Poolside Drinks

About a liter of water per hour of training. I don't like to take sugared or calore-drinks during a workout. I kind of prefer to use up the glycogen and get into a fat burning mode sooner rather than later. I'm not sure if that's exactly how it works, but I believe that sipping sugared drinks, your body will try to use up the sugar first. I'll have them, or some "goo" with water during day-long meets, to keep my energy levels up... probably about 100 calories worth every couple of hours or so. I bring 4x1-liter bottles to a day long meet, and usually drink most of it.

I drink a lot of water all day long. But I don't take a drink to the pool for my hour workouts. I probably should, but never got into it.

I have never drank during a workout. I do have a 12 oz bottle of H2O waiting in my car, but not during. I never feel dehydrated, though I probably am. In the middle of the competative season I will drink Acceleraid 12 oz after a workout.

In the summer, when the air and the water are warm, I bring a water bottle with me. I fill it about 3/4 full the night before and put it in the freezer. Before I leave for the pool I add a little hot tea (just a small amount), a little orange juice, and a touch of cranberry juice and maybe a dab of 7-up. The ice gradually melts and I am left with a refreshing drink that has just a little flavor and zip to it.

To tell the truth I have not needed any water at poolside! Maybe I am not swimming far enough!

Lapswimmer, you bring up a good question. I don't drink during a workout but should I? My workouts are typically an hour long, somewhere between 2500-3000 yards. I mix strokes (except back - I can't get over not seeing where I am going), and do drills, kick, pull, etc. Would a drink at pool side be likely to make me swim better? What is everyone's experience in this?

I have never drank during a workout... Wow! I can't make it through a 400 free warmup without sipping water! Well, I could, but I'd be annoyingly uncomfortable. As the workout goes on, I seem to need less of it. I've also gotten leg cramps before, on occasional days when I forget my water bottle. I also noticed that, for me, the fastest way to stop a cramp is to gulp down some water, fast! (Not to say that all cramps in all people are due to dehydration. Mine seem to be related to it.) Theoretically, yes, you should drink water during the workout. It doesn't take much to get dehydrated, especially during exercise. I've had 'experts' tell me that by the time you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Here, I found an article about dehydration that goes along with what I've learned about it: news.bbc.co.uk/.../2133943.stm

I tend to drink about a quart of Gatorade during an hour & 1/2 /5,000 yard workout. As a kid growing up, I wouldn't drink at all during a 10,000 yard workout. I'm not sure how I managed that.

Too many years ago when I was swimming 13 2 hour plus sessions a week I never drank when i was poolside. I am not saying it was unheard of; just the research was not as pronounced then as it is now. Originally posted by jean sterling Before I leave for the pool I add a little hot tea (just a small amount), a little orange juice, and a touch of cranberry juice and maybe a dab of 7-up. The ice gradually melts and I am left with a refreshing drink that has just a little flavor and zip to it. Jean appears to me to have messed about with her drink to come up with something that works for her. Different question is does it help physically or mentally? Since I got back into my swimming several months ago, I feel I am probably working as hard at the pool as I was all those years ago but now I am wise enough to let others guide me(and the evidence appears to justify replenning our bodies at the time). I did try just water, lucozade (gatorade equivalant) and mild squash drinks and whilst there may be a physical effect of drinking I believe so much in our sport is ritual, is belief, is a mental thing that when it dawned on me I needed sugar for 'zip' and I needed to replace the salt I was sweating out it kind of made sence to make my own drink. This was also about the same time a British Skier was banned for using an over-the-counter medication he had bought in the States which had ONE different ingredient to the same brand he bought at home that met all criteria ref banned substances. I might suggest that all of you competitive swimmers look closely at the ingredients of your drink and maybe, just maybe concider making your own concoction with advice from your mentor if needed. Paul

My usual drink is plain water, but I have not be consistently bringing a bottle with me to the pool. I am probably getting s somewhat dehydrated without realizing it, and I do know I should drink more, this thread serves as a prompt to me to do just that -- so thanks! If I were to make my own concoction, what ingredients should I be looking to include, I do find Jean's drink interesting, and my try it just out of curiosity;) Any other suggestions?? Thanks, Nancy