Could video gaming improve your skills on the pitch?

As video and online gaming continues to grow in popularity, conversations are also arising surrounding the impact playing can have on other aspects of our lives. Recent studies have shown that gaming can in fact benefit the body and mind in many ways, even promoting cognitive development. So, could video gaming support your skills on the Rugby pitch? Here are four ways playing can help you to hone and improve your sporting ability.

Focus 

One of the main skills gamers can develop while playing is increased concentration and focus. This is because gaming fully captures the player’s attention. They help to train the brain to work towards a goal, often finding the quickest way to progress and achieve the desired result. This skill is also key to success on the rugby pitch as even a brief loss of focus from any player could mean the difference between winning and losing. The challenges posed by many video games also require intense concentration which improves a player’s ability to focus for long periods of time. If you’re keen to improve your focus on the pitch, or for any other reason for that matter, why not play free slots for fun. There are tons of great titles and themes to immerse yourself in.

Hand-eye coordination 

There are some physical as well as mental benefits to playing video games. Many use a unique combination of hand skills, motor skills and visual perception which could help players to improve their coordination on the rugby pitch. The best genres to choose if you want to work on hand-eye coordination are those that require precision timing and rapid reactions. Racing, combat and, of course, many sporting games, could all help refine hand-eye coordination skills.

Fitness

Another valuable result of playing certain video games is increased fitness levels. However, this only applies to games played on consoles like Wii and Kinect which promote the movement of the body, not just the hands. Playing sports simulation games using their revolutionary motion controllers has been proven to increase fitness levels in some players thanks to the amount of physical activity required to take part. The Wii Fit program has also been proven to help some users lose weight and increase muscle mass. By using a balance board, the program can measure and monitor a player’s weight and body mass, as well as work out how they can meet their goals by playing the console’s games.

Quick-thinking 

Superior decision-making skills are vital for any good sportsman. Fortunately, they are also very common among video gamers. When playing, gamers are required to make choices both quickly and with incredible accuracy, an ability which is extremely valuable on the rugby pitch. Recent studies have even shown that gamers can actually process and decipher new information much quicker than non-gamers. As their brains are used to receiving both visual and audial stimulations at speed, they can interpret and process this information much faster than those who don’t play.