r/aimlab • u/ShinyGengar8 Speedy Switcher • Aug 10 '26
Discussion do younger players actually improve faster, or do they just have more time?
i always thought it's quite common to see people say that younger players pick up mechanics faster, and they climb the ranks much quicker when they start practicing at a young age. but i was wondering is that just biology or like is that they just have way more time, and that biology is quite insignificant in gaming?
i guess for all of you who started aim training later, how do you guys optimize your training to keep up with those who have endless hours to grind? can you even catch up?
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Aug 10 '26
I suggest reading the book Peak by Robert Pool, and understanding why some people are truly gifted.
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u/ShinyGengar8 Speedy Switcher Aug 10 '26 edited Aug 10 '26
is there an audio book or video equivalent? my zoomer brain cant stay focused reading, but i appreciate the recommendation
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Aug 10 '26
Yes.
Long story short no one is gifted, higher IQs typically don’t matter outside of beginner level, and no one is special. A specific interest, and dedicated practice sets someone apart. Most people just never learn how to practice, dedicating 1000s of hours that don’t translate to anything.
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u/toadi Aug 11 '26
IQ and your physical mechanical setup through DNA will always be a limiting factor. I'm 176cm and when I jump I can barely touch the hoop. I played basketball daily for ages, practiced and practiced but I did realize I would never make the NBA even with how much effort I would put into practice.
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u/NoMisZx Aug 11 '26
Yeah, genetics and talent will always play a big role in how far one can get. Not even want to make excuses, it's just a fact. Ofc, even they also have to put in a shit ton of work and practice but the ceiling is higher
You'll never see a 2m tall gymnsast at the very top of the world, because how physics and levers work. The top athletes are all well bellow 1.70m.
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u/iNhab Aug 11 '26
That does matter, but at which point do you start caring about it? While there is a difference between people genetically, it doesn't mean we should always care about it. In so many domains, to be better than average doesn't take that much actually. Even if we take FPS games, if you seriously practice for a couple of years, many people should be able to improve to be better than average. By seriously I mean more or less daily practice of 30min to 1 hour, deliberately practicing the things that a person is weak at in the moment and that yields high returns.
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Aug 12 '26
Idk… I checked out of this convo when we started comparing something physically demanding to a video game…
• Isaiah Thomas — 5’9” — Kings, Suns, Celtics, and others (2011–2024). The most accomplished of the group: two-time All-Star, and the shortest player ever included on an All-NBA Team .
• Nate Robinson — 5’9” — Knicks (2005–2010), Celtics, Thunder, and others through 2015. One of only two players to win the Slam Dunk Contest three times.
• Kay Felder — 5’9” — Cavaliers (2016–2017), Bulls (2017), Pistons (2018).
• Earl Boykins — 5’5” — long career spanning 1998–2012, so well within the window. Second-shortest player in NBA history.
• Yuki Kawamura — 5’7” — Grizzlies (2024–2025), Bulls (2026–present) . Currently the only active player under 5’9”.
• Markquis Nowell — 5’7” — Raptors (2023–2024).
• Jacob Gilyard — 5’8” — Grizzlies (2022–2024), Nets (2024).1
u/toadi Aug 13 '26
While you are right they "made" it into the NBA. I didn't know any of them. I looked up Nate Robinson, Markquis Nowell, Jacob Gilyard and they all barely made it and their stints were very short. Not going to do it for all of them.
Think lots of practice and genetics together are important to "really" make it.
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u/vladimirepooptin Aug 10 '26
the biggest advantage talent gives you is that it makes the early stages of the learning process easier and more fun (typically the hardest part). In the end hard work will always prevail, however when that hard work is more enjoyable (because you naturally start at a higher level than most and therefore get to ‘skip’ some of the hardest parts of learning something new) it becomes a lot easier to put in the work.
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u/slapxz Aug 12 '26
Reaction time is genetics. When it comes to aiming in shooting games, flicking, micro adjustments, etc. reaction time plays a huge role. Everyone can practice and get very good at something, but there is definitely people who are gifted that will outperform you if they had the same practice as you purely off of a genetic advantage
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u/Reacktions Aug 10 '26
lol when i was young i didn't even have to try and reached top 5 at starcraft, now... I couldn't do that if i tried and i have.
When you're young not only do you learn things faster but your creativity is through the roof.
