I was reading an article (which I can no longer find), and came across a tip about not relying on thirst to determine when to hydrate yourself. This is something I have heard time and again throughout my competitive running days, and it bears repeating.
Hydrating yourself while working out is very important because your muscles need water to function at peak efficiency. The adage goes, “Don’t wait until you are thirsty to start drinking, because by then it is too late.” Your body doesn’t know that it is going to run out of water until after you will not have a chance to recover, especially if you are in the middle of your workout or race. By continuously hydrating as you go along, you avoid getting thirsty in the first place, and you provide your muscles with some of the fuel they require to work.
A quick and dirty way to find out if you are hydrated is to inspect the color of your urine. A very deep yellow color means that your body is retaining fluid due to being underhydrated. It is dark because the urine is concentrated. If it is the color of straw then you should be in good shape; if it looks like water then you are probably okay as long as you are not overhydrated (I will discuss my thoughts on hyponatremia later).
In a road or track race, there are frequently water stations where you can get cups of water while you are running by. I recommend drinking the water rather than dumping it over your head. You will cool off much better by rehydrating yourself. If you can, grab two cups and ingest one and dump the other, if you prefer, but try to at least drink some of the water.
[...] When working out, try to always have a water bottle to hand. This is especially easy in a gym when lifting weights or using cardio equipment, but is also important if playing basketball or running around a track or riding a bike or any number of physically active pursuits. If you have a water bottle, try to drink from it regularly. [...]
[...] Perhaps this is a subliminal message that causes me to drink so much water. Our bodies are mostly made up of water. It is important to maintain hydration levels, especially when working out. [...]
[...] This will lead to larger muscle gains and a certain level of soreness the next day. You can combat that soreness with proper hydration. [...]
Blaine, have you switched off external trackbacks to this site? The trackback URL doesn’t appear anywhere, and the ‘leave a trackback’ link in your sidebar simply redirects to the entry’s permalink.
Just posted a couple of quick thoughts on water consumption I thought you may be interested in.
The trackback URI is in the sidebar above the calendar. For this post, it is http://news.runtowin.com/2005/07/29/workout_tip_2_proper_hydration.html/trackback/
Yes, but that link in the sidebar goes through to a page which simply says :
‘OK
The document has moved here.
Apache/1.3.34 Server at news.runtowin.com Port 80′
The ‘here’ is back to the entry’s permalink.
Ahh, I never actually clicked on the link. I always just cut and pasted the URI and put it into the trackback field in my blog software. I will have to look into having it automatically redirect you after clicking it.
8 cups per day?…
Most people are aware that the drinking of plenty of water is advisable, and anecdotal evidence suggests that more = better (up to a point). However, where did the current guideline of ‘8 cups per day’ come from? According to……
[...] Hyponatremia is something to be aware of but not something to be worried about. It is something that is all the rage in the media these days as something to warn people about, and yes, it can be dangerous. It is just such an easy thing to avoid that a little knowledge and a smattering of common sense can make it a non-issue. [...]
[...] Properly hydrate yourself: Being hydrated for a race starts a week ahead of time. There is a theory that thirsty people feel more pain. You should be drinking a lot of water. Try not to have more than a beer at a time in the days leading up to your race. I recommend limiting your coffee as well, but I can not really say anything about coffee with any authority because I never touch the stuff. Do not worry about drinking too much water unless you are not eating anything. Hyponatremia is a very real danger, but it is much easier to avoid than dehydration. Be sure to eat plenty of food throughout each day and to drink a lot of water and you will not have anything to worry about. [...]
[...] My advice on hydration is always the same, because I always hydrate the same whether my goal race is a 5k, a marathon, or I am in my off season and just lifting some weights. [...]
[...] still on the Tour de France topic, Lance Armstrong won his final Tour. I also gave some tips about proper hydration and how to time rest intervals while lifting [...]
[...] week three years ago, Lance Armstrong won his final Tour. I also gave some tips about proper hydration and how to time rest intervals while lifting [...]