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Staying Healthy - A Guide to Playing Melee Better and Longer

Pawls to the Wall

Smash Journeyman
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May 2, 2010
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235
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____Houston, Texas____ Posts: 1,071 +
Glucose is soooo important. However, I already knew this and piled on the carbs in between matches. For me, it ended up backfiring. No matter what, I always got the shakes, nervousness, and confusion. Saw a doc and got diagnosed with reactive hypoglycemia...so basically, I needed to have way less carbs, and eat every 2.5 hours. The meals are between 2-4 servings of "complex" carbs (a serving is 15gm).

My game has never been better since getting on this diet. My hands don't shake anymore, my technique is consistent, and I can think! So just in case anyone else has a similar issue...get it checked out. It may change your life.
 

thespymachine

Smash Ace
Joined
May 23, 2006
Messages
830
Location
Henderson, NV
Most of it is great advice but I wonder how much actually applies to simple video game play. I mean if you want to get better at a video game, you train that game a lot, no other way. If you want to perform the best, ya sleep, eat good, don't feel like crap is also good but at the same time from experience I haven't observed a correlation of my performance if I eat bad or smoke. So i'd say that type of subject is pretty ambiguous and only applies per individual basis. You know.. what if Im super motivated but still feel horrible.. Ive performed better at times just cuz I had to drive to eliminate the player completely regardless of how I felt.

Id like some thoughts on that.
Very good point.
I do think mindset is the biggest factor in how well you play. And knowing that you're hands/eyes/body/mind is ready for a tournament can definitely help.

This post came from me realizing that over the years my hands and wrists have gotten worse, health-wise. So I did some research into what I could do to play video games as long as I could.
It probably won't be useful to everyone, but there will be people who will get at least something from this.
 

Divinokage

Smash Legend
Joined
Aug 6, 2006
Messages
16,250
Location
Montreal, Quebec
Very good point.
I do think mindset is the biggest factor in how well you play. And knowing that you're hands/eyes/body/mind is ready for a tournament can definitely help.

This post came from me realizing that over the years my hands and wrists have gotten worse, health-wise. So I did some research into what I could do to play video games as long as I could.
It probably won't be useful to everyone, but there will be people who will get at least something from this.
Oh ya for sure, I was just trying to put it into perspective a little bit. ;)
 

HyperrCrow

Emotional Reality
Joined
Mar 1, 2013
Messages
1,422
Location
Boston, MA
This thread is awesome, implementing a lot of this ASAP. Especially the posture one, I move around too much.
 

SpiderMad

Smash Master
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
4,968
put on deodorant (under-arm, not spray; not everyone likes to breathe in DO, plus under-arm helps prevent sweat and stench).
How's spray less effective than under-arm, which specific deodorant do you use and recommend?
 

s l e e p y

Smash Rookie
Joined
May 28, 2013
Messages
11
i know i'm a scrub and have been a lurker to this point, but i may as well make this my first post.

this exercise stuff is really important and really helpful. i'm a classical musician, and in the music world, there are literally CLASSES on ways to take care of your "tools" for longevity, health and function--that's how much it matters. i've experienced tendinitis leading to carpal tunnel from practicing long stretches on a regular basis without taking breaks or any knowledgeable measures to protect my hands (and arms, fingers, wrists, etc).

when i picked up smash again in january, the same thing started happening. coincidence? ;) fortunately, i now know even more ways to ameliorate the problem and prevent any worsening of what i already deal with. thanks, OP!

take this stuff seriously, guise
 

thespymachine

Smash Ace
Joined
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Messages
830
Location
Henderson, NV
How's spray less effective than under-arm, which specific deodorant do you use and recommend?
While I don't know if there's any scientific backing to these claims, under-arm deodorants not only add a bit of a fragrance but also help prevent further stinky perspiration - which spray deodorants don't do.

I personally use Old Spice's Pure Sport, because it doesn't bother my armpits and the fragrance goes well with my overall 'smell,' if that makes sense. If you've never really tried under-arm stuff, find a bunch of different samples of them and see which ones you like (if you aren't able to do that, there's always mini travel sized deodorants that you can use for a month or so and if you don't like it move on to the next one). I think the first thing you want to find out is if you like stick or gel/liquid, and, if you like stick, then find out if you like one that is dry when you put it on or moist.
Really, it's all up to how it feels to you.

all i eat is bacon. what tastes better than bacon
Pie.
Pie tastes better than bacon.
And strawberries, imo.
Pretty much any real fruit smoothie tastes better than bacon.

