Vergel’s Philosophy: Prepare Like A Pro

Written by | November 5, 2010 | 69 comments | 2,404 views | Rating: 0

Pokemon (and any game for that matter) has important physical elements to it that cannot be ignored if one wants to succeed consistently. Although the Pokemon TCG is not a sport, it still relies heavily on a participant’s bodily state at the time of competition. By demanding intense mental concentration for long periods of time, how you treat your body can directly influence your tournament results.

In this article we will explore how to treat your body in preparation for the event, as well as how to treat your body during the event.

Rest

This is one of the most important factors of an individual’s success, and it goes largely ignored by many players. A lot of players in the game are young and feel that sleep can be ignored and have no impact on performance, but this is not true. Chugging caffeine on an hour of sleep after drilling your mind for two nights will not have great effects on your cognitive ability when it is 2 AM and you are playing for a Regional Championship.

You generally need at least 2 hours of sleep to fall into the REM cycle. This allows the brain to reset and process memories. Without falling into REM the body and mind have not truly rested, and the speed and ability to organize and access new information (changes in game state, and processing changes in strategy) will suffer as a consequence. It’s best to get a full night’s sleep the night before a major mental event, though, so that one can be fully refreshed and able to absorb and process information at the utmost speed and efficiency.

Fatigue and mental exhaustion can often set in during a long tournament. Participating in an event like the LCQ (Last Chance Qualifier) demands an individual to have a flawless or near flawless record, and after rounds of intense thought an individual can develop headaches or severely reduced cognition. The worst part is your brain is most refreshed at the start of a tournament- but the most important rounds are always the last rounds after the brain has used up whatever energy it had in earlier rounds.

Bottom line- get the rest your brain requires to function well. The effects of not sleeping can be amplified greatly by choices in diet and activity and can make things even worse than what I just described.

Consumption

Sustaining the body is important. If you feel ill or tired, or are unable to physically perform then you will surely be unable to mentally perform. This makes eating of fundamental importance, as it can directly impact mental performance.

Many of the best brain foods are fatty and oily (I don’t mean McDonalds, I mean pistachios or eggs). We should consider this fact when we think of what to eat for a mental event like a tournament. There are also foods to avoid for a mental event- artificial colors and sweeteners can cause physical side effects, things with refined sugars and processed materials are foods to be avoided.

Don’t eat three twinkies before lunch, because the body processing the glucose will cause blood-sugar disparity and affect brain function. Eating the double cheese egg, sausage, and bacon breakfast sandwich will decrease blood flow to the brain by restricting the blood vessels.

The Night Before
Don’t eat much, because this will hinder your sleep. You want to sleep well, and have an appetite for tomorrow. Eating is fun, healthy, and can relieve stress while supplementing the body. Use it to your advantage at a tournament. I recommend eating plenty of lean proteins and carbohydrates prior to the tournament day in order to provide the body with plenty of energy for the brain and body come game day.

DON’T GAMBLE! You can avoid eating at the new Mexican restaurant, and forego sushi for one night. You don’t want to take an unnecessary risk. Play it safe. Don’t get wasted or drink any caffeine. Eat some carbs and go to bed.

Breakfast
I recommend eating light. Eggs are great brain food, but going light and eating yogurt, whole grains, fruits with natural sugars (especially ones that are high in anti-oxidants like blueberries), milk and cereal will also be great options. Either way, you don’t need to eat much because we are going to aim to have a big lunch. You want to lead the day right with light options that will not cause irritation to the stomach or nerves.

Coffee? Energy Drink?
I am for them. If you occasionally or regularly drink coffee/caffeine, then have one if you desire. A Red Bull really will stimulate the brain (especially if you get it sugar free)- but getting one loaded with artificial flavors and sweeteners might have adverse effects. Be wise with your choices and read the ingredients.

Lunch
My preferred lunch location is Chipotle. Do yourself a favor and look up nearby locations to your tournament location. The lean meats, lack of processed ingredients, high energy products (tortilla, rice, pinto and black beans), option for guacamole (avocado is an amazing brain food, rich in oils and fats that are great for the brain’s functioning), and mouth-watering salsa options will provide you with plenty of energy and a great sensual experience.

But seriously, eat a lunch that will give you a lot of energy without hurting the brain. Don’t eat something overly fatty or stimulating, but do provide yourself with the energy you will need for the rest of the tournament- especially if you don’t have the opportunity for a dinner break.

