The Importance of Proper Hydration and Stretching

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 on many topics including Fitness, Food, and Consumer Information

Hot Topics In Fitness

    Treadmll Ratings - What Most Buyers Don't Know About Treadmill Ratings

    If you're buying a treadmill, chances are you'll want to research before you buy. Everyone wants to get the best deal for a discount price. They also want to find the best treadmill to suit their work...

    Meditation Can Also Make Your Heart Happy

    Meditation is good for your heart. This is the message recently (in the year of 2006) conveyed by the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study reported that transcendental meditation (TM), a relaxatio...

    The History Of Tai Chi

    I've got something pretty miraculous to tell you about. I found out about this awesome way of balancing your mind and body. It is like nothing I have ever seen before. It's called Tai Chi and finding ...

    Tai Chi

    TaiChi is a complete and highly developed internal martial art (Neijia). A form of moving meditation, TaiChi promotes in the practitioner a sense of Qi (breath/life energy) circulation and health. As ...

    Is Home Exercise Equipment For You?

    We are bombarded with messages about the current obesity epidemic that seems to be under way and the need to combat it with daily exercise and a healthy, well-balanced diet. The FDA has even redesigne...

    Great Cardio Workouts You Can Do At Home

    You know how important cardio workouts are for your health and wellbeing, but it's hard to get a good cardio workout in when you can't leave to house to go to the gym or for a run. Here are some great...

    5 Tips To A Strong, Muscular Physique!

    For over ten years now, I have been a drug-free competitive bodybuilder, and I can tell you first hand what it takes to develop a muscular physique. In this article, I want to discuss with you my top ...

    Pulsating Tinnitus - Here's How To Beat It

    Throbbing Tinnitus - What Causes It?

    When you can hear a regular pulsing noise in your ears in tune with your your heart beat that is probably pulsatile tinnitus. There may be single or many rhythmi...

    The Top 5 Yoga Positions

    Often times the right information can change a person's life. This happened with me and yoga.

    There are a lot of yoga positions and poses that is built to enhance posture.

    All things consider...

    Why Weight Train During Pregnancy?

    There was once a time that a pregnant woman was thought of as "fragile". Any form of exercise was strictly prohibited by doctors and feared by concerned fathers. We've now come to realize that a pregn...

    3 Steps To Starting a Successful Fall Exercise Program

    Ah, the crisp cool breeze, the invigorating feel of the outdoors as the leaves start to turn colors, the sound of kids laughing on their way to school.

    Fall is the time for new beginnings. New...

    The Importance Of Creatine In Building Lean Muscle

    Creatine monohydrate can rightly lay claim to being the most popular and arguably most effective bodybuilding supplement currently available. The beauty of creatine is that it is 100% natural and occu...

Most Recent Fitness Supplements

Interesting Today:

Most Recent Fitness Blogs:

Releated to Fitness:

Fitness Links:

Fitness Fitness Rss feeds.