Hydration. Hydration, hydration, hydration... You should be taking notes.

(beautiful edit by me :3)

Hi everyone!

For today's post, I'm going to look into the problem of dehydration during practices. As it turns out, drinking is a sort of a science when it comes to workouts. I found whole websites telling me what to drink, how much to drink, and even when to drink it for the optimal performance. Anyways, here's what I've learned!

Water Tip #1: Drink regular water!
They suggested straight water, not Vitamin Water or Gatorade for a post-workout drink like I was told by others. Even though after a workout you may want to grab for that yummy dragon-fruit drink to re-hydrate and re-energize, the better option may actually be water. Water is vital for maintaining things like body temperature and chemical reactions.

Water Tip #2: Drink electrolytes!
Practicing less than 45 minutes may point you to water, but if you are working out for more than 45 minutes, the suggestion still stands. The electrolytes in low sugar energy drinks can help replace the ones lost when sweating and fueling muscles.

Water Tip #3: Thirst is NOT an indicator.
You really need to remember that thirst alone is not a good indicator of how much you need to drink. This is because thirst can be quenched by small amounts of liquid. In addition to that, once you are thirsty, you are already well on your way to dehydration.

Water Tip #4: Drink A LOT.
I read that for every 10 to 20 minutes of a workout, you should drink eight ounces of water. For a four hour practice like I have, that adds up to about 280 oz or 6.5 bottles of water. To me, that sounds like a huge amount. (I've got some more water to drink...) Never fear though! People with shorter practices do not necessarily need that much water.

Representation of 280 oz or one gallon in 20 oz bottles.

Water Tip #5: Make it happen!!
Just thinking about drinking something really doesn't work. Trust me, I've tried. Make an effort to actually drink during practice, even if your lockers or the water fountain are way over there. Drinking can do a wonders for the athlete! That is, as long as they do it. :)


Quench on my possibly dehydrated internet gymnasts!
~Joanna





p.s. information from http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/best-thing-drink-workout-after