By this point in the tournament your success should be dawning on you. You might be 1-0, 2-0, or 3-0 at this point. Use lunch to relax, relish, and clear your head to continue your success. If you have a rough start, then reorganize at this point. This is when you can go over your mistakes, shake your anxiety, and retake control.

Dinner
You may or may not get this option, but if you do- then realize this is the home stretch. Absolutely do not risk foods like sushi or anything that could upset the stomach. Try to eat high energy foods. A smoothie, protein bar, PB&J would all be good options as well.

Many people have anxiety at this stage of the tournament. Money might be closing in, or the guaranteed spot in the cut or ratings. Keep that in mind as you eat throughout the day. Give yourself energy but don’t cause additional stress to an already fragile physical state.

In either case, I suggest a strategy similar to breakfast. Eat something that is high in brain energy, low in physical content and low impact on the digestive system.

Hydration
This cannot be stressed enough. You should be drinking constantly during this tournament. Dehydration causes physical strain, headaches, nausea, and reduced mental function. Buy a bottle of water if you have to, but keep hydrated.

The Institute of Medicine (source: Mayo Clinic) recommends about 100 ounces of hydration for men, and 70 ounces of hydration for women a day: 3L and 2.2L respectively. Expect to fill up that water bottle quite a bit if you want to maintain optimum physical performance from your brain.

This doesn’t mean to chug soda all day, either. That is not hydrating, but filling yourself on processed sugar and actually diminishing your hydration. Drink water, or juice if you want more taste/energy. Drink the Gatorade. Stay away from the Coca Cola. Be smart about it.

Drugs, mmmkay
If you are a smoker, today is not the day to quit. If you drink coffee every morning, now is not the day to say goodbye. Similarly, if you never smoke or consume caffeine, then now is probably not the time to try. Be smart about it. Drinking a third of a red bull might be a great idea for you come dinner time if you need that boost, even if you don’t normally drink caffeine. Splitting a 36 ounce Monster with your fiend who loves caffeine might not be a great idea though.

There are other drugs you need to consider as well. At a tournament it is very easy to become dehydrated, irritable, develop a headache, etc. I recommend having some basic first aid – tournament style. Do yourself a favor and buy some Goody’s Powder and Pepto Bismol Chewables.

Goody’s Powder is the fastest acting pain reliever- a mix of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Aspirin (famous NSAID) with some caffeine (helps reduce blood vessel pressure as well as increasing the effectiveness of relieving headaches up to 40%- Source: WebMD). You pour the powdery substance in the back of your throat and quickly wash it down with water and relief is on its way.

Pepto Bismol chewables are ideal because they can be easily stored and maintained, and have minimal issues with distribution or consumption.

Along with these two drugs you should be sure to pick up plenty of water, mints or chewing gum, and lip balm! Many times tournaments feature different weather than your body is used to, and there is nothing worse than having chapped lips.

Conclusion/TL;DR

Drink plenty of water, get at least two hours of sleep, don’t go overboard with any substances (but make sure to bring everything you might need), and eat like a champ.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/zlesage Zachary Lesage

    Solid article that would should help everyone out! I do know that I should have some better tournament habits considering I usually only get 3 hours of sleep before an event and I usually don’t eat or drink anything on a tournament day besides water. I will be sure to review this article and try some of your suggestions out (except we don’t have Chipotle in Ontario, Canada lol).

    Thanks again for the great article :)

    - Zach

  • http://www.facebook.com/jordandbaker Jordan Baker

    All of this stuff is true, but did we really need another article about it? Third times a charm I guess?

    • Anonymous

      was it a good/pleasurable/insightful read or not?

      this was kind of just to stretch my brain out a little bit. i has been a while since i wrote an article, especially one without strategy.

      i really feel like these are points that people do not touch upon but are extremely important.

      any suggestions/requests for a next article?

      this is not a hygiene article, either. i havent seen any other articles touch upon the points i do- bringing medicine, hydrating, good and bad foods for your brain and cognition, etc.

      yeah, i mention sleeping, but unlike any other article i actually say why and how.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Martin-Garcia/676689170 Martin Garcia

        Dont let critics like that get to you. Its a great article, and things like these may make the difference between playing a top 2 match while having a devastating headache, or while being cheerful and bright, ready to take the win.
        I keep a routine like this whenever i go to an important exam at college, or a big tournament, and it really pays off.
        Dont make your brain´s job harder than it already is.

