Some of the most effective healthy habits that you can adopt are also the most simple. For example, drinking plenty of water.
Staying adequately hydrated throughout the day has a significant impact on your martial arts training and your health. Your body is about two-thirds water. So when your hydration levels drop to the point where you’re even just slightly dehydrated, it affects quite a few normal body processes.
Water keeps your organs’ functioning, maintains joint and connective tissue health, supports circulation of oxygen and waste, and plays an essential role in digestion. Proper hydration also regulates your body temperatures, prevents headaches, supports your immune system, and promotes healthy skin.
Drinking water can obviously help you stay hydrated. But some factors aren’t related to water that can lead to dehydration, such as:
- Consuming alcohol or caffeine
- Taking certain supplements or prescription medicines
- Poor recovery or overtraining
- Stress
Staying properly hydrated has a positive effect on your martial arts training. But more importantly, it keeps you healthy. Here are a few ways to make sure that you’re staying well-hydrated both on and off the mat:
Drink water throughout the day.
Rather than chugging a full glass of water only a few times each day, aim for drinking smaller quantities of water throughout the day. Make sure you drink a glass of water with every meal and keep a water bottle with you. Drink water before, during, and after any training session or workout.
Be aware of electrolyte intake.
Drinking water by itself is a good way to stay hydrated. However, in hotter environments or after high-intensity training (where your sweat rate is increased), be aware of your electrolyte intake as well. You can replace lost electrolytes by drinking sports drinks. But a lot of sports drinks tend to be very high in sugar. Some athletes prefer to replace electrolytes by drinking something like coconut water.
Monitor your hydration.
The easiest way to determine if you’re properly hydrated is by monitoring the color of your urine. Clear to pale yellow is a good sign. Thirst is a poor indicator of dehydration; if you’re thirsty, then you’re already dehydrated. Stay ahead of thirst by sipping water throughout the day.
To learn more about the programs we’re currently offering at Classic Fight Team in Fountain Valley, contact us today.
