How Much Water Are The Boys in Green Drinking.

It would be only right that in this month’s blog we examine how much water the boys in green are required to drink. As we have all enjoyed and supported the Ireland National Teams latest heroics in the European Championship in France this summer.We look at what is required by professional athletes in terms of fluid intake & Hydration before, during and after a demanding 90+ minutes of the most competitive football games.

As the human body contains about 70% water. A reduction in body water will cause a reduced efficiency of performance for an athlete.The simple truth is that hydration for a match day is a continual process. If you aren’t looking after yourself during the week before the big game, you’re likely to struggle in the heat of match action. During a normal day, you should aim to consume between 2 and 2.5 litres of fluid each day. Most experts agree that drinking around 2 litres of water every day is a reasonable target to set.However, sweating during training and match action can leave you needing replacement fluids.

It is Important to listen to your body during training sessions. If you’re eating well and generally in good shape, feeling tired prematurely could be a sign that you’re dehydrated. And allowing this situation to continue throughout the week before a match could make rehydration very difficult. And remember, caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, which mean they can hasten the dehydration process and leave you feeling weak and tired.Make sure you are sipping on water continually throughout your training sessions a good coach will ensure that there are several opportunities to take on water during training. In reality, you probably won’t drink more water than you lose through perspiration, so it’s important to fully dehydrate after every training session and before every match.As soccer players have been shown to lose 1-5% of body weight through sweating (up to 4.5 kg in hot humid conditions) which results in impaired performance.

The average footballer will cover between 8 and 12 kilometres during a match, and it is not unusual for a particularly active player to lose up to a kilo in weight through dehydration. As most footballers are already fit and a healthy weight, this is temporary weight loss, and it must be addressed as quickly as possible. Extensive studies show that a reduction of even 1% in body weight can result in a 10% reduction of performance capacity.

Furthermore, evidence shows that body mass loss will also cause mental functions to deteriorate perhaps resulting in players making mistakes. It is therefore important that any sweat loss is adequately and promptly replaced through fluid intake, whether this is through water or sports drinks.

Thirst is never an adequate indicator of the physiological state of dehydration – therefore players should always be encouraged to drink.more than their thirst indicates. Thus, correct fluid intake practice is extremely important. You should weigh yourself before a match, and then again after. You should try to consume around 1.5 times more fluid in litres than the weight you lost in kilos.

Water has been shown not only to be useful in preventing dehydration. A scientific study demonstrated that it can actually help improve sprinting capacity in the second half of matches when compared to players who did not drink any water. Water is extremely useful in preventing dehydration, especially in hot conditions and is an excellent replacement fluid (In hot conditions, it is more important to rehydrate the player than to provide additional energy.

For every 1 kg decrease in body weight – replace with 1 litre of fluid. A player’s urine should be a diluted, pale colour. If it looks deep yellow, he should drink more. So remember ( to any aspiring athletes )- Performing at your very best for a 90-minute football match is impossible unless you are in the right physical shape – which, in part, means staying hydrated at all times.

. For more information about how we can help call us today on 01 4523600 on through sales@glenpatrickwater.ie…