SSBiorhythms and Tournament Nutrition: A Discussion of the Player

[S_B]

I've been thinking about these two topics for a while and I was hoping to get some opinions from other players on them...

First of all...

Smash Biorhythms

A biorhythm is typically defined as an attempt to predict various aspects of a person's life through simple mathematical cycles. For the purposes of SSB, though, I'm talking about situations where you find that your inherent skill with certain characters changes (at least slightly) from day to day.

For example, have you ever found yourself in a situation where you can't seem to hack it with your main, despite having labbed this character for months? Then, you switch to a secondary and for some bizarre reason, it just CLICKS! Even with less overall experience with your secondary, something about that character's playstyle just works better for your state of mind at that particular moment in time.

I'm not referring to a counterpick to your opponent's character, either. I just mean times when a secondary feels oddly more natural in your hands than your main at those particular moments.

Maybe high level players have discussed this somewhere at length, but I've definitely had times where I put down my main and picked up a secondary and it just...worked. I'd like to hear more about cases like this and perhaps if folks can speculate on what may have influenced this, if anything.

Heck, we can even take it a step further and talk about meditating before competitive play to calm and focus yourself. Has anyone tried this and has it worked for them?

Secondly...

Tournament Nutrition

Every person's biology is different to some degree, but I'm sure we can find some common ground on what we feel are good or bad choices for food, drink, stimulants, etc. before or during tournaments.

For example, Zero is often (if not always) seen with his large jug of water. Clearly, he places a strong emphasis on staying hydrated throughout each tournament (as I do as well).

I've also taken to avoiding caffeine before or during tournaments. From my experience, it can overstimulate to the point where it's detrimental to decision making, but I've seen plenty of players using energy drinks during tournaments at the same time.

So the discussion I'd like to have is this: what food, drink, vitamins, supplements, etc. make us the best competitors we can be?

I personally just go with water, peanuts, and jerky, as they're convenient foods to eat between rounds and protein is key for brain function.

There's a plethora of various experimental "mind pills" out there as well (non-prescription, I mean), and I'd be interested to know if anyone has had any experience with them and whether or not you feel they've helped you become a better player.

I realize these discussions are a bit unorthodox, but they're VERY much an aspect of competitive play that I don't often see mentioned.

 

[T0MMY]

I've been thinking about these two topics for a while and I was hoping to get some opinions from other players on them...

First of all...

Smash Biorhythms

A biorhythm is typically defined as an attempt to predict various aspects of a person's life through simple mathematical cycles. For the purposes of SSB, though, I'm talking about situations where you find that your inherent skill with certain characters changes (at least slightly) from day to day.

For example, have you ever found yourself in a situation where you can't seem to hack it with your main, despite having labbed this character for months? Then, you switch to a secondary and for some bizarre reason, it just CLICKS! Even with less overall experience with your secondary, something about that character's playstyle just works better for your state of mind at that particular moment in time.

I'm not referring to a counterpick to your opponent's character, either. I just mean times when a secondary feels oddly more natural in your hands than your main at those particular moments.

Maybe high level players have discussed this somewhere at length, but I've definitely had times where I put down my main and picked up a secondary and it just...worked. I'd like to hear more about cases like this and perhaps if folks can speculate on what may have influenced this, if anything.

Heck, we can even take it a step further and talk about meditating before competitive play to calm and focus yourself. Has anyone tried this and has it worked for them?

Secondly...

Tournament Nutrition

Every person's biology is different to some degree, but I'm sure we can find some common ground on what we feel are good or bad choices for food, drink, stimulants, etc. before or during tournaments.

For example, Zero is often (if not always) seen with his large jug of water. Clearly, he places a strong emphasis on staying hydrated throughout each tournament (as I do as well).

I've also taken to avoiding caffeine before or during tournaments. From my experience, it can overstimulate to the point where it's detrimental to decision making, but I've seen plenty of players using energy drinks during tournaments at the same time.

So the discussion I'd like to have is this: what food, drink, vitamins, supplements, etc. make us the best competitors we can be?

