When training, sweat is naturally going to be a result of it. Especially during the summer months this is going to be even more true. Hydration as always is going to play an important role in balancing that. We know drinking plenty of water is important for overall health and performance but how do you know how to rehydrate properly? Having a plan and system in place can help ensure that you set yourself up to rehydrate properly and thus go into the next event properly hydrated.
Impact of proper hydration
The impact cannot be stated enough yet it’s still all too easy for people to come up short. Going into an event/activity just 2% dehydrated can have a noticeable impact on you. Not only will this decrease physical performance it can also negatively impact cognitive performance. Put those two things together when out on the field and it’s going to be a long day! To add even more, it also increases the risk for soft tissue injuries (ie. muscle tweaks, pulls, tears). Going into practice or a game hydrated begins immediately after your last one ended.
Rehydrate with how much fluid?
After physical activity you’re going to lose weight from the water lost in your sweat. Measuring your weight to determine that loss will tell you how much you need to drink to make up that loss. Before training take your weight in minimal clothing and then after training take your weight in similar clothing but dry clothes to avoid the sweat weighing things down. Whatever that difference is, you need to drink 1 standard bottle (16oz) for every 1 pound lost. This is in addition to what you already need to be drinking for a typical day.
Rehydrate with what beverages?
While water is typically the most easily available, having something with electrolytes can be extra helpful. Added sodium can help the body absorb the water that is being drank to avoid a lot of it passing through by going to the bathroom. Milk is also a great rehydrating beverage and has been shown to help rehydrate equal to sports drinks. The added electrolytes of most sports drinks though have an added bonus where the sodium makes you even more thirsty and thus driving up the fluid intake.
Thirst isn’t your best judge
Thirst increasing from sodium is helpful but don’t rely just on thirst to dictate how much you should drink. A new study dove into this very topic testing individuals after exercise. Up to about a whole day afterwards, those going off of thirst alone were still in a slightly dehydrated state. If those individuals then went into another practice the next day already dehydrated, that will only continue to add to that dehydration. It can be a slippery slope if not mindful. Make sure you try to keep an eye on your weight changes and at a minimum get that 1 bottle per pound drank.
Putting it all together
Your baseline hydration needs are to drink half your body weight (pounds) in ounces of fluid. For example, a 180 pound individual would have a baseline need of 90oz of water per day. The fluid to replace the sweat from their workout gets added onto that. So, if they lost two pounds while practicing, they would need an extra two bottles (32oz) of fluid. This brings their daily total up to 122oz. It might seem like a lot at first but if you gradually build your fluid intake up you’ll start to notice the difference. Enjoy all the benefits of improved performance and decreasing your risk of those annoying soft tissue tweaks.
Study referenced: click here