My Body, Is Not Ready

Combo Breakers, Counter Breakers, spacing, timing, hit boxes, frame data, combos that actually work in practice.� These are all aspects of Killer Instinct and of fighting games in general that can be learned with enough practice.� Fundamentals that, once down, take you from some button mashing newbie to a competent player.� Indeed, in my own experience with Killer Instinct, I've found that when you stick to the basics and stop worrying about how high you can get that combo meter to go that you'll start winning matches.

But there's something else that determines how good you will or will not be.� Your own body.� Killer Instinct is the first fighting game I've ever really spent a lot of time with playing against other people.� I noticed how my body was reacting to the match, specifically toward the end.� Winning or losing, there were some strange things going on in here.� These are some of the things that happen to me:

1. Tightening in my chest.� Anxiety, probably.
2. Fast pulse.� Adrenaline.
3. Shaking hands.� Ditto.
4. Sloppy playing.� I'd screw up, even if I were winning.� I'd rush in without thought.
5. Flushing.� Adrenaline is to blame here too.

So, I learned that my brain decided I should be pumped about the situation being displayed on my screen.� I'm still being impacted by these things, but now that I know it's coming, I've begun trying to calm myself.� I take deep breaths, I focus on what I'm doing, but most of all I focus on what my opponent is doing.� I also know that there's probably a good chance that he's reacting the same way.

How one controls their own body is just as important to competent play.� It doesn't matter if you're a pro fighting game champion or just someone one that enjoys fighting games.� Keeping your nerves in check is a practice any gamer playing any competitive genre should work on.

Also, there's this little problem right now that has nothing to do with anyone but Double Helix (fix it!):

---

LOOK WHO CAME:

Swiftly Bearded   

Retrofraction   1

Nic Rowen   1

Hyper Lemon Buster Cannon   1