The 15-Minute Warm-Up Routine Used by Radiant Players
You queue ranked. First duel. You whiff the entire spray and die. Your team types "nice try" but you can feel their disappointment.
Your aim wasn't ready. Your hands were cold. Your brain wasn't connected to your mouse.
This 15-minute warm-up routine fixes that. It's the exact sequence Radiant players use to hit peak performance before game 1.
Quick Answer Box
The 15-Minute Warm-Up Structure:
| Time | Activity | Purpose | |------|----------|---------| | 0-3 min | Range: Easy Bots | Wake up hands | | 3-6 min | Range: Medium Bots | Build rhythm | | 6-9 min | Range: Hard Bots | Activate reflexes | | 9-12 min | Plant Defuse Practice | Movement + aim | | 12-15 min | Deathmatch | Real player patterns |
Total: 15 minutes. Ready for ranked.
Phase 1: Easy Bots (0-3 minutes)
Purpose
Your hands are cold. Your brain isn't connected to your aim yet. Easy bots wake everything up WITHOUT building bad habits.
The Drill
- Open Range (Practice Menu)
- Select "Practice" → "Bot"
- Settings: Easy difficulty, Armor OFF
- Weapon: Vandal (one-tap practice)
What to Focus On
- Crosshair placement at head level
- Smooth tracking between targets
- Clicking rhythm (not rushing)
Don't Do This
Skip directly to hard bots. If you start hard, you'll miss shots, get frustrated, and build tension in your arm.
Phase 2: Medium Bots (3-6 minutes)
Purpose
Now your hands are warm. Time to add speed and challenge.
The Drill
- Switch to Medium difficulty
- Enable Armor (makes them tankier)
- Continue with Vandal
What to Focus On
- Flick speed (bots move between spawns)
- First shot accuracy (don't spray)
- Trigger discipline (only click when on target)
Target Performance
Aim for 25-30 kills per minute on medium bots. If you're below 20, slow down and focus on accuracy over speed.
Phase 3: Hard Bots (6-9 minutes)
Purpose
Maximum speed and reaction challenge. This phase activates your competitive reflexes.
The Drill
- Switch to Hard difficulty
- Enable Strafe (bots move side-to-side)
- Continue with Vandal
What to Focus On
- Flick accuracy to moving targets
- Small adjustments (micro-flicks)
- Consistent headshots even when bots move
Target Performance
20+ kills per minute on hard/strafe bots indicates you're properly warm.
Mental Note
If you're missing a lot, don't panic. The goal is activation, not perfection. Move to next phase anyway.
Phase 4: Plant/Defuse Practice (9-12 minutes)
Purpose
Real gameplay isn't just aim—it's aim + movement + ability timing. This phase combines them.
The Drill
- Select "Spike Plant" practice mode
- No bots, just you and spike plant positions
- Practice quick plants on each site
- Practice clearing angles while moving
What to Focus On
- Pre-aiming common angles while walking
- Spray transfers (kill one target, flick to next)
- Crouch peeking from cover
Alternative: Plant Defuse Gamemode
If available, the "Plant/Defuse" mode with bots is excellent. It simulates real round scenarios.
Phase 5: Deathmatch (12-15 minutes)
Purpose
Real players move differently than bots. Deathmatch teaches you human patterns.
The Drill
- Queue for Deathmatch
- Play ONE life (or until warm-up timer ends)
- Use Vandal only
What to Focus On
- First shot accuracy (who shoots faster?)
- Crosshair placement on real angles
- Confidence in duels
Don't Do This
- Don't play 20-minute DM sessions (saves your mental energy for ranked)
- Don't get tilted by DM K/D (it doesn't matter)
- Don't chase kills (play it like ranked, hold angles)
Full Routine Summary
0:00 - Open Range
0:30 - Start Easy Bots
3:00 - Switch to Medium Bots
6:00 - Switch to Hard Bots
9:00 - Plant/Defuse Practice
12:00 - Queue Deathmatch
15:00 - Ready for Ranked
Why This Order Matters
Progressive Difficulty
Your brain and body need progressive loading:
| Phase | Difficulty | Hand Activation | |-------|------------|-----------------| | 1 | Easy | 50% | | 2 | Medium | 75% | | 3 | Hard | 90% | | 4 | Practical | 95% | | 5 | Live | 100% |
Skipping phases means you peak later in ranked (or never).
Muscle Priming
Each phase "primes" specific muscle groups:
- Phase 1-3: Wrist and finger muscles
- Phase 4: Arm movement + coordination
- Phase 5: Full body engagement (movement + aim + thinking)
Warm-Up Variations
The 5-Minute Rush
When you don't have 15 minutes:
- 2 min Medium Bots
- 2 min Hard Bots
- 1 min DM
Not ideal, but better than going in cold.
The Sweaty 30-Minute
For important games (tournaments, rank-up games):
- Full 15-minute routine
- Additional 10 min DM
- 5 min Aim Lab (if applicable)
Aim Lab Integration
If you use Aim Lab, integrate it before Range:
- 5 min Aim Lab (Gridshot, Sixshot)
- 10 min Range routine
- 5 min DM
Aim Lab has more diverse scenarios than Range bots.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1: Warming Up for 30+ Minutes
Over-warming leads to mental fatigue. Your aim might be perfect, but your decision-making suffers.
Mistake #2: High-Sensitivity Spray Transfers Only
If you only warm up spray transfers, your first-shot accuracy suffers. Include tap-shooting bots.
Mistake #3: Ignoring DM
Bots move predictably. Real players don't. Always include at least 3 min of DM.
Tracking Your Warm-Up
Keep notes on how your first ranked game goes:
| Day | Warm-Up Done | 1st Game Result | Notes | |-----|--------------|-----------------|-------| | Mon | Yes | W, 22-15 | Aim felt crisp | | Tue | No | L, 10-13 | Missed early duels | | Wed | Yes | W, 18-12 | Headshots felt easy |
Over time, you'll see correlation between warm-up and performance.
Upload Your Warm-Up Highlights!
Came out of warm-up and dropped a 30-bomb?
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Show the world what peak performance looks like.
FAQ
Q: Should I warm up before every game session?
A: Yes. Even if you just played yesterday, your aim needs daily calibration.
Q: What sensitivity should I use during warm-up?
A: The EXACT same sensitivity you use in ranked. Don't change anything.
Q: Is warm-up necessary if I'm already high-ranked?
A: Even Radiant players warm up. It's not about skill ceiling—it's about performance consistency.
Q: What if I'm in a group and they want to start immediately?
A: Do the 5-minute rush version. Something is better than nothing.
The warm-up is non-negotiable.
15 minutes before ranked. Every time. No exceptions.
Go click some heads.