While athletes are often aware of the importance of hydration, few have a plan for how they will hydrate based on their individual needs. What I observe is that the majority of athletes either only drink when they are thirsty or take a few sips when the coach tells them they can. But, the thirst mechanism lags behind the body's hydration level. This means that by the time an athlete feels thirsty, he/she is already 1% dehydrated. At 2% dehydration, performance can be decreased by as much as 10%. Thirst is also often stunted during activity due to the intensity of the training. Luckily, there is an easy way for every athlete to get an idea of where their fluid needs range...
