Attention Poker Players - Step Your Fitness Game Up

When the King was wandering through the halls of the World Series of Poker in July, he couldn't help but notice the poor shape that many of the top poker players (especially notable online poker players) were in. I'm not just talking about people who were visibly overweight; I'm also talking about players who looked like they hadn't seen the sun in years, players with terrible postures, and players with some of the worst eating habits that I had ever seen.

If you are a full-time poker player, you need to take care of yourself physically. Sitting in a chair for ten hours straight, multi-tabling and slamming back a steady diet of Coke and Doritos is going to absolutely destroy your body over the long-term. You will not perform at your best, and your body will rebel against you at some point. You can get away with this in your early 20's; however, if you maintain this type of lifestyle, you will start suffering some pretty major long-term consequences as you start to reach your 30's. Having a big bankroll means nothing if you are not healthy enough to enjoy it.

I have seen the results of leading such a lifestyle. Some of the most prominent online players that I saw at last year's World Series of Poker had added on a substantial amount of weight since the 2006 World Series of Poker. They were clearly operating on erratic sleeping schedules and putting all sorts of bad foods into their bodies.

When it comes to poker, your brain is your biggest weapon. Poker players are hyper-competitive, yet many don't understand that you need to properly take care of your brain and body or else you will not be able to compete at the highest of levels. You need to put away the McDonald's and Burger King and instead start making healthy meals on your own. You need to start maintaining a proper sleep schedule every night that consists of at least 8 hours of sleep per night, at roughly the same time every night. You need to make time in your day to go to the gym or go out for a jog. All of these things will help you perform at a higher level, and allow you to be much fresher and more alert at the tables. In the end, this will do nothing but contribute positively to your bankroll, so why not?

It was just a bit scary to see some of these 21 and 22 year old poker pros at the World Series of Poker. I mean, their metabolisms are only going to slow from here, and they are already packing on the pounds and living clearly unhealthy lives.

If you are a poker pro making hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, you may want to invest in a personal trainer or dietician. It will only improve your game.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Poker Articles

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