You have to be properly hydrated to withstand high intensity training, such as tennis. The value of water,
your body’s most important nutrient, cannot be underestimated. Even a mild dehydration, as little as 2% loss of fluids, which is considered “normal” for humans, can have a detrimental outcome on your tennis performance. You don’t even feel thirsty until maybe at 3% of dehydration. At that time your performance is already impaired.
Tennis great Bjorn Borg once described a tennis match as "a thousand little sprints." As a tennis player, you have to sustain high level of quick anaerobic movements during prolonged periods, and often in high temperatures that Los Angeles presents almost all year around. It is very easy to get dehydrated.
Follow these 5 easy tips to always remain well hydrated and stay on a top of your tennis performance:
- Prepare well physically and work on your tennis fitness all year around. The fitter you are, the less vulnerable to heat and related issues you will be.
- Drink, drink, drink! Drink your first glass of water upon awakening, and keep drinking throughout the day, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Remember, if you are thirsty, it is already too late and you are not performing at your best.
- Increase salt in your food and drinks. As you sweat during your training, you lose a lot of salt electrolytes. Keep replenishing salt through food and drinks (canned soups, vegetable juices, sport drinks, salted pretzels).
- If you drink coffee or tea (and yes, it has good benefits for us), keep in mind that caffeine is dehydrating. Remember to drink 2 extra glasses of water for each glass of caffeinated beverage.
- Keep your body cool before, during and after your tennis practice. Stay in the shade whenever possible. I wouldn’t recommend putting ice directly on your muscles and joints during the practice, as your muscles can stiffen. Rather experiment with cold water. This might not work for everybody, but if your teeth and stomach are ok with it, try ice cold water in extreme heat temperatures. Have your bottle full of ice and fill it with water in between the ice cubes. Or freeze half full bottle, and then fill the other half with water. As a result the water remains ice cold for prolonged period of time. Cooling your core from inside makes a miracle for me!
Remember to keep strengthening your core and butt regularly. Also, do some lunges for your legs and butt, and stretch afterwards!
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