Solidus i'm still trying to work out which of your post was sarcasm.

 

Obviously some of it was- you can't be serious, but maybe the last paragraph was serious?

 

 

 

You know, at this point I can't even remember. But rest assured, somewhere in there is undeniable proof that professional gamers are nerds.. :

Solidus i'm still trying to work out which of your post was sarcasm.

 

Obviously some of it was- you can't be serious, but maybe the last paragraph was serious?

 

 

 

You know, at this point I can't even remember. But rest assured, somewhere in there is undeniable proof that professional gamers are nerds.. :

 

 

 

Of course...undeniable :P :lol:

This is gonna lead to some stupid argument about the difference between a geek and a nerd

 

 

 

If you play video games for a living, that's pretty hardcore nerdom

 

Alright, I won't ask you to find sources to back up your opinion as long as you don't ask me to look for mine. Ok? Good.

 

 

 

So anyway, it's pretty obvious. Gamers are considered nerds because they put games too much at the center of their life (just like many people on the internet and many people on this forum except for me obviously). Now, professional gamers not only have a huge interest, it's the absolute and complete center of their lives. Therefore, the 'nerd' label applies to them more than anyone.

 

 

 

I wouldn't care what I'm being labeled as if you could earn $250,000 a year doing it. A lot of people in poorer countries would kill for that money without a second thought instead of earning $200 a month for the rest of their lives and living trashy lives in a suburb ridden with crime and poverty.

 

 

 

I've gamed plenty during my life, though pretty much quit active-gaming some 5 years ago.. I'd hate gaming to be classified as 'sports' or 'athletic'. It's far from it, it may take skill, but unlike online-poker or chess, it doesn't even have a counterpart (like real live poker). Gaming is by definition purely virtual and only takes slight finger movements and reflex.

 

 

 

I played soccer a LOT through my childhood ever since from age 7 to about 15, I'd feel it's an insult to real athletes to call gamers 'sportsmen'.

 

 

 

That being said, I've come to contact with high-skilled gamers and even some pros, I have nothing agaisnt them. But it's not correct to call them 'athletes'.

Is there anyone here who wouldn't want to game as a job?

 

No thanks. I'd rather make my time on this planet go toward helping others, rather than play some game that makes people just sit in their chairs for a few hours.

So you're saying that you wouldn't want a job as a pro football player or hockey player?

Is there anyone here who wouldn't want to game as a job?

 

 

 

It's a job, but it doesn't make it any less nerdy

 

 

 

I can't believe you're seriously arguing this right now

So you're saying that you wouldn't want a job as a pro football player or hockey player?

 

 

 

I'd actually prefer that job over professional gamer. Simply because that's something I can actually feel proud of and I highly value the numerous benefits of sports. Professional gamer has neither the pride (in my values) or the benefits that sports do.

So you're saying that you wouldn't want a job as a pro football player or hockey player?

 

 

 

I'd actually prefer that job over professional gamer. Simply because that's something I can actually feel proud of and I highly value the numerous benefits of sports. Professional gamer has neither the pride (in my values) or the benefits that sports do.

 

 

 

Thats not to say that the benefits of sports can't be gained casually (without being professional).

 

 

 

Now, I have pride in my Gaming. I know that when I win tournaments; I'm breaking new ground with new tactics and strategies that nobodies ever seen before and I'm predicting all 4-8 of my opponents moves simultaneously.

 

Its a mind sport, like Chess.

 

I think you can always be proud of outwitting your opponents.

 

 

 

With some sports, I think nobody brings anything new to the sport. Athletics imparticular such as the 100m/200m, the athletes can't really add anything new to win-they just have to run faster or throw further or jump higher.

 

 

 

This does not go for Sports like Football, Hockey, Basketball etc. THese have strategical elements and are far better.

 

 

 

In Mind Sports you can realy pull a new strategy out of the bag and execute it much to the dismay of the other team. You really can have a signature style.

 

We see this in gaming especially because as games change or new games are made; new oppurtunities are made to outwit your opponents and only the smartest will be able to construct them.

Honestly, video gaming can be a competition of sorts. Athletes, no, but still a competition. Look at things this way: Any stereotype you fall under has it's pros and cons, which I won't start to list. Honestly though, I could care less what I would be called if I earned $250,000 a year. All stereotyping is, is overreacting basically. Those that stereotype need to take a good hard look at themselves before doing anything else... *cough*Solidus*cough* damned elitist.

