Analysis of general physical performance of students-eSportsmen

Abstract

Nowadays, eSports – competitive activities in computer games – are an integral part of sports culture. There are a number of studies confirming the similarities between traditional sports and eSports, athletes and eSportsmen, computer game play and physical exercise. In order to improve their performance, eSportsmen use the same methods as traditional athletes: following a daily regime, a clear training schedule, having a coach and a psychologist. At the same time, there is a perception that eSports has a negative impact on players’ physical fitness: hypodynamia, hours of daily gaming sessions and monotonous low-amplitude movements are not associated with a healthy lifestyle. This study analyzed the physical performance of ten men (aged between 19 and 21) who had been involved in eSports for 5 years. The method used was the Harvard-step test, which requires men to climb a 50 cm high bench at a given speed for 5 minutes. Before and after performing the test, biological indicators such as heart rate, blood pressure and a number of other indicators are recorded for the first 30 seconds, during the second, third and fourth minutes. The results showed that most of the subjects in this group performed above average on the step test, indicating that the physical performance of young eSportsmen is at a relatively high level, which contradicts the common perception of their poor physical fitness.