Improving chess players stamina – 2 success secrets
Improving chess players stamina and energy levels – success secrets (for Parents, Coaches, and Students).
Imagine this scenario. A five-day tournament is nearing its end. The last round is a struggle for the remaining honors with rating points. You have been waiting patiently for the round to start and then after the initial hour or two you feel sleepy and your mind wants to relax. The outcome is a yawn. A yawn is infectious as you all know, and soon everyone in the hall is stretching or yawning. Familiar, isn’t it? So how do you improve your students’ stamina in online chess classes or chess matches? Improving chess players stamina and energy levels is the key to consistent success in the chess arena.
- Are chess masters more intelligent than amateurs or do they just work harder (read that as ‘have more stamina’)?
- Why do some players reach high levels of expertise, while others just remain amateurs?
- Many players are low on energy and how to overcome that?
- What could be the reason for these good chess players’ consistent results?
Delving into the secrets of these players made me aware that almost all of them had one thing in common: they were healthy individuals – regular walkers, joggers and they were also seen as having a healthy diet regimen.
A diet that included a good dose of fruits, vegetables, and healthy cereals.
So are we focusing on this aspect as chess coaches and parents?
Sadly, no.
I realized this aspect when my students’ performance was showing inconsistent tournament or game results with their online chess classes training tests in the academy or online chess matches.
Many of my star students would have played a tough 4-hour game, and after what seemed like a clear winning position, would have a sudden cognition blackout and make an inexplicable blunder.
It was appalling to learn that the problem was not with knowledge or application – but with their stamina levels.
This meant it will be necessary not just for hours of preparation on the chessboard, but to extend it to a more comprehensive program, involving physical training and a sufficient nutritional plan for the brain’s demands.
1. Calling for a custom diet to improve chess players stamina
For starters – avoiding “heavy oily foods” or foods that are difficult to digest, before any chess games should be followed studiously by chess players.
The proper meal before a chess game has to be at least two hours in advance to avoid drowsiness during the game. Trust me, it happens.
If a player has hunger pangs just before the chess match, he/she should preferably have fruits, fruit salads, fruit juices, cereals, or anything in natural form.
I have recently started asking my students to bring a bowl of fruits or healthy snacks to my sessions and made it a point to give them a 15-minute break to have their dose of healthy energy diets.
Along with that, I suggest parents learn new healthy recipes that will provide the essential nutrients in a way that’s interesting to them and make them stay focused.
A good diet is a key to a chess players stamina and performance in a day that involves long hours of mindful meditation whether in training sessions, online chess classes, or chess matches.
Chess players’ parents need to arrange for their children’s nutrition needs, following the above lines.
2. What else apart from Diet?
Nowadays I am also making physical exercise an important part of my student’s non-chess training.
Why?
Chess is basically a ‘sitting’ sport that does not allow for physical movements (except for moving the pieces).
So it is our prerogative as chess coaches that the students are asked to engage in some physical exercise regularly notably aerobics, along with Yoga and Breathing techniques.
Good habits need to be taught from a young age, and as coach let us see that this is made one of our top priorities. It is only by enforcing these practices, that we can see a change in the chess players stamina especially among the kids who play serious tournaments.
They will not feel tired or lethargic after playing for 5 days in a row. At least not as severe as those who are leading a sedentary life without exercise or a healthy diet.
Conclusion: Improving chess players stamina and energy levels must never be neglected.
A lot of the professional chess players keep their body in good shape with some form of exercise. Being in shape increases your mental stamina too
Magnus Carlsen stays in top shape by regular exercise!
The physical exercise if done on a regular basis can help the chess player in many other ways:
- Improves body posture.
- Improves immunity.
- Improves dopamine and endorphins production (substances that have a positive effect on the brain giving that happiness feel)
- Reduce anxiety, depression, tension, and stress.
- Improve brain performance like better memory.
- Better creativity, clarity, and vigor.
- Helps in keeping a healthy body to enjoy the game of chess that we all love so much for a long time to come.
What do you think?
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Psychology of Chess Weaknesses | 4 Easy Hacks
Correct Attitude to Learning chess | 5 Tips to success
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Additional readings:
Healthy Breakfast 1 by Tarla Dalal
Healthy Subzis (English) by Tarla Dalal
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