The Importance of Proper Hydration and Stretching
Jonathon Hardcastle
Whether you're taking a brisk walk or running a 26 mile marathon,
hydration and stretching are extremely important to preventing injury
and to maintaining optimum fitness. However, there are many myths about
both these things that have crept into most people's thinking.
The number one myth about hydration is that you should let your level
of thirst signal when you need to drink. This is absolutely untrue.
Most athletes only replace about 2/3 of the water they lose when they
follow this rule. Instead, drink fluids on a schedule. A general rule
of thumb, depending on your weight and weather conditions is to drink 8
ounces of water about 15 minutes before beginning exercise and 8 ounces
for each 15 minutes during your workout.
Another hydration myth is that everyone needs eight glasses of water a
day. This may not be enough for some people who engage in higher
intensity sports. It may be too much for sedentary people. This is
because, although it is true that the average person loses 80 ounces of
water a day, he or she also gains about 32 ounces of water from food.
That means, in order to replace lost fluids a person only needs to
drink about 48 ounces of water rather than the 64 ounces contained in
eight glasses of water.
A recent study about over hydration has scared people into believing
that you can get sick from drinking too much water during exercise.
While this may be true in isolated cases, typically among endurance
athletes, the average person will not get sick from drinking too much
water unless they have an existing heart, liver or kidney problem. If
you have one of these conditions, checking with your doctor about the
proper amount of liquid to drink during exercise is advisable.
Stretching is another source of myths and misinformation. Contrary to
popular belief, stretching will not "warm you up." Warming up is done
by starting a low level of activity and working up to your desired
intensity. Stretching before exercise also will not prevent injury
although research has shown that it will reduce pain and muscle
soreness after exercise. Only a proper warm-up routine will help
prevent injuries.
Many people also believe that stretching is most beneficial when done
before a workout. Actually, gentle stretching after a workout can help
reduce cramping and muscular pain. Also, there is the belief that any
stretching is better than none. Improper stretching can actually
increase the risk of muscular injuries. It's worth taking the time to
learn stretches appropriate to the activity you're planning to perform.
Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles for
http://yourfitnesssource.net/
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In addition, Jonathon also writes articles for http://foodandourlives.com/
and http://1stconsumerinfo.com/
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