How Much Water Should You Drink During Workout?

It is crucial to stay hydrated when you are exercising, especially during summer. The best way to hydrate yourself is to drink plenty of water.

A study on college football players showed that 98% of them had dehydration at the start of their morning evaluation. Even with minor dehydration, your ability to perform athletically declines.

Whether you work out rarely or are an elite athlete, drinking water is crucial to derive optimum benefit out of your workout.

So let us learn the answer to the question: Can we drink water during a workout?

How can dehydration affect your body?

When you work out, you lose water, both through sweat and breath. So, if you are starting out dehydrated, you are not going to get a good workout.

Water helps the body exercise effectively by maintaining lubrication within it.  Lack of hydration will make you feel lethargic and dizzy. It will affect your focus. Also, your muscles will not function, causing you to experience cramps.

Water is a crucial part of chemicals reactions in our body. When the reactions slow down, the healing of the tissues is affected. So, the muscle recovery post-workout will be slower.

What are the benefits of having water during a workout?

So, can we drink water during a workout?

Yes. In fact, we should.

If you are well-hydrated during the workout, you tend to feel stronger. Moreover, you can work out effectively for a longer time. The heart doesn’t have to work hard to pump blood to your body.

Thus, the nutrients and oxygen are transported efficiently to the muscles you are trying to build. So, you will have more energy. You can easily perform the exercises that you had been grappling with when you were dehydrated.

How much water should you drink during a workout?

The main aim of drinking water throughout your exercise regime is to prevent dehydration. However, not everyone is aware of the fluid requirements during a workout.

Even seasoned players who took part in a 10-mile (16km) race underestimated the sweat they lost and drank little water to keep themselves hydrated. They underestimated sweat loss by almost 46%, while their fluid intake was only 15%.

But it is not always about drinking more water than you are sweating. If you must figure out whether you are drinking enough water, weigh yourself before and after your workout. If your weight is altered by over 2% of the starting weight, make sure you drink more water during your exercise in the future.

To avoid calculation trouble, drink 17-20 ounces (500ml – 600ml) of water 2-3 hours prior to the workout. Again, 30 minutes before, drink 8 more ounces (230ml) of water. After you complete your workout, drink 8 ounces (230ml) of water again. Keep drinking 16-24 ounces (470ml-700ml) of every pound you lost while working out.

Hydrating yourself after a workout

Are you in a workout class that doesn’t take breaks? Can it create grave problems?

Well, not really. In case your usual routine lasts for an hour and doesn’t lead to sweating in humid and hot weather, it is possible to make it without sipping water.

An average-sized person can produce about 32 ounces (940ml) of sweat in an hour of a rigorous workout session. It might sound intense. However, you should not worry if you have already drunk the recommended amount of water throughout the day.

Bottom Line

So, is it okay to drink water during a workout?

Yes, it is.

No matter the type of exercise you are participating in, make sure you are hydrated. Prepare yourself before the workout by drinking the recommended amount. After that, to fuel your muscles, drink another glass of water after the workout regime. You don’t have to sip water throughout your workout session if you hydrate steadily throughout the day.