There's no denying a health movement has occurred in the poker world. Players like Marvin Rettenmaier and Chris Moorman have lost a ton of weight, while others, like the man-beast that is Jason Koon, have gained credit for their fitness lifestyle; in fact, Koon was just named No. 2 on Sarah Herring's Top 5 Biceps in Poker (to see who topped the list, you'll have to watch the video).
Correlation may not imply causation, but it's hard to deny that healthy living influences poker success. Just look at the aforementioned players. Moorman, already online poker's most decorated tournament player, notched his first major live win ($1,015,460 for taking down the 2014 World Poker Tour LAPC) after dropping a few stone, while Rettenmaier won back-to-back WPTs. As for Koon, well he's always been a physical specimen, one with $3,140,385 in career earnings.
None of those players are here in Malta, but threes others – Jeff Rossiter, Pratyush Buddiga, and Timothy Adams – are here looking for success in the €25,000 High Roller. All three of them, who are in admirable shape, were actually spotted in the Hilton Malta gym this morning. This begged the question – what do players do to prepare for a high roller event?
"Pretty much everyday before I play, I try to do something active because I always hope for a long day at the tables," says Adams. "I kind of prepare for it. I do things like cardio, stretching, lift weights. It totally depends on how I feel and my routine. I definitely try to keep active before playing."
Likewise, Buddiga stated that he does his best to work out five times a week, but admits that "sometimes on poker trips it's hard to do that." As for Rossiter, he exercises regularly no matter where he is.
"I used to be a little lazier about it when I was traveling, but it's become more of a priority," Rossiter admits. "I make sure I go to bed earlier so I have time in the morning to eat some food and go to the gym rather than scrambling to get to the table."
Of course there are challenges that make living healthy and exercising regularly difficult on the road. For instance, not every hotel has a worthwhile gym.
"In an interview one time I was asked what stop I like the most," says Buddiga, who is often seen working out with both Mike McDonald and Connor Drinan. "I said London just because I liked the gym and Nando's [restaurant], which is probably not what most people think of when they name their favorite stop [laughs]. When you go somewhere where the food is terrible and the gym isn't great, you just feel more down on yourself if you're losing."
As Buddiga points out, partaking in the local cuisine, or at least Nando's, is one of the best parts about traveling to an EPT, but would one relish a feast before a big tournament, like a €25,000 High Roller?
"I kind of made a lifestyle change five or six years ago when it comes to eating," says Adams. "I just try to eat things that fit well in my stomach. I don't eat too heavy, but I eat often and light. I just eat my normal kind of meals. I definitely wouldn't have a cheat meal or something before a long day."
Adams went on to explain how he prepared for today's tournament: "I went to the gym really briefly to go on the treadmill and just walk. Because I haven't been in the sun in awhile, I went on my balcony. I brought a yoga mat. I just laid on the yoga mat and stretched. I did some core stuff. I have some apparatuses to help me stretch – foam rollers, stuff like that. Bringing it sets a good tone, kind of forces you to do that stuff."
As for Rossiter, he was busy hitting the weights.
"I slack on doing cardio, but I'm looking to play some squash in the future and do some other activities like rock climbing," he says.
Whether or not working out this morning will help this trio succeed in the short term remains to be seen, but regardless, Buddiga sums up the fitness craze in poker nicely: "It's just nice to get in a good routine where you eat healthy, workout, and not actually spew in a poker tournament like so many people do."
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