Hydration: Staying well hydrated is essential for efficient function of muscles during exercise.

Speed and power athletes achieve an optimum balance between feeling light, quick and having the necessary fuel onboard to perform at their best. Over eating and drinking can produce stomach discomfort which can be detrimental to the power athletes' sports performance.

Endurance athletes rely on perfect hydration. Endurance exercise produces water as a by product of the aerobic energy cycle. Also, most endurance exercise produces heat within the chest cavity and around the body during periods of muscular work. Our bodies attempt to control this heat loss in many ways but one of the most significant is by perspiration. Perspiration helps cool the body and often results in a reduction of total water volume within the body. During perspiration we lose electrolytes which are important for maintaining optimum cellular function within the muscle. As an approximate rule, a 2% decrease in body weight as a result of sweating can have a negative affect on sports performance.

For example, if a 70kg Marathon runner lost 2kg of body weight in the first hour and a half of a three hour Marathon, it would represent a weight loss of over 2% of body weight. An athlete suffering this much weight loss during an endurance event may experience a reduction in sport performance. The likely outcome is a reduction in running speed and consequently an increase in his finishing time. Staying hydrated during events and training is the key to staying strong.

See this link for statistics about how much body fluid loss can affect you. http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/factsheets/hydration2/fluid_-_who_needs_it

What about me?

There are simple but rarely used methods of monitoring an individual's fluid loss.

Sweat rates vary between individuals. Sweat rates as high as 2 litres per hour are not uncommon in hot conditions. For long distance events or games, knowing your sweat rates for different temperatures is critical for maximising performance. For tips on how to monitor your own sweat rates contact us mark@quickstepcoaching.com.au

How should I drink?

A little often is the key. Avoid guzzling drinks. Sip and enjoy.

What and when to drink?

There are many commercial products to choose from, but how do you know what to use and when to use it?

• Hypotonic: Drinks below 6% carbohydrate per 100ml. For example MyZone
  These types of drinks are helpful during exercise when heat is being produced as a result of exercise and blood has been shunted away from the stomach to the working muscles. Blood shunting is normal during exercise lasting over two minutes. Blood shunting restricts blood flow to the stomach and therefore disrupts digestion. You may have experienced this when you exercised with food in your stomach or have tried to drink high carbohydrate rich food during prolonged exercise. Hypotonic drinks may also help maintain hydration levels during exercise in hot environments such as the tropics.
• Isotonic: Drinks around 6-8% carbohydrate per 100ml. For example Gatorade
  Using these drinks is probably the fastest way to rehydrate after exercise or when exercising with low heart rates and intensity. Most dieticians would support he claims by Gatorade that the body's fluid uptake at rest is fastest with a carbohydrate content of about 6-8%. Be mindful the product should have around 5% glucose and a remaining mixture of fructose and malt dextrose.
• Hypertonic: Drinks above 8% carbohydrate per 100ml. For example Lemonade
  Best used when heart rate is close to resting levels and when carbohydrate loading is required. Usually used by athletes to recover carbohydrate stores after exercise. Note. If ingested before an event there may be a corresponding high level of insulin in the blood, this can adversely affect athletic performance.

For further information about your sport and its nutritional requirements follow this link to the Australian Institute of Sports' web site. http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/factsheets

Understanding the demands of your sport and how you react to it is the key to sports performance.

If you would like further assistance contact us at mark@quickstepcoaching.com.au