water intake during training

Hi all, I have a question regarding hydration during cardio training. I like to bike 20-25K every few days (about 45mins-1hour). I also like to do an uphill hike (called the Grouse Grind for those in the Vancouver area). This is a 45min-50min hike for me.

I never take a bottle of water. People are always saying I'm hurting myself by not drinking while doing this training - are they right? When I am done, I *am* very thirsty, I'll admit. I do gulp my water quite heavily at the end.

I should say that the main goals of my workouts are for fitness in general - I want to look good sure, but I am more interested in having a very strong heart and decent strength (especially in my legs to help me with my injury-prone knees.)

Now we all know that people do altitude training to deprive their muscles of oxygen so that their muscles become more efficient, is this in any way applicable to hydration? Am I hurting myself by depriving myself of water for 1 hour, or am I becoming a 'tougher' athelete by training this way?

Any input/opinions welcome, thanks in advance guys!

-Alex
 
20-40 ounces 2 hours before you run with your meal of course. Regularly 96 ounces minimum a day for an inactive person. More activity, more heat (sun) therefore more water needed. About 40 ounces of water with each meal (based on 3) and 40 ounces 2 hours before your activity and you're fine. I your urine is clear, you are hydrated. During activity, if you loose more than 2% of you weight- YES this does affect your nervous system and proper overall function of the body, regulating body heat and so forth. It has been tested that to affect activity you need to lose more than 2% of your total body weight. Therefore you are fine not drinking any water during 45 minutes of activity. Every hour you should drink another 20-40 ounces of water though. For every pound you lost at the end of the run due to sweat- you have to consume 20 ounces per pound to ensure proper rehydration.

People who do not drink enough water throughout the day and plenty of it do have problems if they do not drink during their runs or workouts. It is bad for their muscles and their body if they don't drink during their runs. Most people don't drink proper amounts of water- They just think they do.
 
If you feel thirsty, that's the first sign of being dehydrated. So if you're wicked thirsty after cardio, you've dehydrated yourself, and put more stress on the body than necessary.

Take a bottle of water with you when you do cardio.
 
Thanks FitnessFreaks for your reply..


malkore said:
If you feel thirsty, that's the first sign of being dehydrated. So if you're wicked thirsty after cardio, you've dehydrated yourself, and put more stress on the body than necessary.

Take a bottle of water with you when you do cardio.

Hmm... so I guess my question is: there's no possible benefit from putting this extra stress on my body? I'm not getting "tougher" ?

Is it not similar to altitude training (working with lower oxygen levels)?

I don't mean to belabour the point, I'm just trying to see if I'm really hurting myself or if there's any possible benefit.

Thanks guys.
 
If you have adequates amount of water by what I stated, you are fine. A loss of 2% or greater will affect performance. Having adequate amounts of water in your body will enable you to be optimal for your workout. When you are thirsty- most people are dehydrated because they do not get enough. If you do drink the right amounts, thirst will indicate a loss of water, not dehydration- People do feel thristy between each set of an exercise it's just a habit to break. You can live without during your workout. It won't affect performance and it won't kill you system affect blood flow, body temp. and so forth unless you lose (2% OF BODY WEIGHT LOSS OR MORE). This is why you need to watch how much you drink on a regular basis.

Kidneys won't get shot. You're just not used to drinking an adequate amount of water. Your body will have to get used to drinking 20-40 ounces in a sitting. The SAID Principle "Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands"

Working with low oxygen levels is different from having adequate amounts of water.
You can hit the point when anearobically there is a loss of oxygen (intense running) and you'll get better. Having low amounts of water in the system just affects the use of the nervous system which is very important to performance and other things.
 
Even during tri-athlons and marathons, the participants drink gatorade every few miles to maintain hydration and electrolytes.
 
You only lose electrolytes after 8 lbs. of water weight loss. The reason for the gatorade during activity past and over 1 hour in length is for the Carbohyrates do it can provide a constant energy source for the body.

Alu is running for 45 minutes tops.

If Alu and anyone would train past and/or over 1 hour in length- they would consume 20 ounces of gatorade and 10-20 ounces of water every hour into activity.

When things are done properly- things are easier.
 
One thing to consider too is that, while water is processed very quickly in the gut, the added weight in your stomach can put excess strain on your diaphragm, causing side stiches.
 
Drinking of cold water will be obsorbed into the body quicker than warm water. Drinking 2 hours before the activity- you'll use the restroom around 1 or 1 1/2 hours after and be ready for the routine. During activity- after water loss has commensed , you are just putting lost water back into the body.

Side stitches- whether or not you are used to the routine of drinking proper amounts at certain times will determine if you get something like that, but side stitches could be many things (not enough water before, you drank way to much water at the time, you drank water way to late before the event, adhesions along the rib cage).

Since I have been drinking adequate amounts of water for the past 2 years, I have never had a side stitch ever. Everyone is different, but I think side stitches may be from another deviation in the system. It's never been proven to be caused from water.
 
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