... lul

Might have 30 types of cancer as wel

[violet swan]

webmd self diagnose type beat

[surreal orbit]

Small rant: I absolutely love when patients take the time and initiative to learn about what's going on with them, and come to me with ideas and questions. I absolutely hate how WebMD and Healthline tend to lead to these pain and diagnostic catastrophizing behaviors. Y'all deserve good information.

Anyway you probably don't have cancer and you probably haven't seriously damaged anything. If you haven't used that muscle in a while, soreness and tightness are normal. Make sure you're staying hydrated, do a little gentle stretching for pain relief, and make your progression in terms of weight/volume a little more gradual.

[violet swan]

[thorny dew]

[spice berry]

Is there anything else than energy drinks that could make me really energized and focused?

[pulsar pelican]

Coffee and tea i guess

[spice berry]

nah coffee and tea are way worse

[pulsar pelican]

huh ?

[spice berry]

they don't work well on me

little bit of coffee makes me focused but not energized a lot of coffee makes me energized but shaky and not focused at all

tea just doesn't have any effect

[graceful pine]

Go outside.

[violet swan]

or do exercise

or stretch

[graceful pine]

Jog for an hour.

[violet swan]

get your energy back up after you rest from doing whatever

don't rely on substances/shortcuts

either way, that's your choice @spice berry

[spice berry]

going outside and exercising work only when doing them but after they are done I feel the same when I started

cold showers are decent

[violet swan]

eh

just stay away from energy drinks and shit bro

you don't need them

you asked "what can make me really energized and focused" do you want that extra focus and energy or do you need it because it isnt coming naturally

[spice berry]

need it

I have few hours of focused time naturally and few extra with an energy drink

also, have you ever read the ingredient list of an energy drink can?