Kjaerbye returns to CS:GO after lifestyle change

Markus “Kjaerbye”‘ Kjærbye is back after taking almost a year off. In an interview, he talked about why he took time off from Astralis and CS:GO in 2018.

He also explains what he’s been up to in the meantime and what his plans are for the future. A lot has happened since his retirement from the world of esports.

Health and psychological problems

The Dane started competing with “NO SIR!” in 2014. The highlight of his earlier career was in 2017, when he won the ELEAGUE Major Atlanta with his former team Astralis. In 2019, the player publicly admitted he was no longer motivated enough. A year later, when he played for North, he also went downhill physically.

He developed various health problems and had constant breathing problems, abdominal pain and cramps in his chest. His psyche suffered as well. Because he was so bad, he took a break. Two months later he was replaced in the North line-up. Then he went to FaZe and to HYENAS, but he wasn’t there for long either. He explained that he needed a break because he just couldn’t find motivation to play the game anymore.

His path after that was pretty down to earth: he worked at his father’s cafe washing dishes. When he took some time off from the game, his motivation slowly returned. The 23-year-old commented, “I had a lot of conversations with other professional athletes who advised me to get on with my life. They said, ‘It’s hard when you’ve been doing something for so many years, but try to find a new identity or figure out what you want to do next.”

A completely new lifestyle

He realized he wanted to pursue CS:GO after all, but also knew he didn’t want to pick up where he left off. Something had to change. So Kjaerbye started living healthier. Now he exercises regularly and goes jogging every day. He now works out for at least three hours every day, and it helps him stay physically and mentally fit.

“Just sitting down and playing Counter-Strike doesn’t bring out the best version of myself.” He says sports have improved his whole life – including Counter-Strike: “I feel so calm in my game. I don’t overthink my decisions as much anymore. I feel I’ve found the perfect way to perform.” Kjaerbye is happy that his lifestyle change has made him better at the game, but his health is still the focus and his top priority.

New team, same game

Currently, he is looking for a suitable team to continue his career. However, he does not want to change the game. He got several offers from teams for VALORANT, but he declined and says that his heart beats only for CS:GO. He hopes to find a team that will accept his new lifestyle and not just focus on the grind.

Because a healthy life is unfortunately not common in Esport. Burnout is not a foreign word in this profession and only very few have managed to find a balance between private life and gaming. Still, he can’t wait to pick up the mouse again and reignite his career: “I’ll just get back to work, because I love my life and I just want to play Counter-Strike.”