A Five-Minute Warm-Up Before You Queue

A short routine to get your eyes and hands ready before you play: what to do, in what order, and what a warm-up can and cannot do.

Most people jump straight into their first match and use it as a warm-up without meaning to. A short routine before you start means your first match is not your practice.

A warm-up is not training. It is not meant to make you better over weeks. It is a quick, easy run through the movements you are about to need, so you start the session settled and familiar with your settings.

Why a warm-up can help

When you sit down after a break, your movements are often a little less consistent for the first few minutes. A gentle start gives you time to get used to your mouse, screen and seat before anything matters. It also gives you a moment to notice if something is off, like a changed setting or a slippery mouse pad.

Evidence on warm-ups specifically for screen games is limited, so treat this as practical guidance rather than a proven performance boost.

The five-minute routine

Minute 1: eyes. Follow a slow-moving target with your eyes only, keeping your head still. Our Eye Warm-up or Smooth Pursuit at a low speed works well.

Minutes 2 and 3: flicks. Click targets at a comfortable size and speed. Focus on landing cleanly, not on speed.

Minutes 4 and 5: easy tracking or a range. Follow a moving target with your cursor, or run one easy round of a range drill. Then stop.

Keep it easy

The point is to feel ready, not tired. Use easy settings, do not chase personal bests, and do not keep going because one round went badly. A warm-up that turns into a long practice session leaves your hand and eyes tired before the real games.

A few habits that matter more

Check your posture: feet flat, screen roughly at eye level, wrist relaxed. Take a sip of water. If you play for a long time, take short breaks, look at something far away and blink fully, which helps tired, dry eyes.

What a warm-up cannot do

It will not change your skill level, and it will not fix a bad setup. If you want to improve over time, regular practice of specific skills does that, and even then the evidence supports getting better at the practised task, not automatic carry-over to every game.

Not medical advice. Stop if you feel dizzy, nauseous or strained, and take a break if your hand or wrist hurts.