I'm vegetarian though, so I might be a bit biased. lol
 

Frame Perfect

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
280
Location
machine mainframe
LMFAO this thread can't be real.. wtf!?! deodorant


and no they even wrap other noteworthy meats in bacon to make it taste batter, nothing beats it
 

SpiderMad

Smash Master
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
4,968
I personally use Old Spice's Pure Sport, because it doesn't bother my armpits and the fragrance goes well with my overall 'smell,' if that makes sense.
How do I tell what goes with my overall smell? All the Old spice "body sprays" smell awful, RIP Tag Lucky day
 

Frame Perfect

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
280
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machine mainframe
it would be so much easier if they weren’t so ambiguous about their scent names, like if they called it ‘bath in a can’ or something

and how do I calculate the stale rate of luck on my lucky shirt? does it correlate with my overall ‘smell’? if so, how do I regain luck? im thinking about just bathing regularly? will that work?
 

Fortress | Sveet

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀
Joined
Dec 21, 2005
Messages
16,256
Location
Northern IL
Spray deodorant doesnt count to me. Its more like cheap cologne or expensive bathroom aerosol (or cheap bathroom aerosol if you buy certain ones).

Underarm deodorants these days generally have at least some antiperspirant (perspirant from perspire meaning to sweat) which is good for preventing smells to begin with.

Are we really talking about this?
 

SpiderMad

Smash Master
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
4,968
Are we really talking about this?
My next topic after I get more deodorant recommendations is cologne, I need a good for the price one and most I've tried just start smelling like alcohol on clothing like a work shirt after a day.
 

SpiderMad

Smash Master
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
4,968
Is that ur yearbook photo

You didn't even read the thread lol. I think discussing the best deodorant and cologne is a justified topic just as any of the others about health. I think this calls for a cologne MM vs your Lucas at the next CoD tourney
 

thespymachine

Smash Ace
Joined
May 23, 2006
Messages
830
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Henderson, NV
How do I tell what goes with my overall smell? All the Old spice "body sprays" smell awful, RIP Tag Lucky day
Well, 1) you have to like the smell of the deodorant, and, 2) everyone has a natural scent (with and without perspiration), so you could ask some of your family members or closest friends what they think about it. I'm lucky enough to have a girlfriend that is willing to update me, lol.


im thinking about just bathing regularly? will that work?
Ha ha. I'm sure bathing regularly would help - I mean, I do mention showering in the OP.
But deodorant, at least how it's meant to be used, is in situations where there's a chance that you're gonna stink and don't have the capability to bathe soon (or to hold off the stink until you can bathe). When you're at a tournament - which is typically a room full of teenage boys and young men, typically, it'll get warm and you'll have to rely on deodorant.
 

thespymachine

Smash Ace
Joined
May 23, 2006
Messages
830
Location
Henderson, NV
You didn't even read the thread lol. I think discussing the best deodorant and cologne is a justified topic just as any of the others about health. I think this calls for a cologne MM vs your Lucas at the next CoD tourney
Cologne is a strategic way to both mask your own scent and provide a 'pleasurable' one. I don't think it necessarily applies to this topic unless we're relating to the health of your sense of smell - because, imo, cologne and stuff like body sprays are pointless and strong-smelling.



such a good thread. good job man!
Thank you!
 

shadrach kabango

Banned via Warnings
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Most of it is great advice but I wonder how much actually applies to simple video game play. I mean if you want to get better at a video game, you train that game a lot, no other way. If you want to perform the best, ya sleep, eat good, don't feel like crap is also good but at the same time from experience I haven't observed a correlation of my performance if I eat bad or smoke. So i'd say that type of subject is pretty ambiguous and only applies per individual basis. You know.. what if Im super motivated but still feel horrible.. Ive performed better at times just cuz I had to drive to eliminate the player completely regardless of how I felt.

Id like some thoughts on that.
sounds like ur too close-minded to even entertain the possibility of ur own ignorance here

so allow me to toss a formal 'LOL' in your direction:

LOL!
 

Twilight Emblem

Banned via Warnings
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Jan 2, 2008
Messages
162
This hand routine worked for me. In just the first session my hands loosened up and my fingers could move faster and with much less effort.
Its noticeable the difference in your hands once this routine is done with. Applying that new speed to an old game plan is a story in its own right though.

Shadrach Kabango- I know its impolite to butt in but seriously that's a really rude thing to say to divinokage. He doesn't deserve to be treated like that
 

dRevan64

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
355
Location
Philly
I've been doing hand exercises forever without even realizing it. The fact that I can type for hours, play melee (or for awhile, arena FPS) for a few hours and go back to typing, for years, without getting carpal tunnel is a testament to how effective this is. Or I might be lucky and have godlike hand genes or something.

