Issue 055
October 2009
Sore, bloody, sweaty and mentally exhausted. All of these will be familiar feelings to a fighter after an intense training session. The one that causes the fighter least concern is probably the sweating; after all, it’s natural to sweat when you get hot. What many aren’t aware of is the pronounced effect sweating can have on performance.
Why do we sweat and what effect can it have?
Sweat-induced dehydration of 2% body weight has been shown to reduce strength, aerobic capacity and coordination; in some instances drops in performance of 10% have been reported. Fighters need those qualities in abundance, and can ill afford to lose 10%. Hours, weeks and months of training go into improving a fighter's game; if a fight is taken to the floor, a 10% drop in coordination due to dehydration could have devastating consequences in the quest to be victorious.
Many question exactly why we sweat. During exercise the body sweats to cool down; the majority of total heat loss during exercise is due to sweating. A low sweat rate is likely to have a negligible effect, but a high sweat rate results in a loss of body water and a drop in blood volume. In turn, this reduces the capacity of the body to deliver oxygen to, and remove lactic acid from, the muscles. Clearly this is something to avoid. In simple terms, lots of sweating can result in less energy and more fatigue.
Some sweat more than others; some train in hotter conditions than others. Clearly these variables can’t be controlled, so it’s important to consider what can be influenced. The main aspect that can be influenced is what you drink.
What should I drink?
The main consideration is to replace fluid lost from sweat (to avoid blood volume from dropping). The simplest way to achieve this is water, but the simplest isn’t always the best. The problem with water is that is passes through the body very quickly, which doesn’t make it ideal for hydration. Isotonic drinks are commonplace for endurance athletes – the reason is because the carbohydrate slows down the speed at which the drink passes through the body, making it a better choice for hydration. The carbohydrate has the added bonus of helping to replenish muscle fuel levels.
Drinks that contain electrolytes are a step above isotonic drinks. During heavy sweating, electrolyte loss can be high. Electrolytes (such as sodium, chloride, potassium) have a variety of benefits, including fluid balance, and it’s important to replace them.
The addition of branched chain amino acids to a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink has been shown to increase muscle fuel storage as well as reducing muscle breakdown. Many fighters may incorporate a combination of aerobic, conditioning, technical and strength training into one session. A carbohydrate-electrolyte drink with added branched chain amino acids is particularly beneficial during longer sessions.
Making weight
Dehydrating to make weight has been, and always will be, used by fighters to get into a lower weight class. From a nutritional standpoint it can’t be recommended. Remember 2% dehydration can reduce performance by 10%, which could wipe out any advantage dropping a weight class got you in the first place. Try to drop as much body fat as possible to minimize the need for water restriction. If you ‘need’ to dehydrate, it is essential to rehydrate as quickly as possible. Consume a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink immediately after the weigh-in, and continue to refuel and rehydrate as much as time allows.
When fighting, the hot lights can increase sweat rate even further so it’s vital to start the fight in a hydrated state to avoid unnecessary drops in performance. It’s relatively easy to stay hydrated; if you choose not to consume adequate fluid, you risk seeing your performance plummet. Will your opponent take that same risk?
ASK THE EXPERT Q&A
Q. I’ve read that too much protein can actually be a bad thing. Apart from almost killing my co-workers with my gas, are there any negative effects on my health from a high-protein diet?
A. Research has shown that consuming up to 2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight is safe. It sounds like you’re having an adverse reaction to poor-quality protein. Try and choose a high-quality whey protein such as Xyience XM².
Q. I drink about two or three liters of water a day, but I also drink at least three or four cups of strong coffee. I’ve heard coffee can make you dehydrated, should I drink more water to compensate?
A. ‘Old school’ thinking was that caffeine had a diuretic effect; as a result the common consensus was that those consuming caffeinated beverages, such as tea, coffee or cola, should consume additional water to compensate. More recently this viewpoint has been challenged. Research has found that caffeinated beverages had no significant differences on hydration status. You’re drinking adequate amounts of water anyway, so no need to worry either way.
Good habits
Aim to drink around two liters of fluid per day away from training. This ensures you walk around and turn up to training in a hydrated state. If you start training in a dehydrated state, you have no chance of being hydrated at the end.
For sessions where you can feel your sweat rate is increasing, aim to sip on a drink such as E² Voltage throughout the session. A good guide is sipping about 500ml per hour.
Try weighing yourself pre-and post-training; weight lost is water. A guide is to drink one liter of fluid for every kilogram of weight loss. If you find you’re losing 2% or more of body weight, you need to drink more during training.
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