OTHER TIPS

Muscle Cramp
Thursday, March 04, 2010

Mental Toughness in Sports
Thursday, March 04, 2010

Heat Exhaustion
Thursday, March 04, 2010

Delayed onset muscle soreness
Thursday, March 04, 2010

Dehydration
Thursday, March 04, 2010

Dehydration

Encourage all athletes to drink appropriate fluids when thirsty. Fortunately the days of withholding water during practice to make players tougher are gone. Not only was this practice life threatening, as evidenced by several recent deaths of high profile professional and college athletes, it impedes athletic performance.

Studies indicate that being dehydrated by just 5-10% is enough to significantly decrease on field performance. Water and natural juices or sports drinks (diluted to decrease sugar concentration), should be encouraged. Carbonated sodas, especially those that contain caffeine, should be discouraged because they contribute to dehydration. During practice, athletes should be free to drink whenever they are thirsty.