Water and Training

Before Exercise

With the availability of sports drinks and a variety of performance and recovery fuels, it’s easy to overlook the one nutrient that has the greatest impact.  Water.

Water is Critical for Successful Training

Depending on the length of your workout, your hydration needs may be as simple as a couple cups of water.  In general, any event or workout an hour or less in duration, you only need H2O.

Two to three hours before your workout or race, take in about 2 cups (500 ml) of water. (One standard cycling water bottle)

During Exercise

During your training, you should be consuming about 1 cup of water every 15 to 20 minutes.  That’s just over 1 standard water bottle per hour, or one tall cycling water bottle per hour.

After Exercise

When you’re done with your workout, you should replace what you’ve lost.  The best way to determine this is to weigh yourself before the workout, and drink one water bottle of water for every pound of weight lost during the exercise.  This is your best bet to prevent dehydration and to provide yourself with the water needed for recovering from your workout.

Water is one of those things we take for granted.  If you’re working out for more than an hour, then it’s time to consider an electrolyte replacement.  Otherwise, keep it simple, drink before, during and after exercise to optimize the hard work you put into training.  You’ll feel better and you will be ready for the next workout!

Cheers,

-Brandon