Should you drink water during training: expert advice

One of the most pressing and controversial issues in fitness is whether or not you should drink water during your workouts. Is it harmful to health or, on the contrary, beneficial? The editors of I WANT to visit the 16th Nike Fitness Convention, decide to find out the opinion of professional trainers and discover that the more dynamic their discipline, the more water they recommend drinking.

As you know, three-quarters of our body consists of water, and it’s not for nothing that doctors advise us to drink 1-2 liters of water a day (depending on weight), because dehydration will not lead to anything good. Then, it would seem, the answer is obvious: you need to drink water constantly, and especially during physical activity. But everything is not so simple, otherwise there would not be endless discussions on this topic. Let's find out!

Our temperature rises slightly during exercise, and to cool down, the body gets rid of fluid in the form of sweat. Accordingly, deprived of it, the blood begins to thicken. This means that the heart receives more stress, which is not good - so you need to drink water during training. But another question arises - how much?

The first and simplest rule is that you should never drink to excess! Although the heart needs the water balance in the body to be normal, a large amount of water at a time is a serious burden on the kidneys, which simply do not have time to process it during physical activity. As a result, problems with the genitourinary system, as well as swelling, may occur.

Under no circumstances should you drink cold water: a hot, sweating body and icy liquid are not the best option. This can lead to a cold. Juices and sodas are also not welcome; they cannot quench your thirst properly due to their high carbohydrate content.

It is better to drink water more often, but be sure to take small sips and slowly, than to pour half a bottle into yourself once during the entire workout - spare your organs, they are already working in an intense mode.

But still, there are types of physical activity in which drinking plenty of water is undesirable. For example, drinking while jogging is highly discouraged, because it “softens” the body and leads to loss of endurance. Bodybuilders who strive to make their bodies sculpted deliberately dry out their muscles. But if you are not a professional athlete, there is no need to adhere to such strict rules.

The conclusion suggests itself: each coach is right in his own way, because each of them teaches a discipline of varying intensity. In some places, “you can’t figure it out without half a liter,” and in others, even a dozen sips will be enough for the entire workout - there is no universal formula. Be guided by your feelings: if your throat is dry, then it’s time to take a couple of sips; if you sweat profusely, then be patient, you already have too much fluid in your body.

In any case, be sure to consult with your instructor before class to avoid unnecessary health problems.