Aim isn't magic
There's a ton of content online about improving your aim that boils down to "just play more" or "use this exact sensitivity." Neither one is enough on its own.
I've been playing competitive shooters for years — Valorant since beta, CS since the 1.6 era at internet cafes. What I'm sharing here isn't theory. It's what worked for me and what I saw work for players who improved while playing with me.
First: your settings matter more than you think
Before talking about practice, we need to talk about setup. You don't need an expensive setup, but you do need a consistent one.
Sensitivity
There's no universally "correct" sensitivity. But there are ranges where most high-level players operate. In Valorant, most pros play between 200 and 400 eDPI (sens × mouse DPI). In CS2, the range is similar.
What matters: pick a sensitivity and don't change it for at least two weeks. Your muscle memory needs time to build. If you're switching every three days, you'll never develop real muscle memory.
Mousepad
A large mousepad (minimum 80cm × 30cm) gives you room for wide movements when you need big swings. If you're playing on a small pad, you're limiting yourself without realizing it.
The practice that actually works
Aim trainers: yes, but with intention
Aimlabs and KovaaK's are valid tools if you use them right. The mistake most people make is opening an aim trainer, doing a random routine, and assuming that translates directly into the game.
The practice that helped me most:
- Flicking: exercises where the target appears far away and you need to make a wide, precise movement
- Tracking: following moving targets — especially useful for Valorant where duels tend to last longer
- Micro-adjustments: small, static targets where fine precision matters
30 minutes of intentional practice beats 2 hours of passive gameplay every time.
Deathmatch needs a purpose
DM without a goal is wasted time. When I enter a DM in Valorant or CS2, I have one specific focus:
- Am I working on crosshair placement? I only pay attention to where my crosshair is before each duel.
- Am I working on counter-strafing? I only pay attention to whether I stop properly before shooting.
I can't work on everything at once. Pick one thing and focus on it for that session.
What nobody tells you
Aim is 40% of the problem
Most players who "have bad aim" actually have bad positioning habits and poor decision-making. If you're in positions where enemies catch you off guard, the best aim in the world won't save you.
Crosshair placement — keeping your crosshair at head level before every corner — matters more than the speed of your flick. If your crosshair is already where the enemy is going to appear, aim becomes almost irrelevant.
Tilt destroys aim more than anything else
I mean this seriously: if you've lost three games in a row and you're frustrated, closing the game is the best aim training decision you can make. Tilt ruins mechanics, decision-making, and positioning simultaneously.
My personal rule: if I've lost two duels in a row that I felt I should have won, I take a five-minute break. Sounds small, but it breaks the cycle.
My current routine
Before ranked games:
- 15 minutes of Aimlabs (flicking + tracking)
- 10 minutes of DM focused on crosshair placement
- Two or three warmup rounds in a practice map
It's not glamorous. It's consistent. And consistency wins.
The bottom line
Improving your aim takes time, but more than anything it takes intentional practice. If you've been playing for months without improving, the problem isn't how much time you put in — it's how you use it.
Lock in your sensitivity, stick with it, and train with focus. Results will come.