It's drummed into all athletes and competitors - you have to stay hydrated. But what exactly does that mean? We explain what you need to know to stay hydrated, and thus perform your best in your workouts and your races.
If you regularly exercise or race for longer than sixty minutes, particularly in hot conditions, then understanding sports hydration is critical for you to perform your best.
Although recent research has suggested that earlier estimates of the effects on overheating and performance of dehydration have been exaggerated, there is still no doubt that if you don't get the correct amount and type of fluids on board during long workouts, your performance will suffer.
The rules of sports hydration are simple, and if you follow them you will be doing everything possible to maximise your performance.
The key to successful sports hydration is knowledge - you need to know what to drink, when to drink, and how much to drink. Once you have this mastered, you should be able to perform your best, no matter how hot the weather, or how long the workout.