Slightly more on topic though a great way to keep your brain sharp AND practice melee by yourself is to just do **** that's outside of your comfort zone. See a video or streamed match where a player did something you didn't think works? Get in the lab and screw around with it. Choose a low tier that you've never seen frame data of before and try stuff out with a goal of making it work. Forcing your brain to operate like that is good for understanding the game's engine and keeping your mind pumping. Some of the things I was doing recently was testing what percents fox's shine -> bair works on different characters and what sets it up, looking for illusion edge cancel locations that aren't the obvious ones (runoff jump sideb on dream land with fox, courtesy of Dark, runoff jump sideb on yoshis with falco based on the same principle, double jump back sideb to the top platform of FoD with fox, and where you can jump sideb from the main stage to the ledge on every played stage to be super stylish). I probably could've looked all that up but it's a lot more entertaining to figure this stuff out myself and I think it's a healthy exercise for my brain.

Oh and if you need some easy exercise, practice tech skill standing up for a few hours :foxmelee:
 

shadrach kabango

Banned via Warnings
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Shadrach Kabango- I know its impolite to butt in but seriously that's a really rude thing to say to divinokage. He doesn't deserve to be treated like that
deserve's got nuthin' to do with it

an ignorant comment from a notable player. the least i could do was laugh at it/him.
 

Purpletuce

Smash Lord
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
1,316
Location
Corvallis, OR
Yes, you have godlike genes, giving you a godlike body. Only a godlike body could withstand the immense pressure you're putting on it by playing video games. . .

Seriously though, if being able to survive playing video games is impressing you, get out more or try to learn more about your body.

Also, ignore the guy who is angry at Kage, just another player with some California entitlement.
 

shadrach kabango

Banned via Warnings
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@ Purpletuce Purpletuce ,

california entitlement! it is an amazing place to live, i agree. i am lucky and grateful.

believe it or not until the other day i had no idea that california was widely considered such an 'zomg' place to live. a buddy was telling me how whenever he travels to other countries and says he's from california, he's routinely received with 'oohs' and 'aaahs.' that's pretty cool.

that said in this case i am neither angry or entitled. dunno if u realize this but kage is known to be incredibly stubborn and short-sighted.

frankly if LOLing at someone is what you would consider angry from me i am honored.
 
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thespymachine

Smash Ace
Joined
May 23, 2006
Messages
830
Location
Henderson, NV
Most of it is great advice but I wonder how much actually applies to simple video game play. I mean if you want to get better at a video game, you train that game a lot, no other way. If you want to perform the best, ya sleep, eat good, don't feel like crap is also good but at the same time from experience I haven't observed a correlation of my performance if I eat bad or smoke. So i'd say that type of subject is pretty ambiguous and only applies per individual basis. You know.. what if Im super motivated but still feel horrible.. Ive performed better at times just cuz I had to drive to eliminate the player completely regardless of how I felt.

Id like some thoughts on that.
I'd actually like to revisit this post.

What I said earlier, about mindset being a huge factor in play, still stands.

But what I want to put across is that if one is used to eating bad (at least part of the time) there won't be any drop in physical ability because that bad eating is a (part of the) foundation of your health.
Creating a healthy diet or fitness routine will gradually increase this foundation, and because it's gradual you won't be able to observe from match to match or tournament to tournament the differences in your play.

If what you eat doesn't come to mind when you are playing at a tournament, then more power to you - but the point is that this is not a one time thing where if you eat super healthy at a tournament, when you usually don't, your power will increase dramatically (or if you eat ****ty at a tournament, and you usually do eat ****ty, it'll make you play worse); if anything the biggest difference that'll happen is when someone who is used to eating healthy decides to eat like **** during a tournament.

It's all to create a foundation of health. Hence "Staying Healthy" and "Playing Better and Longer."


Now, imagine performing better due to your drive to eliminate them, regardless of how you felt, but you in fact felt amazing and were as fit as a fiddle?
 

krazyzyko

Smash Champion
Joined
Aug 12, 2005
Messages
2,126
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El Carajo, Puerto Rico
Sometimes playing too much on bright TV's and colorful stages kinda hurts your eyes. Shades come in handy on these situations. Eventhough you take a risk of looking like a douch3.
 

thespymachine

Smash Ace
Joined
May 23, 2006
Messages
830
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Henderson, NV
Sticky vote: +1


Sometimes playing too much on bright TV's and colorful stages kinda hurts your eyes. Shades come in handy on these situations. Eventhough you take a risk of looking like a douch3.
Like Spidermad already posted, GunnarOptiks are legit for that.

But, one time I was getting a headache and put on my raybans for like half the tournament, and it felt like it worked.
 
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