The Importance of Exercise

Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time in a few months and I did the basic workout routine (cardio, lifting, agility training), and I felt great. It was like a new high for me. Then I hop onto a few sit and go tournaments on Full Tilt and I proceed to win 3 or 4 in a row. It was amazing. I had never felt so much more focused and confident in my play. I think poker players overlook the importance of exercise and how it affects your game.
Do you guys work out on a regular basis?
Do you feel that it is helping your game or hurting it by making you physically tired?
Thanks

It's definitely a good thing. Keeping active means keeping your body healthy, which in turn helps keep your mind healthy and on-point too. That can only help your poker-playing and your life in general.

I definitely get more tired and fatigued when I've been idle rather than exercising. I have never been a fan of gyms, though, and usually just play sports or go for a run by myself once in a while. I won't be playing hockey this winter for the first time since I was probably like 7 years old, so I'll have to find something else to do...

Good point here Chuck. I am going to take this to heart. I have been a couch pototo for too long and I think it might me affecting my game.

Im fortunate to have a pool available where I work so I get to swim 3 days a week. Even though I've developed that dreaded middleage spread, there is still nothing like a regular exercise program to make your quality of life better.

I hate working out in a gym with a passion and promised myself the last time I did it that I would never force myself through such misery again.

I have been true to my word lol. (But I am relatively fit) I don't get much heavy exercise but I walk a lot and do little things like always taking the stairs at work - and it is a 3 story building.

Better than nothing I suppose.

I man jogs past my house almost every day. He started out rather portly. Granted, years passed, and he's thin now, but a jog every now and then never hurt anyone, even if it isn't every day, for miles at a go.

I constantly run to the sweep shop - any good?

Def good for game. Added bonus, it helps burn off stress allowing me to concentrate better on my game.

Exercise is important in life in general, poker or not. And to answer your question, look at all the players you would consider the best. How many of them look like they've been sitting around playing poker/sitting on the couch all the time? I'm not saying they're bodybuilders but all the good players I've seen are in pretty good physical shape.

zachvac said:

Exercise is important in life in general, poker or not. And to answer your question, look at all the players you would consider the best. How many of them look like they've been sitting around playing poker/sitting on the couch all the time? I'm not saying they're bodybuilders but all the good players I've seen are in pretty good physical shape.

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Sorry, but I consider dolly and the brat a little soft around the middle

I don't go to the gym, but I walk at least 2 miles every day. I have an office job - that combined with the number of hours I spend on my tush playing poker means I'd blow up like Shamu if I didn't excersise on a regular basis. I also try to get a good night's sleep if I know I'm going to be playing in a big game the next day.

And yes, it is good for my game. I play better after I've eaten a healthy meal and had my daily walk. I can tell quite the difference in my mental alertness if I've skipped the walk and lived for a whole day of coffee and a bagel.