Poker is an exciting and thrilling card game and it feels like a dream come true, especially when you travel to play the game. However, the majority of the time you are stuck in grinding live or online games, watching coaching videos, re-watching sessions or studying new strategies to make some adjustments to your game and avoid mistakes at the poker table, which can be mentally exhausting for you. If you continue to do this for days, without socializing and exercises, it can be really exhausting. Mix these with a few lost sessions in a row and it will take a toll on both your mental and physical health.
The daily routine of poker players is extremely hectic. As a professional poker player, you work hard on your game and have to stay in front of the screens, not only when playing but also when you are studying to improve their game. This one-dimensional life with not enough movement and socializing can be a very unhealthy practice. Poker players have no set time to play, sleep and study. They often end up having insufficient sleep. This is why most successful players have some healthy hobbies outside of poker to relieve stress and enjoy themselves with socializing without thinking about poker. This not only helps them to keep their mind and body in a perfect condition and also enables them to perform optimally.
Today, we look at some common hobbies, which not only help you to perform when you return to the poker table but also bring pleasure and balance to an otherwise very one-dimensional poker lifestyle.
1 – Playing Tennis
Any sport would be an ideal option for pro poker players, who do not move a lot. However, tennis has an edge over all other sports. It is a team sport that is not only highly physical but also deeply strategic. It can help players use their brain in a different way to poker. Tennis has no luck factor and serves as a welcome change for poker players after those nasty bad beats. It is hard to learn but easier to master, unlike poker, which is easy to learn but hard to master. Because of its competitive nature and other advantages, many professional poker players enjoy playing tennis outside of poker.
2 – Playing Chess
Both poker and chess require analytical skills and quick thinking. Poker players, who love intellectual challenges and want to constantly challenge themselves, naturally take up chess. While both games are seen as intellectual challenges, they are opposite in many ways. Chess is not only a perfect information game where you don’t have to be dependent on luck. You can see what your opponent sees and there are no hidden hole cards. If you are the better chess player, you always win the game. This is the best game to calm poker players’ brains and improve them for another battle of poker.
3 – Heavy Lifting
Poker comes in the heavyweight category of the mind games as it engages your mind heavily. Heavy weight lifting can be a great idea to get a break from mental strain and bring balance to your life. It provides a balance between mind and body, which helps you both in poker and daily life. Hard training sessions redirect focus, allowing your thoughts to stay away from poker-related concerns or daily chores. So, instead of doing light exercises such as jogging or yoga, start lifting heavy weights as you need to exercise both your mind and body to stay healthy, both mentally as well as physically.
