This week I got poked. Yep, I sat back and let the nurse have her way with me. She was gentle but damnit if she couldn’t get the vein to comply! All told she jabbed me 3 times before sending me home, blaming me for being dehydrated. Now I know I probably could have drunk more before going in but my veins are also notorious for collapsing upon entry. Either way, I went home thinking about OUR performance as Athletes and how much hydration is tied to how well (or not well) we do in sport or competition.
There is lengthy president and countless studies done on hydration in athletes. In fact , Gatorade funds a lot of science around it and has got into some hot water over holding back findings of some studies. Ill save you the commentary around the importance of drinking water, what I want to dive in on is the little things that you may be overlooking by not drinking as much as you should, and their potential effect on your performance.
1. Hydration and Heart Health.
If you have ever been out in the summer heat , not doing anything particularly strenuous, and yet your heart is racing… this may be from dehydration. When we train our bodies heat up which spurs the Heart to increase tempo and blood flow. The result is heat as well as sweating . When there is a decrease of 1-2% of water/per body weight then the heart has less blood to move around the body to cool it. There is added stress to the heart during the heat and training combination; our blood gets thicker. Instead of gently flowing fluid filling the heart and veins, you get what amounts to maple syrup getting pumped in and out of the chambers. This causes undo stress and even cardiac muscle damage. As well, dehydration causes heat to build up under the skin with the lack of sweat available to move heat away from the body.
2. Dehydration and Glycogen Burn.
Im sure some of you are thinking,… great … Ill get dehydrated and burn off more blood sugar and calories! Well you would be wrong about that.
Dehydration throughout the body, including the muscles, results in the body searching for fluid of any kind to help move minerals as waste builds up during training. When training in a dehydrated state, intra-muscular glycogen is broken down, creating an imbalance in the acidic makeup of cells and tissue. When glycogen is burned, it turns into Lactic Acid and that is when we really start feeling the burn! More acid in the system and the more fatigue is felt through the muscles.
Recently, I went into a competition here in Colorado over hydrated. The night before the comp I was pouring water and only had 1 beer! (which is good for me). The next day, at altitude, I felt like a million bucks! I attribute this to the water intake and good nutrition.
So if you are constantly experiencing muscle cramps or general fatigue at weird times during training, check your water and electrolytes.
3. Dehydration takes away your Gains!
We look at the acute metabolic symptoms of dehydration but what about the hormones?? The endocrine system is in charge of ensuring that the right amount of chemicals are dumped into the body when we need them. This is controlled by the hypothalamus in the brain and the thyroid.
A very important hormone that is released when training and in muscle development is Testosterone. Testosterone utilizes water for transport into the cells through specific receptors. When dehydration occurs, you are putting body into a panic mode which stimulates Cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol is a pretty dominant hormone and can clog up receptor sites on cells, inhibiting Testosterone production and synthesis.
Fortunately Hydration is an easy thing to manage with proper planning. But it won’t happen in a snap. Yes… by drinking a glass of water when you are thirsty, you will feel better but the uptake into the blood and cells takes time. I constantly remember the line my Fire Captain told me years ago when we were expecting a boy fire day, “Hydrate for Tomorrow…. Today ! It is something I have always remembered as I think about what will transpire tomorrow.
So go forth, drink till you gotta pee and ill be her to support you the entire way!
Love
Eric
Programming Notes 2/17-2/21 ***Squat cycling week 3. We are lowering the weight this week because I have blaster of a lunge workout for you after. Handstand walking is also back on Thursday with an added length and some pulling to contrast the pressing. Also look for Wednesday and Friday to be big days for the aerobic work, long runs and lots of time under tension.
2/17
Baseline:
3X
200m Run
8 Elbow To instep Lunge + Reach
10 Squat Therapy
8 Side Lunge
10 Hip Swivel Kicks
Squat Flow: Squat Flow: Kang Squat, Internal Rotation, Ankle Roll Out, Bootstraps, PNF Stretch, Squat W/ T Spine Stretch
Strength:
Build Up To 70% of 1RM Front squat .
EMOM 16
Odd- 2 Front Squat
Even- 3 Back squats
Conditioning;
4X 3 minute AMRAP
18 Front Rack Lunges
18 Burpees
Max Lateral Line Touch @ 10’ distance.
-Rest 3 Minutes between efforts. -
2/18
Baseline:
500m Row
3X
8 Bow/ bend
8 Elbow TO Instep Lunge /Reach
10 Kip Swings
:60 Plank
Midline Strength:
5 X
1 Min D Ball or Sandbag Hold
30 cal Row
Conditioning:
3 Rounds for Time
500m Row
20 Toes To bar
10 Dumbbell Devils Press 50/35
2/19
Baseline:
3X
10 PVC Pass Thru
10 PVC Trunk Twist
10 PVC Overhead Squat
Gymnastic Skill Work:
Muscle Up Complex.
EMOM15
A) :20 Ring Support Top
B) 8 Hips TO Rings Pull Ups
C) :20 Ring Support Bottom
Aerobic Conditiong:
20 Minute AMRAP
5 Muscle Ups
15 Sumo Deadlift High Pull 75/55
15 Push press
15 Cal Row
*Cruisey Pace*
2/20
Baseline:
5:00 Easy biking
:30 Lat band Mobility (Each Side)
:30 Bully Stretch (Each Side)
:30 Scapula Distraction Stretch (Each Side)
Shoulder Prep W/ 5# Plates:
-Bent Scarecrow + External Rotation
-Bent Reverse Flys
-Bent Scarecrow + Press
-Bent Supermans
-Standing Corkscrews
-standing front Raises
-Standing Lateral Raises
-Standing Y Press
-Standing Cross Over Presses
Primer:
3 Rounds
*Each Set to be done with force and expedient
10 Cal Bike
:45 Handstand Hold
25 Push Ups
:15 Chin oVer Bar Hold
Strength Workout:
2 Rounds .
50’ Handstand Walk
100 Double Unders
50’ Handstand walk
50 Wall Balls
50’ Handstand Walk
50 Pull Ups
2/21
Baseline:
7 Minute Bike
*Every Minute perform 15 Squat / 15 Push ups
Lunge Flow:
-Ankle Roll Outs
-Hamstring Pulses
-Elbow To Instep W/ Reach
-Samson Lunge + Reach
-Bootstraps
-Pigeon Stretch
Hamstring Primer:
3X
8 Romanian Deadlift 155/95
8 Pendlay Row
Deadlift:
3X3 @ 75%
3X3 @ 80%
3X2 @ 85%
Aerobic Conditioning:
For Time
800m Run
21 Deadlift 205/155
21 Box Jumps
400m Run
15 Deadlift
15 Box Jumps
200m Run
9 Deadlift
9 Box Jumps