I personally just go with water, peanuts, and jerky, as they're convenient foods to eat between rounds and protein is key for brain function.

There's a plethora of various experimental "mind pills" out there as well (non-prescription, I mean), and I'd be interested to know if anyone has had any experience with them and whether or not you feel they've helped you become a better player.

I realize these discussions are a bit unorthodox, but they're VERY much an aspect of competitive play that I don't often see mentioned.

Peanuts often times carry aflatoxins, which I stay away from regarding competition due to exposure possibly affecting the nervous system (reflexes/reaction), liver (which governs connective tissues so can cause arthritis from playing a lot of Smash), and emotion (which compromises decision making in a match). A better protein source, in my opinion, is a high quality hemp seed - complete protein and easy to snack on, especially if you put it together with some other foods to make a "trail mix" kind of snack.
Likewise commercial jerky contains so many preservatives and additives that it is much more harmful than helpful in the long run. There are plenty of fruits and veggies which provide the same proteins (in addition to providing helpful phytochemicals) but also are metabolized much easier which helps keep one's energy level focused on competition rather than delegating it to digestion. Something like Maca powder and spirulina can easily be consumed in the form a of "protein drink", providing a lot of mineral support as well (which can help with memory, reflexes, and cognition).

Water is obviously good, but also be wary of bottled water which contain thousands of chemicals (many leached from the plastic bottle they are sold in). I am usually seen carrying around a non-plastic container with a piece of activated charcoal floating inside (which helps reduce contamination infection).

Coffee and other stimulants I avoid and prefer something more traditional for an energizer: Often times in the winter I have a nice chai tea which also helps keep my hands warm. I have a special chai tea recipe I have formulated specific to competition, and it's very tasty.

 

[S_B]

Peanuts often times carry aflatoxins, which I stay away from regarding competition due to exposure possibly affecting the nervous system (reflexes/reaction), liver (which governs connective tissues so can cause arthritis from playing a lot of Smash), and emotion (which compromises decision making in a match). A better protein source, in my opinion, is a high quality hemp seed - complete protein and easy to snack on, especially if you put it together with some other foods to make a "trail mix" kind of snack.

Ah, I did not know this...

What other trail mix foods do you think would be good for maximizing brain function? Cashews, dried fruits (assuming no chemicals), etc.?

Likewise commercial jerky contains so many preservatives and additives that it is much more harmful than helpful in the long run.

What about organic/natural jerky? Same issues?

Water is obviously good, but also be wary of bottled water which contain thousands of chemicals (many leached from the plastic bottle they are sold in). I am usually seen carrying around a non-plastic container with a piece of activated charcoal floating inside (which helps reduce contamination infection).

I have a BPA-free plastic bottle I use for water. You think that would be enough or would a stainless steel water bottle be a better bet?

Coffee and other stimulants I avoid and prefer something more traditional for an energizer: Often times in the winter I have a nice chai tea which also helps keep my hands warm. I have a special chai tea recipe I have formulated specific to competition, and it's very tasty.

Let's hear it. :D

Also, let's talk about EGGS...

I've heard from many sources that they're an excellent brain food (and an all around perfect food in general). What are your thoughts, though?

 

[T0MMY]

Ah, I did not know this...

What other trail mix foods do you think would be good for maximizing brain function? Cashews, dried fruits (assuming no chemicals), etc.?

There's not much trail foody things specific to brain function I can think of other than cacao nibs; the rest of the ingredients would be just for taste and your preference - but chances are the organic trail mix you enjoy would help in a number of ways to a good tournament diet and should help performance. Enjoy dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried dates, dried figs, hazel nuts, pepitas (pumpkin seed), sunflower seed, hemp seed... lots to choose from. Just watch out that the fruits do not have sulfur dioxide, potassium sorbate, or really any preservative - those things cause me some digestive issues and bring my energy level way down (can make you fart real bad too).

What about organic/natural jerky? Same issues?

