Most sports professionals agree that drinking water while exercising is essential. However, there are different points of view about the safe amount of water.
Why is it important to stay hydrated during exercise
There is a naive misconception among beginners and non-professionals that drinking while exercising prevents weight loss. In fact, the illusion of significant weight loss is associated with the evaporation of water from the body.
Drinking water is highly recommended for any physical activity, not only when playing sports. Our body is 80% water, so maintaining the water-salt balance is especially important. Dehydration of the body and conditions close to it are fraught with a serious threat.
Even a short-term water shortage will certainly affect the well-being of an athlete, and therefore, on the effectiveness of training. If you don't drink water during an extended workout, your blood becomes thicker. In this case, oxygen will be worse spread throughout the body.
Evaporation of a critical amount of water leads to overheating of the body, which increases the load on the cardiovascular system and can even lead to loss of consciousness. Thus, due to a lack of water, the body is stressed and quickly overworked.
To avoid this condition, you must periodically drink water during exercise. However, it is worth choosing a moderate drinking regime so as not to harm the body.
Excess water in the body is no less harmful to the heart than lack of it. It leads to an increase in blood volume, which gives the heart extra work. Also, excessive consumption of water makes the kidneys work too intensively and provokes the leaching of salts from the body.
How much and how often to drink
So, the last question remains. How much water to drink during exercise so as not to harm the body? The best option is to take a couple of small sips every 10-15 minutes.
Some types of exercise require more water, some less. Some professional dancers say that while dancing, it is enough just to periodically rinse your throat with water. In contrast, bodybuilders tend to overuse water in training.
You can also replenish the amount of water before training. In this case, it is worth drinking 0.5-1 liter of water for an hour. Under this condition, the body will not need additional drinks for a long time during the lesson.
An important point: during training, you should not drink very cold water. Drinking cold water leads to a sharp constriction of blood vessels, which negatively affects the cardiovascular system. It is better to take water at room temperature with you, and in winter you can even take hot water.