      • http://www.facebook.com/jordandbaker Jordan Baker

        Nothing against you as a person (or as a writer), but no it wasn’t a good/pleasurable/insightful read. As I said before this is literally the third time in less than a year (and second time in the last month) that an article on this topic has been posted.

        I think that what you had to say is true and good, but that doesn’t mean it has to be posted again.

      • Anonymous

        maybe you should learn to read?

        like i already said, no one has covered the content of the nutritive side to tournaments. if there is such an article, please link, because as of right now all you are showing is your inability to read and comprehend the intent and content of an article. you’re just talking out of your ass.

        no one has posted this type of article. i have seen a handful of articles, at times, talk about tournament preparation- getting a deck list right, or making sure to bring damage counters. this is not like that whatsoever.

        you’re an idiot. i bet you got nothing out of this article, either, which isnt a surprise. you cant even understand it to make correct comparisons.

      • http://www.facebook.com/apenandamuse Evan Baker

        “was it a good/pleasurable/insightful read or not?”

        …you asked a question, he answered it in a very respectful manner. If you didn’t want him to give you an honest opinion, you shouldn’t have asked for it. Taking cheap shots at him (“learn to read” and “you cant even understand it to make correct comparisons” and “all you are showing is your inability to read and comprehend”) hurts your credibility. He didn’t attack you. He stated his opinion (and then re-stated it upon YOUR request) in a non-insulting, non-emotional way. Your response back to him is oozing with immaturity.

        My advice to you is this: if you’re going to post content in a public forum, you should be prepared for that content to be respectfully and objectively critiqued. If someone makes a personal attack on you, feel free to be insulted. Otherwise, keep your emotions in check. Because regardless of how good or bad your article is, you lost all your credibility with me when you started making personal attacks in the comment section directly beneath your article.

      • Anonymous

        I deal with trolls swiftly and effectively.

      • http://www.facebook.com/apenandamuse Evan Baker

        It wasn’t effective, and the only thing “swift” was the pace with which you lost your temper. He wasn’t trolling – YOU asked him a specific question, requesting an honest opinion. He gave it, and you reverted to a child-like, immature defense of your article, complete with second-grade statements like “maybe you should learn to read.”

        Comments like that reflect poorly on the author, which in turn hurts the credibility of SixPrizes. To be honest, I’m surprised Adam hasn’t removed your comments. Key lesson here: disagreeing with your article does not make a person a troll, nor does it give you the right to go all elementary-school on them.

      • Anonymous

        you havent read his other comments, or the edited comment he left

        you are just as bad as he is. you should read all the comments before you post. he should read the article before he posts.

      • http://www.facebook.com/apenandamuse Evan Baker

        hahaha… you DO realize that your default response to anyone who disagrees with you is “you haven’t read! you can’t read! do some reading! please, please, for the love of GOD, just READ!”

        believe it or not, i’ve read the comments. i’ve read your response. i addressed both with an intelligent response, twice, yet you haven’t once addressed anything i said. rather, you ignored both, just as you ignored Jordan’s comments, and again implored us to “read!”

        sheesh. intelligent conversation is so hard to come by these days.

      • Anonymous

        1. you didnt read the comments. ONE WAS EDITED.
        2. it WAS effective, as the kid hasnt posted in this since. (unless you count you posting/fighting his battles, as I notice the same last name)
        3. what am i supposed to say to someone who is too inept to understand an article? sorry that some dumbass tried to troll me, and got called out on it. he didn’t understand the article, made senseless, non-contributing posts to illicit a response- and that is what trolling is. blindly posting ignorant statements to try to come off as cool. there isnt any article anywhere on any site that is anywhere similar to this. his justification for making the remarks he did was that this had been done before. it hasnt. not much else i can do but ask someone to learn how to read. reading comprehension is important. moving your eyes over words is not the same as understanding something, or being able to understand something to a point of being able to compare it or discuss it. clearly, jordan baker did not understand the article, and definitely didn’t understand it enough to make the comparisons he did.
        4. disagreeing does not make one a troll- posting in the manner he did makes him a troll.