 

 

 

Well, in other words: Everything you do has it's consequences, good or bad. Just because I play computer games doesn't mean I'm not happy about not having a girlfriend, although it would be nice to have one. I still do what I need to, and so long as everyone is content with what they're doing, what does it matter?

 

With some sports, I think nobody brings anything new to the sport. Athletics imparticular such as the 100m/200m, the athletes can't really add anything new to win-they just have to run faster or throw further or jump higher.

 

 

 

Before a 100m race I load up on carbs, and start warning up an hour before. I need to finish practicing my starts at least 20 minutes before the race so I have all my atp-pc, which only lasts 10 seconds. I have to stretch every muscle well, but be sure to not overstretch. I need to do deep breathing to relax my muscles and mind. Visualizing myself getting a quick start and sprinting ahead of everybody else over and over again is also very important. I drink some red bull to get my heart beating quicker, but not too much because it can make my body use a higher glucose to atp-pc ratio which will slow me down.

 

 

 

When I race I have to push the butterfly's out of my stomach, get on the blocks and position myself to get maximum power forward when I push off. Before the gun I time my start for when I think it might be exactly on the gun, If I false start it gives me an advantage anyway because if anybody else false starts they are disqualified. I do this because even If I don't get the head start, it gives me a slight advantage as people might hesitate before leaving the blocks, and If I don't then somebody will do it to me.

 

 

 

I hold my breath before the gun, and concentrate on exactly what my body is doing for that half of a second out of the blocks. I keep my body down so my center of gravity is low, which lets me accelerate quicker. I have to make sure my arms are pumping properly, and that I am stomping the ground and putting everything I have into the acceleration. I make sure I am forward and low enough to accelerate quickly, but not so much I fall over. It's an extremely narrow 'sweet spot' that changes with the track, weather, wind etc.

 

 

 

When I judge that I am at my maximum speed I am upright and resisting the urge to look at anybody else, concentrating on being relaxed, making sure I get the perfect ratio of how long my stride is relative to how quickly I can get my foot on and off the ground. I force all the air out of my body so it stays tight, but relaxed.

 

 

 

What my arms, hands and fingers, neck jaw shoulders and chest are doing is very important, and that's before perfecting what is happening with my legs.

 

 

 

At 80m I dig deep and push as hard as I can, burning up the tiny amount of atp-pc I have left. At 98m I thrust my upper body forward to slice off a little extra time.

 

 

 

If I don't do all of these things perfectly, I run from anywhere between 0.03-0.3 seconds slower. 0.1s is often the difference between first and last. You don't get that kind of time window anywhere else.

 

 

 

That's just the basics, and a 200m race is a hell of a lot more complicated than a 100.

 

 

 

The training is also complex, seeing as we have 3 energy systems that needs to be perfected at a certain ratio for each event with many weeks of training. The order and time of the year of each training exercise is also important. That's half the reason why a trainer is necessary.

 

 

 

It's a little more than "just running faster."

 

 

 

(I'm home sick and had nothing better to do than type all that out :? )

 

 

 

Anyway, since every single tiny detail can make a difference it get's pretty complex. 2 years ago, 0.02s was the difference between me going to state and not.

 

Two hundredths of a second made the difference.

For the intense video games on the Wii, I can understand. But when we are talking about clicking or mashing a button as being classified as sports, then I guess we should call sewing and washing the dishes sports too.

[hide=]

 

With some sports, I think nobody brings anything new to the sport. Athletics imparticular such as the 100m/200m, the athletes can't really add anything new to win-they just have to run faster or throw further or jump higher.

 

 

 

Before a 100m race I load up on carbs, and start warning up an hour before. I need to finish practicing my starts at least 20 minutes before the race so I have all my atp-pc, which only lasts 10 seconds. I have to stretch every muscle well, but be sure to not overstretch. I need to do deep breathing to relax my muscles and mind. Visualizing myself getting a quick start and sprinting ahead of everybody else over and over again is also very important. I drink some red bull to get my heart beating quicker, but not too much because it can make my body use a higher glucose to atp-pc ratio which will slow me down.

 

 

 

When I race I have to push the butterfly's out of my stomach, get on the blocks and position myself to get maximum power forward when I push off. Before the gun I time my start for when I think it might be exactly on the gun, If I false start it gives me an advantage anyway because if anybody else false starts they are disqualified. I do this because even If I don't get the head start, it gives me a slight advantage as people might hesitate before leaving the blocks, and If I don't then somebody will do it to me.

