RIVALS Movement Guide (January 2026)

Movement in RIVALS is what separates good players from great ones. I spent my first 50 hours standing still while shooting and wondering why I kept dying. Then I watched a Diamond player move and realized I was playing a completely different game.

This guide covers everything from basic movement to advanced techniques. Took me probably 100 hours to get this stuff consistent, but it’s worth it.

Check out our RIVALS Beginner Guide for settings and sensitivity, or grab free keys from codes first.

Why Movement Matters

Standing still in RIVALS is a death sentence. Even if your aim is perfect, a moving target is harder to hit than a stationary one.

Good movement lets you:

• Dodge incoming fire
• Peek angles safely
• Close gaps on enemies
• Escape bad situations
• Win fights against better aimers

I’ve beaten players with clearly better aim just by being harder to hit. Movement is that important.

Basic Movement

Walking vs Running

Running (Shift): Faster but loud. Enemies hear you coming.

Walking (default): Slower but quiet. Enemies don’t hear you.

I used to sprint everywhere. My K/D was 0.6. Once I started walking when enemies might be near, it jumped to 1.2. Footsteps give away your position constantly.

When to run:

• Rotating across the map
• Chasing a low-health enemy
• When enemies already know where you are

When to walk:

• Approaching an angle
• Flanking
• When you don’t know enemy positions

Crouching

Crouching makes you a smaller target and more accurate, but slower.

When to crouch:

• Holding an angle
• Peeking corners (crouch peek)
• When you need accuracy over mobility

Don’t crouch: In the middle of a fight. You become an easy headshot.

Jumping

Jumping makes you unpredictable but also makes you inaccurate.

When to jump:

• Crossing open areas quickly
• Jump peeking to gather info
• Dodging sniper shots

Don’t jump: While shooting. Your accuracy tanks.

Intermediate Techniques

Strafing

Moving left and right (A-D) while shooting. This is the core FPS skill.

How to practice:

1. Find a wall or target
2. Keep your crosshair on it
3. Strafe left and right while maintaining aim
4. Start slow, speed up as you get comfortable

I spent hours just strafing in practice mode. Boring but necessary. Now it’s muscle memory.

In fights:

• Never stand still
• Strafe unpredictably (don’t just go left-right-left-right)
• Change direction when they shoot

Crouch Peeking

Crouch, peek an angle, shoot, uncrouch, retreat.

Why it works:

• Your head is lower than expected
• You can retreat quickly
• Harder to headshot

How to do it:

1. Approach a corner
2. Crouch
3. Peek out and shoot
4. Uncrouch and pull back

I use this constantly against AWPers. They’re pre-aimed at head height. My head isn’t there.

Jump Peeking

Jump across a doorway or angle to spot enemies without committing.

Why it works:

• You gather info safely
• Enemies might shoot and miss
• You can decide to push or hold

How to do it:

1. Stand next to a doorway
2. Jump across while looking
3. Note enemy positions
4. Decide your next move

I do this on every map. Jump peek, see where they are, then make a plan.

Advanced Techniques

Slide Canceling

Sliding gives you speed. Canceling it early lets you maintain momentum while regaining accuracy.

How to do it:

1. Sprint (Shift)
2. Slide (Ctrl or C)
3. Jump immediately to cancel
4. You keep the speed but can shoot accurately

Timing matters. Cancel too early and you don’t get the speed. Cancel too late and you’re stuck in the slide animation.

This took me maybe 30 hours to get consistent. Now I do it without thinking. The speed boost is significant.

Slide Jumping

Combining slides and jumps for maximum speed.

How to do it:

1. Sprint
2. Slide
3. Jump at the end of the slide
4. Repeat

You can cross the map way faster than just running. I use this for rotations and chasing kills.

Rivals Strafing

This is what pros use. Instead of just slide jumping, you slide and jump at random times.

Why it works:

• Unpredictable movement
• Harder to track
• Maintains speed

How to do it:

1. Slide
2. Jump at a random point in the slide (not always at the end)
3. Vary your timing

I watched Philhood do this and tried to copy it. Took weeks to get comfortable, but it makes you way harder to hit.

Ramp Jumping

Using ramps and slopes to gain height and speed.

How to do it:

1. Slide toward a ramp
2. Jump as you hit the ramp
3. You launch higher than a normal jump

Useful on maps like Construction where verticality matters. I’ve caught people off guard by launching onto platforms they didn’t expect.

Scythe Dashing

The Scythe melee has a dash ability. This is movement tech, not just combat.

Uses:

• Close gaps instantly
• Escape bad situations
• Reach positions faster
• Dodge sniper shots

I switched from Knife to Scythe just for the dash. It’s saved me countless times.

Katana Deflecting While Moving

You can deflect bullets with Katana while moving. This is advanced but powerful.

How to do it:

1. Equip Katana
2. Hold block
3. Move toward the enemy
4. Deflect their shots while closing distance

I’ve pushed through AWP sightlines by deflecting. Feels broken when it works.

Movement in Combat

Don’t Stand Still

I can’t stress this enough. Even micro-movements help.

Bad: Standing still, aiming, shooting. Good: Strafing, aiming, shooting.

Counter-Strafe

When you need to shoot accurately, stop your strafe briefly.

How to do it:

1. Strafe left (A)
2. Tap right (D) to stop momentum
3. Shoot while stationary for a split second
4. Resume strafing

This gives you accuracy without being a sitting duck. Takes practice to time correctly.

Jiggle Peeking

Quickly peeking an angle to bait shots or gather info.

How to do it:

1. Stand next to a corner
2. Quickly strafe out and back
3. You see the angle briefly
4. Enemy might shoot and miss

I use this to bait AWP shots. They shoot, miss, now they’re reloading and I can push.

Practice Routine

Daily (10-15 min)

Strafe practice:

1. Go to practice range
2. Pick a target
3. Strafe while keeping crosshair on target
4. 5 minutes

Slide cancel practice:

1. Find an open area
2. Practice slide canceling across it
3. Focus on timing
4. 5 minutes

Movement in combat:

1. Play a casual game
2. Focus only on movement, not kills
3. Never stand still

Weekly

Watch your gameplay. Record a game and watch your movement. Are you standing still? Predictable? Fix it.

Watch pro players. See how they move. Try to copy it.

Common Mistakes

Standing still while shooting. The biggest mistake. I did this for 50 hours. Don’t be me.

Predictable strafing. Going left-right-left-right in a pattern. Mix it up.

Sliding into fights. Sliding locks you into an animation. Don’t slide around corners into enemies.

Jumping while shooting. Your accuracy tanks. Jump to dodge, not to fight.

Ignoring sound. Sprinting everywhere tells enemies where you are. Walk when it matters.

Not using melee movement. Scythe dash and Katana deflect are movement tools. Use them.

Keybind Recommendations

Good keybinds make movement easier.

My setup:

• Crouch: C (easy to reach)
• Slide: Ctrl (natural from other games)
• Melee: Mouse side button (quick access)

Consider:

• Putting crouch somewhere comfortable (you’ll spam it)
• Melee on mouse for quick swaps
• Whatever feels natural to you

Related RIVALS Content

• RIVALS Codes - Free keys and cosmetics
• RIVALS Beginner Guide - Settings, sensitivity, and tips
• RIVALS Weapons Tier List - All weapons ranked
• RIVALS Maps Guide - Callouts and strategies
• RIVALS Ranked Guide - How to climb ranks