To review wave management mistakes in League of Legends, check whether you pushed side lanes before objectives, owned wave collection after outers fell, and chose catch vs. hold safely — most macro losses start with a wave you ignored 30 seconds earlier. On thatswhy.gg, pick that loss, hit Coach Me, and read Recurring Habit. Minions do not ping. They eat your tower while five people mid do interpretive dance. Review the crash, then queue with one assignment rule.
| Wave State | When To Use It | Cost If You Leave Early |
|---|---|---|
| Slow push | Set up dive, draw enemy to lane, crash for plates | Donated tempo and unconverted pressure |
| Freeze | Deny farm, create gank window near your tower | Enemy jungler has freedom elsewhere |
| Fast push | Recall, rotate, or join objective after clear | Crash left behind if you do not convert |
| Hold | About to group — take safe minions and leave | Confused with catch — walking alone to die |
| Pattern | Why It Loses LP | Review Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Group before side lanes pushed | Lose tower or arrive late to objective | Wave state 90 seconds before timer |
| Catch alone with no vision | Side lane death removes win condition | Catch vs. hold decision |
| ARAM mid after outers fall | Two waves crash into towers for free | Side lane assignment at minute 16–20 |
| Slow push with no follow-up | Tempo spent, nothing converted | Whether plates, Herald, or rotation was next |
| Recall during a crash | Miss gold and lose wave tempo | Shove first, then reset |
| Vague Goal | Specific Queue Rule |
|---|---|
| Manage waves better | Push top before I ping dragon after minute 14 |
| Do not lose towers to waves | No Baron call until both side lanes are pushed or held safely |
| Fix side lane deaths | Catch only with vision and an escape — otherwise hold or trade |
| Keep CS up after lane | One person owns bot wave collection while team sets up mid |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the most common wave management mistake in ranked?
Grouping for an objective while a big wave crashes into your tower. You either lose the tower or arrive late to the fight — both cost LP. The minions filed the paperwork. You were busy dancing.
- How do I know if I should catch or hold a side wave?
Catch only when you have vision, an escape, and the gold is worth the map risk. Hold or trade objectives when an objective timer is close and the wave is not worth a solo trip. Hold is not "go collect the whole crash in fog."
- Why does my CS drop after laning phase ends?
Usually because nobody owns side lane collection after outers fall — you group mid for skirmishes while two waves crash elsewhere. Review who should be in which lane at minutes 16 to 20.
- When should I slow push vs. fast push?
Slow push when you want to draw someone to lane or set up a dive — but only if you plan to convert it. Fast push when you need to move for plates, recall, rotation, or objective setup. A slow push without a plan is just a parade.
- How do I review this on thatswhy.gg?
Search your Riot ID, pick a loss where a tower died during an objective or your CS fell off after 14, hit Coach Me, and read Recurring Habit. Excuse Me, Coach? — which wave should I have pushed 90 seconds earlier? If the dance is the leak, Why Am I Losing? after five analyzed SR losses is the checkpoint.