Higher quality will always be better for you.
Although I usually extol a vegetarian diet, it's the additives that really hurt performance. Many commercially sold products will advertise "natural" or something that sounds healthy, but they can be laden with just as many or more additives as the average jerky often times disguising their pernicious ingredients as "natural flavors" or "naturally derived" or "natural and artificial flavors and preservatives". If you find it in a natural/health store then it is probably ok.
I just go with non sulfur dried fruit jerky if I really want a jerky - fruits/veggies are metabolized better for energy.

I have a BPA-free plastic bottle I use for water. You think that would be enough or would a stainless steel water bottle be a better bet?

BPA-free does not mean it is good for you - there are millions of chemical compounds that could be in there being leached into the water (many commonly found will feminize you, odd tidbit of info there).
Stainless steel is probably much better, but even those will most likely contain metals that can cause brain damage over time (I'd advise never to drink soda out of an aluminum can, btw).
Glass is generally the safest common material for water, but it is heavier and can break (and they still find a way to sneak in things like lead into glass!).
My favorite water bottle is oldschool Chinese style: a dried gourd shell (like what drunken masters carry in movie/anime).
Or pay out the nose for a nice silver flask? Silver is very beneficial to health, showing great antimicrobial properties: For all those people who scoffed at me when I suggested colloidal silver for health, NASA & Russia has OK'd it for antibiotic use in space (where FDA has no jurisdiction) - you would think a chemistry major would have been a little less critical of my mention of silver's uses... guess they don't teach health applications at (state) universities :^p

Also, let's talk about EGGS...

Yuck.

I've heard from many sources that they're an excellent brain food (and an all around perfect food in general). What are your thoughts, though?

"Brain food" probably because of the fats, which your brain is made of. There are better sources, in fact the Smasher Kiraflax (now Kiraflex?) got his name from drinking flax oil which is high in omega fatty acids.
Other good sources of lipids for the brain would be borage oil and hemp oil.
Some like to promote fish oil, but fish is so contaminated with mercury nowadays that I'm unsure if it's good for the brain or will lead you to brain damage (my aunt had mercury poisoning from eating too much fish... which is to say a meal of fish maybe once a day). Mercury is notorious for finding its way in the neural cleft and disrupting the calcium waves which which causes brain dysfunction - there's really not much worse for the brain than glutamate leaks which causes excitosis. Believe me, I've been through that and it is a painful, miserable nightmare that made me understand why people are found muttering incoherently beating their heads against padded walls in insane asylums.

So, yeah... hemp is pretty good.
Just bookmarked an article recently about how canibanoids can actually help repair neurological damage. No wonder the government made it illegal and OK'd/promoted all this stuff with mercury, lead, aluminum, and fluoride - as long as the big corps pass some money their way these industrial wastes will be "recycled" right into animal feed and our food/cookware.

 

[S_B]

There's not much trail foody things specific to brain function I can think of other than cacao nibs; the rest of the ingredients would be just for taste and your preference - but chances are the organic trail mix you enjoy would help in a number of ways to a good tournament diet and should help performance. Enjoy dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried dates, dried figs, hazel nuts, pepitas (pumpkin seed), sunflower seed, hemp seed... lots to choose from. Just watch out that the fruits do not have sulfur dioxide, potassium sorbate, or really any preservative - those things cause me some digestive issues and bring my energy level way down (can make you fart real bad too).

Yeah, too many dried fruits may mean a trip to the bathroom and you ABSOLUTELY do not want to risk gastric distress mid-tournament.

Are any other nuts concerns for aflatoxins or just peanuts? Usually trail mix will contain one or more kinds of nuts which is why I ask.

If you find it in a natural/health store then it is probably ok.

Yeah, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods both sell a decent jerky.

Glass is generally the safest common material for water, but it is heavier and can break (and they still find a way to sneak in things like lead into glass!).

Going to look into a better water bottle.

They have glass water bottles that have a rubber case they sit in to minimize the chance of breaking and will still fit easily into most backpacks so that seems like a good bet.

 

[Y2Kay]

Eggs are not healthy for you. Doctors only recommend to eat two a WEEK, just because of how high in colesterol.

