An 8-week physical exercise intervention for e'athletes improves physical performance rather than short-term esports
Felix Wachholz1, Nicole Gamper1, Martin Schnitzer1
1Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
|February 5, 2025
Summary
Physical training improved coordination and grip strength in esports players, but did not directly enhance short-term gaming performance. Increased gaming hours positively impacted performance metrics and overall well-being.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Human Performance
- Esports Medicine
Background:
- Esports engagement is associated with enhanced hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and reaction times.
- The impact of physical exercise on short-term esports performance remains under-researched, despite known benefits for physical abilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effects of specific and general physical training on esports gaming performance.
- To investigate improvements in both physical and gaming-related variables following a physical training intervention.
Main Methods:
- An 8-week intervention involving 28 participants divided into specific training, general training, and control groups.
- Measurements included global coordination, grip strength, Aimlabs performance, reaction times, and anticipation.
- Repeated measures ANCOVA was used to analyze changes over time and between groups.
Main Results:
- Physical training significantly improved overall coordination and grip strength compared to the control group.
- No significant time or group effects were observed for short-term gaming performance variables.
- Increased gaming hours positively influenced performance in Grid Shot and Track Point tasks, and improved participant well-being.
Conclusions:
- While physical training enhances physical attributes relevant to esports, it did not directly improve short-term gaming performance in this study.
- Gaming experience and duration appear to be significant factors influencing immediate performance.
- Physical activity integrated with esports positively contributes to overall well-being.
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