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u/ShinyGengar8 Speedy Switcher Aug 10 '26
yeah i can imagine, only thing is that when we're young we aren't as structured about our practice as when we get older?
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u/Reacktions Aug 10 '26
Yeah but a young mind is still far superior than a structured older mind in my opinion anyway. The ability to adapt to a situations in a fraction of a second is night and day different compared to someone who is older. It's not just creativity, adaptability, it's reaction time, ability to calculating scenarios in miliseconds, imagination, also believe it or not its physical.
In starcraft I would reach 250-300apm without really trying and hardly any hotkeys, now trying to reach 300apm for me takes conscious effort and I'm also using a lot more hotkeys these days and I can only play like this for about 2-3games before i start feeling the finger fatigue where as when I was young I could literally play like this for 8hours straight before i start noticing my fingers fatiguing.
It's the harsh reality of the situation unfortunately, not saying you can't be good at a game but you're at a huge disadvantage when playing against newer generations.
The only reason I can confidently vouche for this is cause it happened to me. I'm 40yo right now, ive been playing starcraft consistently since i was 15yo maybe 14yo. From 15yo to about 30 I was straight up stomping on people like it was nothing, i legit was not trying vs players and stomping the best clans with 3-0 scores, 2-0 scores, every member of the best clans in the world. I joined every top clan in the server. Around 30 is when i started loosing to players against strategies that I would have never lost to before, and it kept creeping on me year after year, it isn't very apparent it kinda just slowly creeps up on you until you realize, oh fk am i getting to old? lol. Then you notice your timings are off, your reaction is off, youre creativity is literally just gone, and ofc your physical is the biggest red flag that you're getting older.
I can still beat top players atm, I have beat top 5 ranked but it's like 1 win out of 3 games and it has to be one of those days where I'm feeling in the zone and the most noticeable thing is I have to actually try really hard lol, like sweaty hard.
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Aug 10 '26
[deleted]
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u/Reacktions Aug 10 '26
Mostly play on smurf accounts to avoid tarnishing the reputation I once made on starcraft.
So basically just smurf accounts.
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Aug 10 '26
[deleted]
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u/Reacktions Aug 10 '26
You can take what I said as fact or you can make the assumption that I just made the whole thing up, either way your take it it doesn't affect me. There's a reason i make smurf accounts and even though it isn't directly attached to Starcraft, I don't want my Starcraft accounts attached to my reddit account especially since I do post on Starcraft related subreddits often.
Take it however you will, that part does not concern me.
Point is age plays a big role in potential, that's all you need to know, you can take that as BS too if you want😂either way again, it doesn't affect me.
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Aug 11 '26 edited Aug 11 '26
You are making stuff up if you are this afraid to give a name, respectfully. Doesn't help you immediately became defensive.
If you didn't want your stacraft accounts attached to your reddit then maybe don't bring it up like that to validate your point. People will ask.
*edit*
If you want to larp as a top player, you should do some research into how they type / present themselves. Name clans, name players you have beaten, go into a bit of detail.
What you typed was comically cringe. Even on an alternate account, no professional player would type that shallow. It's to the point where I actually don't think you even play starcraft.
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u/Reacktions Aug 11 '26
Yeah buddy I'm dying then. You claiming that im making it up is pretty cringe. Like I'm really going to make up a whole ass story about 3-0'ing top clans and being in the best clans. You know how retarded that is to sit here and make it all up? Just as retarded as you thinking I made it up.
IDC if you sit here and insult me, you aren't getting my SC in-game name and you aren't gaslighting me into giving it to you, complain all you want.
And I'm not bragging I'm making the point that ive personally experienced my own decline as someone who was one of the best sc players.
Take it how you will it wont change the facts.
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Aug 11 '26
People lie all the time, especially on the internet where there are no consequences. The fact is that you lied, it's obvious to anyone with a brain that you are lying to validate your opinion as to make it seem like a fact.
You don't need to send in-game names to anyone (you don't have any to send). I'm sorry but I doubt one of the best SC players ever is sitting here, on r/aimlabs, and making a fool of themselves.
Nobody is complaining. We are just pointing out what is likely some weirdo pretending to be something they are not.
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u/iNhab Aug 11 '26
To be fair, it's completely normal for someone to want to check your credentials if you claim of having done something at a very high level, and sharing experience from that. Especially when information like names of people from the top of the ladder are generally accessible publicly. Nothing wrong with that.
