Kathryn Harris 20 July 2019

BASI Global Comprehensive Oct 2018

Sydney, Australia

(photo credit bandt.com.au)

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ABSTRACT

ESports (competitive gaming) is a fast-paced and rapidly growing global sport. Video

gaming has moved beyond a hobby to a commercial industry worth billions of dollars and, as

with any commercial sport, the ability to compete at a peak level and be just the tiniest bit

stronger (mentally and physically) than the competition is vital. The top eSports participants

train for up to 12 hours a day at a computer and have to maintain concentration and situational

awareness throughout. With sedentary training and competition, eSports carries a high risk for

loss of postural strength and the BASI pilates repertoire and its whole-body approach is ideal for

building and maintaining core stability to support the spine. Moreover, with its emphasis on

mind-body connection, pilates offers a holistic tool in a conditioning program that takes an

athlete’s mental and physical conditioning to the next level.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND..............................................................................4

II. ANATOMICAL REQUIREMENTS..................................................................................6

III. CASE STUDY.........................................................................................................................9

IV. CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................13

V. BIBLIOGRAPHY..................................................................................................................14

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I. INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND

ESports is competitive video gaming at a professional level. Playing video games is

general a sedentary activity, with participants sitting a chair and using either a controller or

keyboard to play a digital game. It seems rather innocuous and relaxed, yet long-term gaming

can have a serious toll on the body. The combined physical nature of the sport (sitting for

hours on end) and the mental nature (constant visual processing into fast-twitch hand

movement) leads to many of the same physical risks often seen in long-time office workers:

rounded shoulders, weak abdominals, weak hamstrings, tight hip flexors, and overweight. The

additional fine motor movement required to compete at the top level can also add up to inflict

additional damage on hands and wrists.1

Gaming has risen over the years from a teenage hobby to full-time work, giving rise to

eSports. As gaming technology evolved, connecting billions of gaming consumers worldwide,

players organised to create teams, leagues, and large-scale competitions. For non-gamers, it is

easy to dismiss the idea as computer nerds geeking out, but globally it is big business with

millions of fans who watch professional teams play, in person, on TV, and predominantly on

digital platforms. Investors have noticed, with large corporations coming on board as sponsors,

and traditional sporting groups buying and creating their our teams and leagues, including the

U.S. NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers with Lakers Gaming, part of the NBA2K league, in the U.S.,

1 In one recent academic study of health management among U.S. collegiate league gamers (a varsity sport at many international universities akin to baseball or football), 65 Esport players from nine universities were studied and researchers found the following:

Players practiced between 3 and 10 hours per day. The most frequently reported complaint was eye fatigue (56%), followed by neck and back pain (42%). eSport athletes reported wrist pain (36%) and hand pain (32%). Forty per cent of participants do not participate in any form of physical exercise. Among the players surveyed, only 2% had sought medical attention.

(Joanne DiFrancisco-Donoghue, Jerry Balentine, Gordon Schmidt, & Hallie Zwibel, Managing the Health of the eSport Athlete: An Integrated Health Management Model, BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine 2019, available at https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/5/1/e000467)

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and Australian Football League’s (“AFL”) Essendon Bombers buying out the team Abyss to

compete in three different gaming leagues. In both cases, these eSport athletes are salaried by

the company, like a traditional athlete, and have potential to earn more throughs sponsorship

and tournament wins. With this commercialisation, eSports has become big money, and

according to consulting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers (“PwC”), total video game and eSport

revenue in the U.S. was $24.4 billion, and forecasted to grow to $31.1 billion. ESport alone

accounted for $222 million revenue in the U.S., significantly ahead of the next two largest

markets, China ($151 million) and South Korea ($183 million).2

With this commercialisation of gaming, gone are the days of the stereotypical couch potato

gamers. “Esport training and tournament competition can lead to long, intense schedules, which

means pros have to maintain peak reaction times, fast-twitch muscles, and good decision-making

for hours on end.” 3 ESport participants have become athletes, required to maintain strict

physical training routines and, as with any professional athlete, pilates offers a vital role in this

regimen as “it develops not only the muscles of the body, suppleness of the limbs and

functioning of vital organs and endocrine glands; it also clarifies the mind and develops the

will.”4

The case study present below follows one professional Esport athlete competing at the top

of his sport, addresses the physical concerns of competition, and the role pilates plays in

maintaining his condition.

