Counter-Strike is a fast-paced game, with quick execution and fast rotations in addition to the split-second decisions that can flip the table around to one team's advantage.

This means speed & accuracy are so important. It makes the difference between players’ skills and gives a step forward to winning.

Skill in itself is composed of aim, game sense, speed, a fast reaction time, and good reflexes, as seen in different aim duels where usually the fastest player gets the frag.

We witnessed some historical moments during years of competitive esports with the fastest reaction time and incredible reflexes.

Some players are naturally gifted as genetics can play a role in having a fast reaction time.

Fortunately, it can be gained and improved over practice and time for the rest of us.

So how exactly to improve your reaction time and reflexes?

The answer is simple as it will be divided into two parts: Science & in-game.

Science & Reaction time:

Reaction time is a measure of how quickly an organism can respond to a particular stimulus.

In gaming terms, it’s how quickly you respond and react towards the enemy or other in-game situations.

According to science, many factors have been shown to affect reaction times including age, gender, physical fitness, fatigue, distraction, alcohol, personality type…

A study posted in "Frontiers in Human Neuroscience titled ‘Factors influencing the latency of simple reaction time” showed that age is an essential factor that affects reaction speed and reflexes. Each year, the rate drops by 0.55ms.

[Experiment 1 examined a community sample of 1469 subjects ranging in age from 18 to 65. Mean SRT latencies were short (231, 213 ms when corrected for hardware delays) and increased significantly with age (0.55 ms/year)]

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4374455/

How to improve reaction time scientifically:

Reaction time is based on the human brain and how fast it operates. Therefore, to improve it, you must follow a healthy lifestyle.

1- Hydration is key:

Usually, when you get hungry, your stomach will start grumbling, but when your brain doesn’t get enough hydration, it shrinks.

That’s enough of a reason to affect the work of your brain, so make sure to stay hydrated.

Since the brain is 73% water, it needs to constantly be hydrated, as sometimes when you feel the urge to take a sip of water, it may be a little too late.

2- Bedtime is as crucial as playtime:

This is terrible news if you’re a late-night grinder on school days.

Not having enough sleep is usually followed by fatigue, a short temper,r and a lack of focus that often follows a poor night's sleep.

Unfortunately, the more you stay up, the more harm you do to your body. The mental effects can become more serious; Your brain will fog, making it difficult to concentrate and make decisions.

3- Follow a better diet:

Another tip is to be careful of what you consume, as what you consume is the power source of your body, including the brain.

Foods, in general, can affect your reaction time, whether positively or negatively, health professionals tend to advise not to consume energy drinks and too much coffee as it would do more damage than benefit in the long term.

Caffeine is a powerful energy source as long as you consume it from a natural source; your body releases adrenaline hormones when you drink it. This gets your blood pumping and directly affects the amount of oxygen your brain gets. As a result, you’ll feel more alert. Your reaction times will see a boost as well. However, this boost will only be temporary.

How to improve reaction time in-game:

If there’s anything CS2 players can be thankful for, it is the workshop and all the gems it provides.

The steam workshop is loaded with some of the best training maps to help you develop and improve different aspects of the game. We present you with the best maps that will help you improve your reaction time.

Just keep in mind as you’re practicing, it will take time to see results; it won’t happen overnight but with dedication and a practicing plan.

here are the best maps to practice reaction time and reflexes:

1- FAST AIM/REFLEX TRAINING

This is one of the best maps created to help improve reaction time and reflexes with over 6 million subscribers on the Steam workshop (CS:GO version).

The map introduces different modes with different speeds, and it’s best to take it up a notch each time you defeat a level of bots.

2- Aim Dojo | Aim Reaction Trainer

Aim Dojo is quickly becoming a ago-too map for practicing reflexes and reaction times. Set within a Japanese theme drawing inspiration from popular CSGO training maps like kataS' original training_aim_csgo.

When practicing on this map, it’s important to be consistent. And focus on your reaction speed rather than achieving a high score.

Feel free to explore the other modes this map offers, on top of having custom knives to practice in style.

3- Aim_Training-Reflex-Spray-1Taps-Dev

This isn’t just a practicing map. This is a practicing facility!

This map has many practicing modes rather than just reflexes, it’s a great map to warm up and get ready for your matches, but most importantly, the reaction tests and mode are beneficial for long-term improvement.

Like the map creator said: "Load the map, choose CT, and go PRO"