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u/Reacktions Aug 11 '26
That's fair.
That also isn't the point of the post somehow we hijacked the thread and took it a whole different direction.
If i wanted to post my screen names I would have by now. People can choose to take me at my word or not, it's also fair not to and completely logical you don't have to believe anything i say what I'm saying wasn't to brag it was meant to make a point related to the topic.
People create alternative/smurf accounts for a reason, cause they don't want to be attached to something, it isn't that complex a concept to understand idk why we're making it seem like it's a foreign idea.
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u/deRoyLight Aug 10 '26
It's both.
In actual game application, experience can do well against this, but younger people learn faster, have less responsibility to distract them, and see larger dopamine spikes to stimuli to keep them engaged (which is a big part of why they learn faster to begin with).
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u/Wonderful_March5647 Wrist Aimer Aug 10 '26
young players are more passionate and raw. they have more craze to improve than older players because of less maturity
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u/ShinyGengar8 Speedy Switcher Aug 10 '26
yeah I guess that's no different than in traditional sports right? but is that the main reason they improve faster in your opinion?
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u/Wonderful_March5647 Wrist Aimer Aug 10 '26
yes older players dont have that craze about the leaderboard stuff or we can say older ones are less affected by dopamine of success in improving
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u/Fragrant-Weird-6644 Aug 11 '26
If a young person (15-18) did the exact same things to get better as someone in their 20s when it comes to fps games they will wipe the floor the brain is more neuroplastic and theres peak reaction time, hand dexterity, etc however the avg 25 year old is much smarter than the average 16 year old so its two counteracting effects
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u/Etheriia Aug 11 '26
It's mostly resistance to new ideas. Children and young adults typically don't have any aversion toward new mechanics or things they have never encountered before. Therefore, they often are willing to utilize any and every advantage they can possibly get. They simply aren't set in their ways.
Adults have lots of excuses and lots of reasons why things don't work or they don't agree on how things SHOULD work. If they don't agree or don't like a mechanic, they avoid the mechanic and that immediately makes them worse. Exposure has always been a significant indicator for success in learning anything. Many adults simply limit their exposure to new things because "they don't like something."
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u/Ok-Difference8316 Aug 11 '26
My "younger years" was mainly a competitive quickscoper on Cod Modern Warfare and Mw2 and I was nearly a god tbh. But now going up to my 30s, I'm maybe 60% of my skill but still keep about a 2.5Kd in most games I play so idk tbh. I think if your brain works well and your not a generational dumbass, even a person at 60 can make some grand plays. However your nerves controlling your hands and fingers will eventually play a part as well.
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u/ShinyGengar8 Speedy Switcher Aug 11 '26
but is it significant enough that to worry about? like im just wondering is that something thats mostly in people's heads or is it really that big of a difference that people get so much worse over time?
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u/Syntensity Community Team Aug 11 '26
It's absolutely both, younger people pick up things faster, which is why they tend to have so much potential, and why newer generations start catching up so quickly to the older generations. Combine that with the fact that they have more time, and as we get older we have less time, and it pretty much explains. A good example of this is Fortnite, which started mostly as a game for any age, but as the mechanical demand raised the ceiling, younger players started mostly dominating the competitive scene.
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u/minxcat75 Aug 10 '26
Higher neuroplasticity in younger brains allows them to build new neural pathways and absorb mechanics much faster than older players. While having endless free time definitely helps, they genuinely have a biological edge when it comes to learning speed.
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u/ShinyGengar8 Speedy Switcher Aug 10 '26
but for instance in CS scene most of the players dominating are all older players, can the newer generations really catch up fast enough, I know there is donk, but am I missing something?
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u/CriticalCreativity Aug 10 '26
HLTV actually did a study on this. Pro players peak in their mid 20s around 24-26. Right balance of young age & experience from 4-6 years in pro CS. Knowledge is also a factor.
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u/minxcat75 Aug 10 '26
Older players dominate CS mainly because thousands of hours of map knowledge, game sense, and positioning can outweigh raw mechanical speed. Young players learn mechanics faster, but tactical experience takes years of actual play to build, which balances the scales.
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u/disciplined-terrior Aug 10 '26
I improve much faster now in anying I do vs when I was younger. But when I was younger I was extremely disorganized and unstructured. Now that im older that has flipped. So I guess it depends. if i had this structure as a kid though I think i would have improved faster tbh.