2 Ennel van Eeden & Wilson Chow, U.S. Edition Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2018-2022, Pricewarerhouse Coopers, available at: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/tmt/library/global-entertainment-media-outlook.html 3 Dave Gershgorn, The Rise of Esports: Esport Teams are Starting to Train More Like Professional Athletes, Quartz, available at, https://qz.com/1487081/esports-players-are-starting-to-train-more-like-traditional-athletes. 4 Rael Isacowitz & Karen Clippinger, Pilates Anatomy, Human Kinetics, 2011, at 6.

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II. ANATOMICAL REQUIREMENTS

A. Anatomy Of The Spine

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The spine is made up of 33 bones, called vertebrae, stacked on each other to form the

spinal column [Fig. 1]. These bones are numbered and divided into 5 regions: cervical, thoracic,

lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx. The sacrym and coccyx are fused, while the 24 bones of the

cervical, thoracic and lumbar are mobile to allow the spine to move in a range of motions:

flexion (forward bending), extension (backward bending), lateral (side bending), and rotation

(twisting).

The two main muscles groups that affect the spine are the abdominals [Fig. 3] and the

spinal extensors [Fig. 2]. There are four paired abdominal muscles that assist in movement and

posture: rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominis. The first

three muscles work together to allow spinal flexion and rotation. The transverse abdominis,

which runs horizontally across the abdomen, works primarily to support posture and spinal

stabilization and “has been shown to play an important role in protecting the spine, automatically

contracting to help stabilise the healthy spine and pelvis just before movement of the limbs”.5

The paired spinal extensors run along the back and consist of three major muscles

groups: the erector spinae, semispinalis, and deep posterior spinal group. The erector spinae

consists of the spinalis, longissimus, and illicostalis muscles. The semispinalis runs from the

thoracic upwards. The deep posterior spinal group consists of the interspinales,

intertransversales, rotatores, and multifidus.6 The deep posterior spinal group works similarly to

the transverse abdominis to provide stabilisation of the spine. All three muscle groups work to

together to allow the spine to move in extension, lateral flexion, and rotation.

1) Rounded Shoulders & Kyphosis

Rounded shoulders (kyphosis) is a common occurrence in our modern, tech driven

society and common in eSports. As the name implies, it is a forward rounding of the shoulders

5 Isacowitz, supra note 4 at 14-15. 6 Id.

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and reach of the neck, deviating from natural upright posture and caused by an imbalance

between the neck and chest muscles and the upper back muscles. With the imbalance, the back

muscles of the lower trapezius, rhomboids, and serratus anterior, and the frontal deep neck

flexors weaken. On the other side, the pectoral muscles and the upper trapezius and levator

scapula tighten. Underlying this muscular imbalance can be structural issues where the spine has

deviated from its natural curvature and rounds forward. There are multiple types of kyphosis,

with postural kyphosis being the most common. This form of kyphosis is flexible and can be

corrected with exercise. The other types of kyphosis are rigid and based on structural spinal

abnormalities and require additional medical treatment such as bracing.7

7 John Hopkins University, Health: Kyphosis, available at https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/kyphosis

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III. CASE STUDY

For privacy concerns, the client in this case study will be referred to as Player 1 (“P1”).

P1 is a 25-year old professional eSports player. He has been recreationally gaming most of his

life, but has also played AFL throughout his academic career and at the semi-professional level in

a local league. Two years ago, he made the switch from AFL to full-time Esport athlete and

video game streamer. Gaming now represents his sole source of income and he works in this

field full time, up to 12 hours a day, 5-7 days a week depending on competition needs. He

competes in the Overwatch League, a first-person shooter game on the PC. This work requires

him to sit in a chair at a computer for the majority of the day. When he competes, it is in a high

stress, high-energy environment where a one-second delay in pressing a button can result in a

loss. Accordingly, during competition his entire focus must be on the game in front of him, and

not on his body.

With his athletic background, he presents with a generally healthy body and strong body

awareness, but he has experienced some mild back pain and mild postural kyphosis8 from

gaming. He currently runs outdoors (up to three days a week, one to two hours per run), does

strength training in a home gym two days per week, and uses a hand-grip strengthener. He

luckily has no previous injuries from his AFL career. At the recommendation of his coach, he

has started pilates to complement his additional physical training, increase postural strength,

maintain his conditioning, and improve his concentration.