      • http://www.facebook.com/jordandbaker Jordan Baker

        My post that was deleted was not trolling or inappropriate. I simply asked if you knew what the word “sensual” means. I don’t care what your dictionary has to say about the word. Do a quick google image search for “sensual” and you will quickly realize that it is not something that you want to use to describe a Pokemon tournament.

      • Anonymous

        that would make sense if i was talking about a pokemon tournament, and not chipotle.

        like i said, maybe you should (re)read the article.

      • http://www.facebook.com/jordandbaker Jordan Baker

        nah

      • Anonymous

        zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

      • Anonymous

        Ryan there is a reason some people win tournaments and others dont. As far as I’ve seen the guy hasn’t won anything. I don’t see why you feel the need to defend your article to him. Is your article while might be “common sense” is rarely followed. Eating healthy is common sense (you burn more/equal caloires as you consume) than why is 60% of America overweight? It was a good article and a solid read.

      • Anonymous

        Ryan there is a reason some people win tournaments and others dont. As far as I’ve seen the guy hasn’t won anything. I don’t see why you feel the need to defend your article to him. Is your article while might be “common sense” is rarely followed. Eating healthy is common sense (you burn more/equal caloires as you consume) than why is 60% of America overweight? It was a good article and a solid read.

      • http://www.facebook.com/apenandamuse Evan Baker

        It wasn’t effective, and the only thing “swift” was the pace with which you lost your temper. He wasn’t trolling – YOU asked him a specific question, requesting an honest opinion. He gave it, and you reverted to a child-like, immature defense of your article, complete with second-grade statements like “maybe you should learn to read.”

        Comments like that reflect poorly on the author, which in turn hurts the credibility of SixPrizes. To be honest, I’m surprised Adam hasn’t removed your comments. Key lesson here: disagreeing with your article does not make a person a troll, nor does it give you the right to go all elementary-school on them.

      • http://www.facebook.com/SUP3R.M122 Jamiahi Consistent Fears

        Do what I did, When I seen Vergel at regionals, I asked him what all that tough talk was about on the internet mono a mono and got scared, said its just a forum on the internet!!! He is a pus, only way to shut him up is to challenge him to a fight.

      • Anonymous

        you didnt say shit.

        you didnt do shit.

        i was right there. sat down next to you and smoked a cigarette.

        next time do something. you sound like a hypocritical little bitch right now- you got a problem, then solve it. dont come to a forum like a little girl and spout off.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jordandbaker Jordan Baker

    All of this stuff is true, but did we really need another article about it? Third times a charm I guess?

  • Anonymous

    Is this a personal health and hygiene website now???

    • http://www.facebook.com/zlesage Zachary Lesage

      Health & Hygeine > lack of Health & Hygeine

      • Anonymous

        That is true…

    • Rokman

      Unfortunately every TCG attracts people who don’t practice proper hygiene. While it may annoy you, if shoving the words hygiene and health down reader’s throats makes at least ONE person shower regularly like a normal human being should, then it was worth it.

      If you feel differently…….. too bad.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XVNTS6D43ALI4GW74Q22WXNPZU Red Ados

      Actually after reading Rokman’s Pokemon TCG etiquette on the ‘gym, I started showering before tournaments.

  • Anonymous

    I think the article was really well-written, and clever as well, but I have to agree with the other posters, do we come to 6P for health tips of strategy articles?

  • http://www.facebook.com/platapierule Stephen Liao

    “will provide you with plenty of energy and a great sensual experience.”
    uhm…..

    also i think there is a typo “Splitting a 36 ounce Monster with your fiend who loves caffeine might not be a great idea though.”

    fiend should be friend?

  • http://www.facebook.com/platapierule Stephen Liao

    “will provide you with plenty of energy and a great sensual experience.”
    uhm…..

    also i think there is a typo “Splitting a 36 ounce Monster with your fiend who loves caffeine might not be a great idea though.”

    fiend should be friend?

    • http://www.facebook.com/jordandbaker Jordan Baker

      Good catch Stephen, I don’t EVER want my Pokemon tournaments to be a sensual experience.

    • http://www.facebook.com/jordandbaker Jordan Baker

      Good catch Stephen, I don’t EVER want my Pokemon tournaments to be a sensual experience.

    • Anonymous

      caffeine fiend ;)

      tried to be clever/funny haha

  • Anonymous

    I actually really liked this article because it provided a strong scientific reasoning behind these decisions that many of us players keep trying to recommend for you guys. Vergel’s a great writer and always has a lot of evidence and thought behind his claims.

  • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

    I really like this article because it gave me an excuse to insert a picture of Jennifer Anniston. ;)

    Nah but seriously, it has logical and scientific evidence behind why you need to watch what you eat before and during a tournament. Many people reading the article probably down follow everything mentioned (Tony… put down that bag of Fusion Doritos…)

    Good stuff Ryan

  • Anonymous

    I like the fact that this site considers the player, as well as the meta.

  • Anonymous

    I try to smoke as little as possible when I play. It really dries you out and can give you nasty headaches. I almost had to drop from battle roads because I hadn’t eaten the morning of and was trying to fill myself up with smoke.

    • 2decktom

      Then you should quit man.

      • Anonymous

        It’s an addiction. although i’ve been doing quite well kicking the butt.

  • Anonymous

    is that…a camel?

    • http://www.adamcapriola.com/ Adam Capriola

      Yeah I think it’s a Picasso painting.

      • Anonymous

        not to be ridiculously off-topic, but I wish I could draw something like that and sell it at an auction for millions. Perks of being a famous dead artist I guess

      • Anonymous

        The dead bit tends to put a damper on the millions bit.

  • http://www.youtube.com/user/pgmcsskater pgmcsskater

    i read somewhere that the best sleep is sleeping 30 minutes every 6 hours. your body will be trained to automatically go into REM.

    • http://www.facebook.com/reichenberger David Reichenberger

      But NREM is how you consolidate what you learn, which is essential in, well, everything.

      • http://www.youtube.com/user/pgmcsskater pgmcsskater

        i dont remember the whole article… but thats what i rememeber.

      • http://www.facebook.com/reichenberger David Reichenberger

        The Uberman Schedule is a way to achieve an “efficient” sleep schedule. However, that does not mean it’s healthy.

      • http://www.youtube.com/user/pgmcsskater pgmcsskater

        ok thanks man

  • Anonymous

    I don’t mind all these health/hygene articles, as long as they’re well-written and relevant to Pokemon. Great job with this article!

  • Anonymous

    What about putting on clean clothes after taking that shower?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Kurt-Roy/624221123 Kurt Roy

    I eat candy bars and white castle. I still win.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Thomas-Wise/720071306 Thomas Wise

    Ryan’s right (of course lol). This is actually more important for older players like myself who get a little excited and forget to sleep the night before.

  • Anonymous

    Excellent read, properly backed up with sources with a touch of experience. Great job, Vergel.

  • http://www.facebook.com/SUP3R.M122 Jamiahi Consistent Fears

    Its a decent article, but I dont like Ryan Vergel. Simple as That.

  • http://www.facebook.com/apenandamuse Evan Baker

    ok, let’s put vergel’s assertions to the test then: if he really don’t have a problem with a person disagreeing with his content and is simply upset about the way people have chosen to do it, then this critique of his work shouldn’t illicit an immature response:i did not perceive your article to be informative or beneficial because i don’t believe it ventured beyond the scope of normal, every day common sense and because it was, at times, misleading or misinformed. first off, there isn’t a single item in your article that one wouldn’t have learned via an introductory health course or through participation in high school athletics. in fact, many of the items you’ve chosen to highlight are given as staple advice to students who are going to be taking a standardized test the following day. additionally, you have a segment in your article which endorses highly caffeinated energy drinks, such as sugar free red bull. sugar free red bull is, quite possibly, the most harmful legal beverage a person could possibly consume. in a recent study, researchers in sydney, australia found that after drinking just ONE can of sugar free red bull, study participants had shown a cardiovascular profile similar to that of someone with heart disease, putting them at risk for blood clots. there are actually several countries which have outlawed it altogether. other common side effects of highly caffeinated beverages include increased blood pressure, irritability, and an increase in urination – none of which will be very beneficial to a person during a pokemon match.additionally, your championing of gatorade for “more energy” is incorrect. gatorade contains more sugar than soda and was never meant to be a beverage for the average consumer. it’s primary purpose is to replenish the body’s resources, including lost electrolytes, following an intense physical workout. it’s loaded with sodium and sugar to ensure rapid rehydration after a workout, but can have the same effects as a twinkie or a soda if used inappropriately (for example, at a pokemon tournament where you aren’t going to be perspiring at the rate of an athlete).i’ve read your article. the parts that make sense or are sound nutritional advice are, for the most part, common knowledge. the parts that DON’T make sense show a lack of research and irresponsibility on the part of an author whose statements could potentially be taken as gospel by a young SixPrizes reader – trust me, you don’t want a 13 senior picking up a sugar free red bull on your misinformed recommendation. you are not a dietician, physician, or nutritionist. you are a pokemon player, therefore your next article (should you choose to write one) should be more applicable to the game of pokemon.so, does my informed disagreement with your article mean that i don’t possess reading comprehension?

