Hydration: The Basics

Hydration is a vital but often overlooked area of the dietary needs of anyone competing / training in MMA. To achieve your optimum level of performance it is important to get enough fluids before, during and after competition / training. You must also re-hydrate after exercise to aid the recovery process.

De-hydration can cause you a major loss in your physical and mental abilities, you will not be able to compete to the best of your abilities unless you keep your body well hydrated.

How do I know if I’m dehydrated?

There are obvious symptoms of dehydration that don’t require complex tests to detect. If you feel thirsty then your body is telling you that it is in need of water / fluids. Listen to your body. Urine is another good indicator of your level of hydration. If your urine is a dark golden colour there is a good chance that you are dehydrated. Urine should  be clear or a very pale yellow, this would indicate good levels of hydration.

How much should I drink?

Water should be your primary source of fluids. The body is made up of around 60% water, each day  you need to replace aproximately 2 litres of fluid to balance out the amount lost by your body. When exercise is added into the equation the amount of fluids lost by the body increases therefore, to counteract the greater loss, so should your fluid intake. As with anything in life you can have too much of a good thing. Drinking excessive amounts of water will have a detrimental effect on your body. Everyone is different and will need varying amounts of fluids per day. Aim to drink between 2 and 4 litres of water a day depending on your body type and level of exercise.

When should I drink?

Do not try and take in all of your daily fluid in one or two large drinks. Split up your intake through out the day. If possible keep a large bottle of water on hand so that you can drink it over the course of your day. Make sure that if you are training you feel fully hydrated before doing so. During training / competition you will lose greater amounts of water so replenish these at breaks during (between sets or rounds) and after exercise. Re-hydrating after exercise will aid in your recovery time.

What should I drink?

There are many products on the market that aim to help keep you hydrated and also increase performance. However you basic fluid intake should always be based around water. Water  is one of the main building blocks of your body and plays a vital role in your performance.

This entry was posted on Friday, November 27th, 2009 at 1:13 pm and is filed under NUTRITION. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.