2) Conditioning Program

The exercises in the below conditioning program represent a standard session with P1.

Due to his high level of pre-existing fitness and strong body awareness, he was able to progress

quickly into intermediate and advanced moves. As he generally works with fast-twitch muscles

and high energy for gaming and running, we focus on moving slowly and breathing. The breath

8 P1 is able to lie flat on a mat without any rounding of his spine, indicating that his kyphosis is postural and a result of muscle imbalance.

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work is vital for him as “[t]he proposed benefits [of breathing] range from enhanced relaxation

and decreased stress to lowered blood pressure, improved focus, activation of specific muscles,

better circulation and respiration, and even lowered risk for cardiovascular disease.”9 Each

session begins with one to two minutes of standing breathing, allowing him to focus more into

his posture, connection to the ground, and slow down his pace of life. This intentional breath

work has assisted with his stress and focus during competition. In addition to classical BASI

block system, we have also incorporated ulnar gliding exercise to help with his wrist and prevent

cubital tunnel syndrome.

BASI BLOCK APPARATUS REPERTOIRE COMMENTS

Warmup Mat Pelvic Curl Spine Twist Supine Chest Lift Chest Life with Rotation

P1 naturally has a lot of energy, and starting with breathing, roll downs, and a mat warm up allows him to focus into his body and the pilates session. He has a tendency to rely on his back and neck to initiate Chest Lifts, so staying supine on the mat allows him to focus on his pelvis position and better feel his abdominals engage. I have stayed with the fundamental warmup over time to allow a measure of consistency and for him to feel how the exercises can change on any given day. This consistency also provides a mental trigger to him that class is starting.

Footwork Reformer Footwork Series (parallel heels, parallel toes, V position toes, open V toes, open V heels, calf raises, prances, prehensile, single leg heels, single leg toes)

I started P1 on the Reformer as the footwork provides a good foundation and balance to his running, allowing him to fully lengthen his legs and build strength in his ankle flexors. I alternate with the WC as it mimics the seated nature of gaming. Using a lighter spring allows P1 to focus on seated

9 Jospeh H. Pilates, William J. Miller, Return to Life through Contrology, Martino Publishing, 2014, at Introduction.

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Wunda Chair Footwork Series (parallel heels, parallel toes, V position toes, open V toes, open V heels, calf raises, single leg heels, single leg toes)

core activation (including all the major muscles of the trunk), pelvic stability, and strengthening his hip flexors and hamstrings. In the earlier sessions with the WC, he needed to keep his hands on the back of the WC to stabilise and keep his chest open, but as his trunk muscles have strengthened, he is able to hold his hands behind his head during the series.

Abdominals Reformer Short Box Series (round back, flat back, tilt, twist, round-a-bout, climb-a-tree)

Short Box Series allows P1 to focus on abdominal engagement in a seated position. The advanced climb-a-tree is added to give further thoracic extension. I have also incorporated the Breathing with PT Bar and Teaser (Cadi) to help with coordination, balance, and breathing. Starting with Breathing helped P1 connect better into his hip flexors for the Teaser.

Cadillac Breathing with PT Bar Teaser

Hip Work Cadillac Single Leg Series (Frog, Circles Down & Up, Hip Extension, Bicycle)

Single leg series is chosen for its focus on pelvic lumbar stabilisation and coordination. The added mental component of the series provides additional cerebral training for his work.

Spinal Articulation

Reformer Semi-Circle Working hamstrings, spinal mobility, and added thoracic extension, semi-circle provides added length for P1.

Stretches Ladder Barrel Shoulder Stretch 1 Shoulder Stretch 2 Gluteals Hamstrings Abductors Hip Flexors

Full body stretching was important to counteract the seated nature of competition and his running, so the Ladder Barrel stretches are used in most sessions. We have discussed incorporating similar stretches on normal gym equipment when he is travelling and at hotels.

Mat Ulnar Gliding Exercises

While not part of the BASI Comprehensive program repertoire, these exercises are included as gaming is intense on the wrist and elbow and to help prevent carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel syndrome.

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Full Body 1 Reformer Upstretch 1 Upstretch 2 Downstretch

Upstretch 1 and 2 allow for full body movement, strengthening and lengthening hamstrings whilst working on scapular control and wrist strength. Downstretch is added for further scapula and trunk stabilization.

