A little summary on pre session hydration…
When considering hydration we want to ensure we are hydrated prior to commencing every session. As such we will focus on some basic hydration tips for daily living.
–> AM Sessions
When training ‘first thing’ in the morning we may not have consumed fluid for up to 10-14hrs. We are generally going to wake up somewhat dehydrated. You can help determine HOW dehydrated with a simple pee test – simply have a look at the colour of your pee.
Light yellow – you are fairly well hydrated so aim for 1-2 glasses of plain water
Mid range – you are probably best to aim for 2 glasses of water or half a bottle with some electrolytes included
Dark yellow – to give your body best chance for the upcoming session aim for a bottle of fluid with electrolytes AND another for during the session
–> PM Sessions
When training in the afternoon you need to consider hydration throughout the day.
Were you hydrated on waking?
Did you train in the AM?
Did you hydrate during the AM session?
Have you been paying attention to hydration throughout the day?
Are you working in a warm or cool environment?
Are you a heavy sweater?
A good rule of thumb is to consume 1-2 glasses of water every time you eat.
It is also a good habit to sip on an electrolyte based solution throughout the day.
You can also monitor you pee colour through the day and then use the same guide for AM sessions prior to your PM session.
Remember too, that we will likely finish every session with some form of dehydration. Which is expected and normal but we do need to consider this for the remainder of the day and for setting up for future training sessions.
Finally, hydration is a performance enhancer in sport/training but also for life. Maintaining adequate hydration levels is an integral part of being a healthy functioning human being.
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