50 for 50 Idea #24: Drink plenty of water

posted on: June 19, 2018
author: Brian Lomax, Ed.D.

To say that there are a lot of articles available on the internet discussing the benefits of hydration for athletes would be an understatement. I discovered this while doing some research for this post. Clearly, drinking water is important for athletes and many of us could be better at doing it. Why else would there be so many articles on this topic? 🙂

I know I’m adding to the volume of posts on hydration, but if we want 2018 to be a great year, then bringing more focus to your hydration and water intake seems like a simple change.

Idea #24 – Drink plenty of water

How much water should you drink? Well, that depends. Different people have different needs, but in general, most of us don’t drink enough. That can be problematic for athletes especially during the summer months. Here are a few reasons why you should hydrate well:

1. Sustain your level of performance for longer periods of time. When your hydration levels fall below what you need, you’ll start to see a decline in your performance level. Energy is less and effort feels harder. That’s a bad combo.
2. You’ll think better. To be a great competitor, you have to be able to think well and solve problems. If you can’t do that effectively, you’re in trouble. Water keeps your brain working well.
3. You’ll recover better. After a hard performance, drink water regularly so that your muscles can recover, and you’ll feel better the next day.

To get started with a renewed focus on hydration, have a water bottle with you at all times. Note how much you drink and how many times you refill the bottle. If you’re someone who doesn’t normally drink a lot of water during the day, start to increase your intake slowly so that your body can become accustomed to the change.

When competing, use a sports drink as needed to replenish electrolytes and carbs. Too many young athletes use sugary sports drinks as substitutes for water and they don’t need that amount of sugar. In many situations, you may only need water.  Once you’ve finished practicing or competing, continue to drink water as part of your recovery routine.  Your muscles will thank you the next day.

During my limited research for this post, one of the better articles I read was The Ultimate Guide to Hydration for Athletes. Check it out if you’re looking for more information on this important topic.