Cadillac

Arm Work Reformer Kneeling Series

We started with Arms Kneeling Series on the Reformer to recruit abdominal strength whilst gaining arm, shoulder, latissimus dorsi strength. As P1 progressed, we moved onto the Standing Series on the Cadillac to further strengthen his arms, shoulders, and lumbar stability whilst maintaining co-contraction of his front and back trunk muscles.

Cadillac Standing Series

Full Body 2 Reformer Balance Control Back Prep

Balance Control Back Prep is used to opening and strengthening P1’s chest and shoulder muscles and stabilisation. This helps counteract the nature of seated gaming.

Leg Work Reformer Hamstring Curl Hamstring Curl was important to include to strengthen P1’s hamstrings. With his running habits and seated job, his hamstrings were weak, but have strengthened well over our sessions. Gluteal side lying series is integrated to assist with gluteal and hip strength, as well as pelvic lumbar stabilisation. As a bonus, the side lying position provides additional stabilising work in his abdominals.

Mat Gluteal Side Lying Series (side leg lift, forward lift, forward with drops)

Lateral/Flexion Ladder Barrel Side Over Prep Side Over Prep gives a gentle lateral flexor and abdominal obkique stretch. Finishing with the stretch in a standing, straight leg, position provides a nice counterbalance to his sedentary life.

Back Extension

Wunda Chair Back Extension Single Arm Swan Basic

Back Extension Single Arm was chosen to provide some unilateral feedback as P1 has used the right side of his body predominately throughout his athletic career. To start, it was difficult for him to hold his left arm parallel to his body, but after a few sessions he was able to recruit equally across both extensors.

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IV. CONCLUSION

Competitive gaming is a fast paced sport and the BASI pilates method offers a vital role

in eSports conditioning. For gamers, “a fraction of a second [in this business] can be the

difference between millions of dollars”10 so maintaining a peak condition – mentally and

physically – is crucial. The BASI pilates emphasis on awareness, concentration, control,

precision, flow, harmony, balance, efficiency, centre, and breath provide a much needed mental

boost to the nature of competitive gaming and help prevent mental burnout. During a

competition, gamers are on stage, in a stadium, with thousands of fans watching and millions

more streaming online. With this stress, the core pilates principle of concentration, and

“concentra[ting] on the aligning of the body and on maintaining correct alignment and

stabilisation through the execution of the exercise”11 is a principle that parlays well into eSports

and, in the words of P1 “teaches me to calm down” and still his mind to focus on competition.

In the case of P1, pilates has been a boon to his career. After 10 sessions, his rounded

shoulders were mostly gone and he was able stand and sit tall. Likewise, his overall hamstring

and hip flexor strength improved, allowing him to sit for longer periods of time without pain and

better focus on the game. Overall, the holistic nature of BASI pilates has augmented his physical

conditioning, and provided a mental framework to use in his daily life.

10 Madis Kabash, Inside the esports team that’s training alongside the Dallas Cowboys, Quartz, available at, https://qz.com/1544603/inside-complexity-the-esports-team-thats-training-alongside-the-dallas-cowboys/.

11 Isacowitz, supra, note 4, p. 2.

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V. BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. BASI Pilates: Comprehensive Study Guide

2. BASI Pilates: Movement Analysis Workbooks

3. Dave Gershgorn, , The Rise of Esports: Esport Teams are Starting to Train More Like Professional Athletes, Quartz, available at, https://qz.com/1487081/esports-players-are-starting-to-train-more-like-traditional-athletes.

4. Ennel van Eeden & Wilson Chow, U.S. Edition Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2018-2022, Pricewarerhouse Coopers, available at: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/tmt/library/global-entertainment-media-outlook.html

5. Jospeh H. Pilates & William J. Miller, Return to Life through Contrology, Martino Publishing, 2014.

6. Joanne DiFrancisco-Donoghue, Jerry Balentine, Gordon Schmidt, & Hallie Zwibel, Managing the Health of the eSport Athlete: An Integrated Health Management Model, BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine 2019, available at https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/5/1/e000467

7. Madis Kabash, Inside the esports team that’s training alongside the Dallas Cowboys, Quartz, available at, https://qz.com/1544603/inside-complexity-the-esports-team-thats-training-alongside-the-dallas-cowboys/.

8. Rael Isacowitz & Karen Clippinger, Pilates Anatomy, Human Kinetics, 2011, at 6