 

 

 

I hold my breath before the gun, and concentrate on exactly what my body is doing for that half of a second out of the blocks. I keep my body down so my center of gravity is low, which lets me accelerate quicker. I have to make sure my arms are pumping properly, and that I am stomping the ground and putting everything I have into the acceleration. I make sure I am forward and low enough to accelerate quickly, but not so much I fall over. It's an extremely narrow 'sweet spot' that changes with the track, weather, wind etc.

 

 

 

When I judge that I am at my maximum speed I am upright and resisting the urge to look at anybody else, concentrating on being relaxed, making sure I get the perfect ratio of how long my stride is relative to how quickly I can get my foot on and off the ground. I force all the air out of my body so it stays tight, but relaxed.

 

 

 

What my arms, hands and fingers, neck jaw shoulders and chest are doing is very important, and that's before perfecting what is happening with my legs.

 

 

 

At 80m I dig deep and push as hard as I can, burning up the tiny amount of atp-pc I have left. At 98m I thrust my upper body forward to slice off a little extra time.

 

 

 

If I don't do all of these things perfectly, I run from anywhere between 0.03-0.3 seconds slower. 0.1s is often the difference between first and last. You don't get that kind of time window anywhere else.

 

 

 

That's just the basics, and a 200m race is a hell of a lot more complicated than a 100.

 

 

 

The training is also complex, seeing as we have 3 energy systems that needs to be perfected at a certain ratio for each event with many weeks of training. The order and time of the year of each training exercise is also important. That's half the reason why a trainer is necessary.

 

 

 

It's a little more than "just running faster."

 

 

 

(I'm home sick and had nothing better to do than type all that out :? )

 

 

 

Anyway, since every single tiny detail can make a difference it get's pretty complex. 2 years ago, 0.02s was the difference between me going to state and not.

 

Two hundredths of a second made the difference.

[/hide]

 

 

 

I understand this; I chose the 200m as an example particularly because I also sprint in the local league. I'm naturally quite good at sprinting and i understand all the other work that goes into it.

 

 

 

But my point is that everybody does the process that you explained; they'd be silly not to which boils it back down to who can run faster (and no...I'm not bitter because i only came 2nd in the county race). There isn't much scope for doing anything outrageously different.

 

 

 

For the intense video games on the Wii, I can understand. But when we are talking about clicking or mashing a button as being classified as sports, then I guess we should call sewing and washing the dishes sports too.

 

 

 

The Wii has the least intense games; Ok there's a bit of waving here and there but nothing actually challenging. I haven't yet played SB:Brawl yet, but i'm expecting it will be the same story as the other Wii games.

 

 

 

The other platforms (PC, 360 and PS3) actually have games that I class as mind sports (as previously discussed) such as Age of Empires 3 and Call of Duty 4, both because they allow new tactics to be created so that only the smartest will win.

 

Its the thinking behind the button mashing that wins the game; everybody has more or less equal 'button mashing' skills when you get to a certain level.

 

 

 

I'm sure you class Snooker and Pool as a sport. By your definition there has to be some sort of physical activity involved (which there isn't in snooker and pool) but once again its the logic behind the cueing which wins the game; everybody has more or less the same cueing skills at the top level.

 

 

 

And yes we can all make derogatory terms for each others sports which clearly miss out the point of the game...but it doesn't get us anywhere.

 

'clicking and mashing buttons' -Gaming

 

'kicking a ball' -Soccer

 

'Throwing a ball' - Basket ball

 

 

 

See anybody can do it about any sport :)

I understand this; I chose the 200m as an example particularly because I also sprint in the local league. I'm naturally quite good at sprinting and i understand all the other work that goes into it.

 

 

 

But my point is that everybody does the process that you explained; they'd be silly not to which boils it back down to who can run faster (and no...I'm not bitter because i only came 2nd in the county race). There isn't much scope for doing anything outrageously different.

 

 

 

Not quite. Since there are so many tiny little things to take care of, it's impossible to be perfect in all of them. Some sprinters are better at the explosiveness when stomping the ground, others have a quick start etc. The key to improving times, is to improve all aspects, not just 'do them'.

 

 

 

Some people are just naturally quick without training, and some have good technique to give them the edge. It's about improving all aspects.

 

 

 

Out of curiosity, what's your age and 200m pb?