It's not flashy, it doesn't have an eye catching name and it certainly isn't in the front of most minds when thinking of how training can be improved. A lot of the time, water is a forgotten aspect of a complete training program. Many individuals are so worried about food and the gym, they forget how important it is to be well hydrated on a daily basis.
Believe it or not, poor hydration can negatively effect your strength game. World renown strength coach, Charles Poliquin has said that as little as a 1.5% drop in water levels results in a 10% drop in maximal strength! Simply put, to stay strong you must stay hydrated! Many individuals pride themselves on being able to cut 4-5 lbs during a workout, little do they know that what they're calling "weight" is mainly water. This is not a good thing, you want to weigh as much at the end of the workout as you did at the beginning.
It's always a good idea to have a water bottle on hand while exercising. Drinking water while working out takes some stress of your heart, cools your body temperature and works to maintain blood volume. With summer approaching, the rule of thumb is to drink 20 ounces of water before your session and then 10-15 ounces every 15 minutes.
At this point many of you are probably wondering what crazy formula you need to go through in order to find out how much water you need on a daily basis. Don't worry, it's simple, just take your body weight, cut it in half and boom, thats how much water you need in ounces a day!
- Brig Van Etten CSCS -
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