Water and Exercise: Better Workouts Start with Better Hydration

Even if it’s cold outside and your workouts are seemingly less sweaty, it’s still important to be hydrated. Your body is a machine and water is part of what fuels it! So, if you want to optimize your exercise, start putting hydration at the top of your to-do list.

WHEN TO DRINK WATER

If you’re drinking water consistently, you’re ahead of the game. But if you want to give your body the best chance of successfully absorbing it, it’s essential to drink water before, during and after exercise.

In general, it’s best to drink the bulk of your water before exercise to keep your muscles properly hydrated. Drinking up to 20 ounces of water about three hours before exercising is ideal. But you should also be consuming water just before, during and especially afterward: eight ounces a half hour before exercise, 10 ounces per 20 minutes of your activity, and then eight ounces no later than 30 minutes after you’re finished.

Spreading your water consumption out like this will give your body a chance to actually absorb the water rather than sending it straight to the bladder.

THE AMOUNT OF WATER STILL DEPENDS

Though that was a helpful, quick-and-dirty cheat sheet, there’s no one-size-fits-all for water consumption. Your age, gender, weight, intensity level and duration can all affect how much water you should be drinking.

Men tend to require more water than women while performing the same exercise intensity and duration because they tend to have a larger surface area. The same rule goes for people with a higher body mass index (BMI). But it also differs within gender and age subgroups, which is why the answer to, “how much water should I be drinking?” is so tricky to answer clearly.

For example, a woman performing low-intensity exercise (walking) for 30 minutes requires only 10 ounces of water, while the same woman performing high-intensity training (kickboxing) for 30 minutes requires 17 ounces.

Other unique features can affect these numbers, too. If you’re a heavy sweater, you might need more water than your gym buddy. The altitude of your workout location could dehydrate you more than usual, too.

ATHLETES LOVE PRIMO WATER

Water is a staple in an athlete’s life. And while timing your water right can make all the difference, the kind of water you choose can, too. What’s the use of drinking water if it could contain harmful pollutants? That’s what you’re up against when drinking tap water.

Instead, choose Primo® Water for your healthy hydration needs. Primo undergoes a 5-step Reverse Osmosis (RO) purification process that eliminates harmful microorganisms, heavy metals, trace pharmaceuticals and more. That means better, safer water with every drop, no matter when you drink it.

Since about 60% of our bodies are made of water, we believe in treating it right. Use our handy location finder to get started today.