Advanced Sports Hydration, for long &/or hard workouts.
Living in the desert is hard for active people. And we tend to do a little to much sometimes, with a little to little thought behind it. We all know water is important, but I bet I´m not the only one who has done a little to long workout (saturday sweat or a run/cycle) - with little to little water and felt like I had a sunstroke afterwards……..
Hydration for long and hard workouts outside or in less than optimal air conditioned rooms in summer is a form for extreme sport. And if you are currently doing 1 hour+ of exercise you might benefit from looking at the details below!
Why Is It Important To Stay Well-hydrated
Over half of the human body has water ingrained in its tissues. Some parts of the body even have a higher concentration of water. For example, our brain is 73% water and our lungs, about 83% water.
Now, could you could imagine how important water is to our body? Not getting enough of it can be detrimental to our health and can potentially cause side effects like nausea, fatigue, constipation, headaches and dizziness. Moreso, staying well-hydrated is highly important for our wellness and health.
Sports Hydration
A few weeks ago, I have tackled Sports Hydration in one of my recent blogs. This is quite different from ordinary hydration as it’s an addition to the standard water intake and it’s intended for athletes & fitness enthusiasts. (that workout >1 hour, medium to hard effort and in climate controlled conditions) You can check back 2 weeks on the blog to find this.
There is a variety of effects that come into play when the body is dehydrated that directly impacts one’s athletic performance. Most common are the reduction in blood volume, decreased skin blood flow, decreased sweat rate, increased core temperature and increased rate of muscle glycogen use. All of these will slow you down and make you feel heavy & tired. This is where Advanced Sports Hydration come in, the ADDITION to your baseline hydration.
Advanced Sports Hydration
Well, here’s a more advanced take on Sports Hydration that may be useful for you. And I repeat this is for you if your workouts are 1+ hours, Moderate to high intense, In Hot Conditions OR where you sweat alot.
It’s important to know that staying hydrated during and after exercise is about replacing the water lost through sweating. This is necessary for the body’s recovery, performance, thermoregulation and camp & heat stroke prevention.
These are the general guidelines, its divided into 3 parts, Pre - During & Post activity. These can be tweaked slightly to fit the individual. But in general make sure to plan your hydration to include:
Pre-Hydration: Before Drink 0.25- 0.5L before activity begins.
During Activity: 600 ml per hour of activity with 30-45 grams of carbs + 10-15 grams protein/bcaa and additional electrolytes (potassium and sodium).
After Activity: 0.5-1L with 30-45 grams of carbs + 10-15 grams protein/bcaa and additional electrolytes (potassium and sodium)
I know this may sound a little fluffy so let’s look at some concrete examples below, for activities and duration.
For certain activities such as running, cycling & hiking, here is your guide:
50 km cycle @ Moderate —> Hard Pace: 1:30 - 2 hours depending on cyclist.
Pre Hydration: Before Drink 0.25- 0.5L before activity begins.
During Activity: 1.2 l water in 2 insulated sports bottles, with 60-90 g of carbohydrates, 20-30 g of BCAA´s and 2 units (scoops/tablets/drops) of electrolytes. (1-2 sports gels depending on brand/size or as mix in water)
After Activity: Drink 0.5-1L with 30-45 grams of carbs + 10-15 grams protein/bcaa and additional electrolytes (potassium and sodium)
Hiking 10 km on trails 2.5-3 hours, low intensity, high temperatures.
Pre-Hydration: Before Drink 0.25- 0.5L before activity begins.
During Activity: Take With You 3x 600 ml water= 1800 ml and a snack containing 30-45 g of carbohydrates, 10-20 g of BCAA´s and 1-2 units (scoops/tablets/drops) of electrolytes. (or 1-2 sports gels depending on brand/size or as mix in water)
After Activity: Drink 0.5-1L with 30-45 grams of carbs + 10-15 grams protein/bcaa and additional electrolytes (potassium and sodium)
15 km run @ Moderate —> Hard Pace, 4:15-6 min/km depending on runner = 1-1,5 hours
Pre Hydration: Before Drink 0.25- 0.5L before activity begins.
During Activity: 600- 900 ml water in 2 camelback or sports bottles, with 60-90 g of carbohydrates, 20-30 g of BCAA´s and 2 units (scoops/tablets/drops) of electrolytes. (1-2 sports gels depending on brand/size or as mix in water)
After Activity: Drink 0.5-1L with 30-45 grams of carbs + 10-15 grams protein/bcaa and additional electrolytes (potassium and sodium)
Above all, it’s important to keep in mind that these work more effectively when plan thoroughly & in advance. Don’t hesitate to make the necessary calculations for each activity & make sure to always carry extra fluids, especially when you’re far from water supply.
Moreover, I hope these underline how important hydration is AND clears up some of the confusion you might have about how much fluids you should drink & when you should be drinking.
Trust me, a better hydration & a well-balanced water intake throughout every session saves you from all the troubles.
So, stay hydrated & keep working out outside!
Cheers,
Eik
