Do you ever get the feeling that the first match of the day is generally worse than the consequent ones? Or that you might be missing shots that in your average game are 100% there? It happens to everyone and it could be generally fixed by having a good warm up routine prior to start playing matches.

Although every player has its own preferences, you might not know where to start if you’ve never done it before, or maybe you just feel you want to change things up a bit. I’ve asked Adam “friberg” Friberg, one of the players from the Dignitas CS:GO team and part of one of the most legendary lineups of the game’s history, about his warm up routine, what he likes to do, and how he knows that he's ready to start playing.

According to friberg, warming up is really important, but can change from player to player:

“I think it's different from person to person, but for me it is really important. I feel like you should try to be hitting as many shots as you can before jumping into an official match and playing aim_botz makes you get a feel for that.”

When asked if he had a set warm up routine, friberg quickly answered, “I do, I play on aim_botz and I try to do 1000 kills - 250 AK47, 250 M4, 250 with the SG553 and 250 with the USP. After that, I may do some training_aim_csgo2. It's a map where you shoot red dots that are appearing and disappearing. Basically, it helps you to get a feel for your sensitivity. If I have extra time, I try to DM as well.”

Playing aim_botz is one of the most common answers you’ll get when questioning a player, whether they're a professional or just an amateur that takes the game seriously - with a big set of options to customize the map exactly the way you want, it’s generally enough for most players. Then he talks about training_aim_csgo2, which essentially helps him to get a feel for his sensitivity and improve reflexes. Having the map settings on a quick enough preset can make it feel like a real challenge and an amazing aim practice, and this can be as good or even better than just bot shooting, in my opinion. But the best way to see how good it could be to you is to test it. Besides that, friberg uses no other “dedicated maps”, resorting only to DM if he feels he still needs it.





When Do You Feel Ready to Play?

When starting with a new routine, some players might be unsure when they’re ready to play or if they should warm up more. Generally, I’d say to try to avoid overdoing it, as it could get you more tired than it should, but friberg seems to disagree, and that’s good - every player is different.

“If I do my routine it should be good to go, I think 1000 bots is quite a lot and also doing some training_aim. After that, I would be ready to go in a LAN environment. Because I think the aim_botz is usually enough for me, the practice_aim is more like a raincheck. Usually, I'll try to get around 19 score with my settings and I'm good to go.”

Try out different routines, understand what makes your aim feel good and take your time improving it until you feel it’s perfect for you.

aim_botz is a great community map to warmup. Image by Mr. uLLeticaL™-S-.

Practicing Aim and Warming Up - Two Different Things?

This is a rather common topic amongst some players that take the game seriously and it’s something where there is not a general consensus. As friberg stated in the beginning, it really depends from player to player. Regarding that topic, friberg disagrees on it being two different things, adding, “I would probably just warm up and then do practice games with the team, which also helps improve my aim. But then perhaps I'll just play some DM or aim_botz if I feel like I need it.”

Adding to that, he also said that headshot only Pistol DM is one of the best modes to improve raw aim in his opinion, although you should avoid overusing it:

“I think headshot only Pistol DM is really good because you really need to focus on a small target, but do not play it too much, otherwise you might end up going only for one taps.”

You could also go for Headshot Only servers that are not just pistol, but rifles instead. AK47 is really good as a warm up, and let’s be honest: those one taps really do feel satisfying! You can easily find those types of modes in the community servers list.





Other Ways of Warming Up

Some players also like to warm up their mouse movements with different kind of servers, namely surf, bunny-hop, or climb (or kz). Although not as common, they're just as valid as other options, since they mostly come down to preference. When asked about this, friberg admits he has used surf maps quite a lot in the past to warm up, although he stopped doing it as frequently as before. He also added that it is really fun, making it something that some players may want to have in mind to avoid burning out. As for the other modes, especially kz, he was never that much into them.

Like the other modes, these can be easily found in the community servers tab - just search for the right keyword (“surf”, “kz”, “climb, etc) and countless options for you to jump into should appear.

Surf is a great way to practice mouse movement. Image by Surf Summit.

Safety and Avoiding Injuries

Unfortunately, wrists are a part of the body that is commonly known to cause players quite a bit of trouble, mainly the one used to control the mouse. It is generally caused due to bad posture or severe movements for long periods of time. I’ve took the time to touch on this subject when talking to friberg, since a professional player should take some precautions to avoid being unable to play due to injuries.

“I don't really do any wrist exercises, I just try to make sure I'm sitting correctly to avoid injuries. If I feel too stiff on my wrists I may warm it up, but it generally just goes down to posture.”

Just like warm up routines, everybody reacts differently to extensive periods of playing. Because of that, you should take precautions. Make sure to get regular stops between games, take your time to walk around the house after every hour (or after every match, since you can’t really leave your teammates hanging) and stretch your wrists. These small things can go a long way to avoid injuries! Think about it and try to remember to do them.

Now get out there and try to develop a warm up routine that’s good for you - understand what works and what doesn’t, how much time you need to be on your best shape prior to starting a match and don’t give up. Remember, everyone has bad days. Being a bit off does not mean your warm up wasn’t good, maybe you’re just more tired than yesterday. Take your time and really get to know what works best for you. Good luck!





Thank you for taking the time to read this article! If you want, you can direct any feedback to me through my Twitter, I’m always open to suggestions!