    • Anonymous

      1. i didn’t say gatorade had more energy. i said “or juice if you want more taste/energy”. this is a misunderstanding/misquoting on your part.

      2. there are just as many studies i can cherrypick from touting the cleansing ability of taurine, the positive nature of the vitamins, and the strengths of caffeine which would demonstrate red bull’s ability to do what i claim it does (stimulate your mind). my ending statement for that paragraph is to read the ingredients and stay smart with how they will affect you, the individual. the most harmful legal beverage? now you’re just being ridiculous. alcohol is a legal beverage for me to purchase and consume, but you say alcohol would be better for my health than a sugar free red bull? bullshit.

      3. the entire purpose of this article is to underline and emphasize the importance of basics. i never claimed to say anything one couldn’t find in a textbook. the sources I cite are from the internet so that people could research for themselves. “in fact, many of the items you’ve chosen to highlight are given as staple advice to students who are going to be taking a standardized test the following day.” duh?

      4. as far as misleading anyone, i say time and time again to respect your body, know the consequences of your actions (insofar as what you put and how you treat your body), and to go from there. i even say that you should not drink an energy drink for your first time: “Similarly, if you never smoke or ____consume caffeine_____, then now is probably not the time to try. _____Be smart about it.____”

      5. i think you overestimate the knowledge base of the audience. i do not think the average reader knows how much water to consume in a day, what foods in particular are conducive to brain activity, how certain drugs interact (the stimulation of caffeine to head ache relief, for example), how many hours are advised for minimal sleep, etc.

      6. this is very applicable to the game of pokemon, as this is a mental sport. it requires intense bodily demands, as i explain in my introduction. this is a huge component of tournament success, and is largely IGNORED by the playerbase (so you claim everyone knows this information, but also chooses to ignore/bypass this information? maybe you are calling every reader irrational too? that is what this kind of thinking would lead to) and by article writers and websites. advising people to shower or bring damage counters is not the same as emphasizing the number of liters you should drink, the medication you should bring, how much sleep you should get minimally, or what foods will end up destroying or boosting your capacities to play the game effectively. again, this is all discussed in the introductory paragraph.

      7. your disagreement is, at times, informed. however, two of your five paragraphs make no sense since you misapply what i said and misquote me. they also happen to be your strongest (only) attacks, so your post pretty much falls apart after that.

      so, to summarize my response, my article CAN be easily affirmed/learned through basic research into human physiology- it makes no claim to offer new or enlightening material, but merely seeks to affirm the importance of its claims and to highlight how one can achieve the aims of sub-goals (hydrating, nutrition, sleep, proper drug use, etc). however, this does not mean that the materials offered are somehow not valuable or applicable. i have shown they are, and i argue that the majority do NOT FOLLOW these “basic ideas”, so my article WORKS because it seeks to re-establish these “basic ideas” or at least emphasize them to the point where the majority actually follows the basics. in either case, the article is successful- if people do or do not know the material presented.

      as far as your claims of misleading or misguidance, as you say- i make no claims to be an expert on any given field. i say time and time again to be smart about the choices and to not try new things at this type of event. some elements are controversial, such as nicotine and caffeine, but i felt that they should be addressed due to the youthful nature of this game and just how much said drugs affect the body. i am a proponent of proper caffeine use (which is the only kind I am advocating- i say not to split a lot of caffeine with an experienced used, i say not to try caffeine for the first time then, and i say to be smart about ANYTHING you put into your body and to read the ingredients and how they might affect you). i do not see anything misleading if everything is read correctly.

      to conclude, your disagreement might suggest a lack of reading comprehension (as you misunderstand the sentences about gatorade, about my suggestion for use of caffeine, etc), but is overall likely a failure to grasp the scope of the article and its aims. this leads to your not liking the article.

