Understanding hydration – key for athlete success this summer

When the weather is hot and humid you will lose heat, sweat and fluid a lot more during training. This can lead to dehydration which has a number negative responses on the body and results in poor performance.

Each athlete will have different fluid demands and sweat rates which will vary depending on athlete body size, environment, humidity and training intensity.

To maintain hydration it is recommended that you drink approximately 250 – 500ml of fluid per hour

When dehydrated, thirst can be an ineffective tool to encourage fluid consumption. To monitor your own hydration status over the warmer months, one method is to observe your urine colour over the day to get an indication of hydration status.

*Urine colour may appear darker/brighter from diet, medication or supplements.