Yuck.

 

[S_B]

Eggs are not healthy for you. Doctors only recommend to eat two a WEEK, just because of how high in colesterol.

Yuck.

There's like a bajillion conflicting studies about eggs saying different things, but I don't want to make this about eggs.

What works for a "brainy" breakfast? What foods improve reflexes and response time?

Also, what kind of vitamins (if any) or supplements are working for folks?

 

[T0MMY]

Eggs are not healthy for you. Doctors only recommend to eat two a WEEK, just because of how high in colesterol.

Yuck.

Cholesterol is not unhealthy for people in general - there are "good" kinds of cholesterol and "bad" kinds, to put it simply.
Most people I've talked with about their diet eat eggs from a run-of-the-mill supermarket, in which case the eggs are probably as bad as eating cancer out of a dying swine from a plague-ridden cess pit.

Knowing someone who has their own chickens and cares for them well goes a long way for providing a good quality egg.

I, however, cannot contest your assessment of "Yuck" when it comes to eggs. I think it's kind of gross what they are and don't eat them because I can't get over where they come from and the idea of eating aborted chickens

Spoiler

(this is when someone debates the idea of them being aborted due to technicalities on fertilization, I will shut that argument down by definition, which is what I run by and the fact that no matter what adjective we use to describe it I still know exactly what it is that I am not going to eat based on yuck factor).

 

[DeaDea]

Honestly sounds like you guys are going into way too much depth. I think the most important things are sleep, making sure you have eaten enough food/energy to fuel your body and being in the right frame of mind (mentality). These are things that have been proven and researched in sports for years.

Thinking about the chemicals in peanuts and bottled water.....I doubt they have a significant or noticeable affect - especially short term. Being tired or simply not eating however will certainly affect your reaction speed and concentration.

Meditation is REALLY important. This article covers some of the basic points:
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/psych.htm

 

[Jandlebars]

Honestly sounds like you guys are going into way too much depth. I think the most important things are sleep, making sure you have eaten enough food/energy to fuel your body and being in the right frame of mind (mentality). These are things that have been proven and researched in sports for years.

Thinking about the chemicals in peanuts and bottled water.....I doubt they have a significant or noticeable affect - especially short term. Being tired or simply not eating however will certainly affect your reaction speed and concentration.

Meditation is REALLY important. This article covers some of the basic points:
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/psych.htm

I truly think it's worth discussing what kinds of foods can be beneficial to certain people, at least. Competitors optimise their technical skills, is it not also plausible that they might wish to consider how to 'optimise' their nutitrional habits, as well?

For the mental preparation side though, yes, a good sleeping habit is important to strive for, especially for competitions.

Meditation is also super-helpful and healthy, but it would also not surprise me in the least if there were some players who might even perform better without it.
Speaking from personal experience, though, it does relieve stress very well when performed 'correctly' (as in, whatever works best for the individual in question). For people who cope poorly with significant stress or pressure, it essentially frees up their mental faculties, meaning better decision-making, higher self-esteem, and a generally healthy mind-set.

...Also, water is basically the best thing ever, and that is no less true at tournaments.

 

[T0MMY]

Meditation? Now who's going way too in depth?
Let's just keep it to food.

And if you don't think aflatoxins could affect performance then you need to find a person with a peanut allergy and ask them personally if hospitalization/death would affect their competitive performance. Or just find any rational person and ask them X^D

But, seriously, if people are breaking competition down to single units of frames in the game then it's not unreasonable to assume they will break down the physical aspects of competition as small as it'll go (on the molecular/atomic level). Biology and chemistry for gaming can be very valuable to some.

 

[Jandlebars]

Meditation? Now who's going way too in depth?
Let's just keep it to food.

I'm guessing that you were just having a but if fun, but meditation was mentioned within the OP as a point of discussion.

Certainly, though, it can be impractical for some individuals, and it definitely takes a lot of practice to actually notice a difference, but it is still a potential avenue for achieving a more consistent mental state if or when stress gets to someone.