    • Anonymous

      “in a recent study, researchers in sydney, australia found that after drinking just ONE can of sugar free red bull, study participants had shown a cardiovascular profile similar to that of someone with heart disease”

      I would like to see a link to that…that sounds completely made up. “Heart Disease” is a generic term that has not real meaning and it takes decades to do that much damage. If the study is real, that’s what they wanted to find and had to get results for funding…unfortunately, that is the world we live in nowadays.

      “additionally, your championing of gatorade for “more energy” is incorrect. gatorade contains more sugar than soda and was never meant to be a beverage for the average consumer. it’s primary purpose is to replenish the body’s resources, including lost electrolytes, following an intense physical workout. it’s loaded with sodium and sugar to ensure rapid rehydration after a workout, but can have the same effects as a twinkie or a soda if used inappropriately (for example, at a pokemon tournament where you aren’t going to be perspiring at the rate of an athlete).”

      Really? So, would “energy” not be a “resource” one’s body would need to replenish? You are actually 100% incorrect in that paragraph….well, 99%. The purpose of gatorade was (is) to replenish electrolytes (that’s the 1% you got right) AND provide an energy source. So, if one doesn’t lose electrolytes, what is the harm? Sugar? Seriously? You’ve obviously never looked at fruits. You are supposed to eat 2-4 servings a day and they are LOADED with sugar. You are also supposed to take most of your Calories by way of carbs. Fats…well, make you fat, and too much calories from protein has bad side effects. I guess your only real argument there would be that sugar is bad for your teeth….which IS true, there ARE studies to back that up as well. So, the alternatives are to not get calories from carbs, to which you would have to eat more fat, and, as previously mentioned, become fat, which is worse side effects of anything you could be implying gatorade has, or get most of your calories from protien which is horrible for your kidneys and has far worse side effects than eating sugar.

      Playing Pokemon will increase your blood pressure, not getting caffeine may cause irritability and if it doesn’t, losing a match will, and proper hydration will cause an increase in urination, which can be offset by increasing electrolyte intake (like gatorade), so I’m not really sure why you cite those as side effects of caffeine since ANY Pokemon player will likely bring those side effects on themselves without caffeine.

      Does your informed disagreement mean you don’t possess reading comprehension? Possibly. It is apparent that you have read a LITTLE bit about the topics you discussed. It is also apparent you don’t know as much about them as you would like everyone to believe. Thus, you HAVE read it, and DIDN’T understand all of it.

      I don’t want to get into a pissing contest with you, I really don’t, but crap man, how long are you and your bf gonna cry because because he insulted Ryan and Ryan insulted him back? This IS the internet and we are talking about a GAME.

  • Walrus

    eat better. sleep more. drink good stuff.
    /article

    • Anonymous

      yes, that is exactly what i said at the end of the article titled “CONCLUSION”.

      cool post, bro!

      • Walrus

        Thanks, bro!

  • Walrus

    Why not just refute a criticism of your work?

    being a dick to everyone that doesn’t like your article =/= defending your statements.

    but…nevertheless people will continue to take your side because you are a “staff writer” for 6prizes (OMG!!!11!)

    Since the change from regular people submitting articles, to “staff” written articles, (some of) the content has become a small amount of useful information packed with loads of filler…usually common knowledge. At least when it was the community writing articles the writer didn’t feel the need to personally attack those who disagreed with their point of view.

    • Anonymous

      do yourself a favor and click http://www.sixprizes.com/

      look at the column on the left that says “STAFF WRITERS”. then read who the staff writers are. then read what my name is.

      then edit your post before you look like a fool.

      • Walrus

        ohhhh okay. so you’re just a dick without an excuse. :) the rest still applies (and wasn’t all intended for you)

        edited, bro!

      • Anonymous

        i don’t even understand what “Why not just refute a criticism of your work?” is supposed to mean. i did refute a criticism of my work. that was the long post above you in response to one of the baker boys.

        haters gonna hate.

      • Walrus

        What I mean by that is; refute a criticism of your work…and leave it at that. When you start to say things like: “maybe you should learn to read?”, “too inept to understand an article”,…countless times of implying that everyone that doesn’t like your article must be too stupid to understand it.// that is when people “gonna hate”

  • Anonymous

    WOW! A free article giving you good advice!

    quit your bitching.