Hydration for Performance

�� Start practice and games in a well-hydrated condition
– Monitor your hydration status during the day by checking the colour of your urine.

�� If your urine is the light-yellowish colour of lemon squash, you are probably well-hydrated. If your urine colour is dark like apple juice you need to drink more.

�� hydration charts can be ordered through the Coaches’ Edge http://www.coachesedge.com.au/hydrationkit/hydrationkit.asp
– Drink 500-1000 ml of fluid 2-3 hours before practice or games to make certain you are well hydrated. By drinking this far in advance, your kidneys will have time to eliminate any excess fluid.

�� Keep track of how much you drink, and record your body weight before and after practice to find out if you drink too much or too little
– If you lose weight, drink more to maintain body weight. For example, if you lose 500 g of body weight during a 2-hour practice, you should drink an extra 250 ml of fluid every hour during subsequent practices.
– If you gain weight, drink less during exercise. Gaining weight during exercise can lead to low blood sodium (hyponatremia), a dangerous (although uncommon) condition.

�� Try to replace 90-100% of the sweat you lose during practices and games while you are exercising.
– When you are sweating heavily, drink early and often, every 10-15 minutes if possible.
– Thirst lags behind dehydration, so drink before you are thirsty. During games, drink during every timeout and at halftime.
– Favour sports drinks over water because sports drinks contain carbohydrate for energy, flavour to encourage you to drink, and electrolytes, especially sodium, to help speed fluid absorption into the blood, stimulate thirst, and reduce urine formation. In other words, sports drinks are better than water to help your body retain the fluids you drink and to provide the extra energy needed to help you work harder, longer.

�� After practices and games, if you are still dehydrated, drink about 50% more volume than the weight you lost during exercise. For example, if you tried but failed to replace 100% of your sweat loss during exercise and lost 1 kg of body weight, drink 1.5 L of fluids in the first 2-4 hours after exercise. (The extra fluid is needed to compensate for urine formation during recovery.) Again, sports drinks that contain electrolytes are better than plain water to help retain fluid.

�� If you are a salty sweater (with salt stains on your uniform), salt your food liberally, eat pretzels and other salty snacks, and favour sports drinks over water.
HYDRATION TIPS FOR COACHES

�� Have players record their fluid intakes during practice and their body weights before and after practice to monitor their hydration status and fluid replacement habits.

�� Remind players to regularly monitor their urine colour to check hydration status.

�� Encourage players to replace 100% of their sweat loss during practice and games.

�� Don’t allow players to practice until they have regained essentially all of any weight they lost during the previous practice.

WARNING SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION
�� Headache
�� Dizziness
�� Weakness
�� Irritability
�� Unusual fatigue
�� Muscle cramps