Water is life, the first nutrient, always present and inevitable component of all living organisms and forms. It has essential role in maintaining your health and performance and although it will not provide direct energy for your body in terms of calories, it is undoubtedly the most important and vital of all the nutrients. Without water you can go on for just couple of days.

Having all that in mind, should you be concerned about the quality of the water you drink?

– Water provides structural integrity to your cells, provides structure to different body parts, protects important tissues like your brain and spinal cord, lubricates joints.

– It is essential for all body functions, like nutrient digestion, absorption, transport and metabolism.

– Water is the main component of the blood.

– It is vital to electrolyte balance.

– Water aids in constant body-temperature maintenance in different environmental conditions.

– Remove toxins and waste products from your body.

Water has an essential role in optimal functioning of your body both during TRAINING and during REST and RECOVERY. The main goal of proper hydration is to maintain plasma volume and electrolyte balance and to avoid and prevent abnormal increase in core temperature and hearth rate during training, race or competition. Well hydrated body is optimal in fluid content, ready and tuned for performance. Obviously, pre-training/competition hydration status is of significant importance. It can prevent all of the above-mentioned processes, as well as feeling dizzy, lightheaded or faintness, early fatigue and subsequent suboptimal performance.

Even small amounts of dehydration (1% loss of the body weight) will impair performance and if you experience thirst, dry mouth, unusual fatigue – you are already dehydrated. Proper hydration, and lost fluid replenishment can be achieved through drinking water, juices, smoothies, teas, soups, through various food intake, and specially fruits and vegetables containing high water percentage.

Current recommendations from American College of Sports Medicine for fluid and electrolyte replacement when exercising is:

– Drink 5-7ml/kg body weight at least 4 hours prior to exercise

– Follow a customized fluid replacement program during exercise. (highly individualised and dependant on gender, level of training, individual sweat rate, activity, duration, environmental factors, etc.)

– For rapid rehydration drink 1,5l fluid (with electrolytes) per kg weight loss

Total Movement taught – Water being the most biologically active molecule in your body, essential as a structural component, solvent, carrier, lubricant, shock absorber, messenger, temperature buffer, having crucial role in metabolic reactions, medium for various enzymatic and chemical reactions, the most essential of all nutrients, needed on a daily basis, the question arises –

What about the Quality of the water you drink?

What about staying well HYDRATED?

Total Movement