Hydration by Sport: How Much to Drink and When

How much should you drink, and when? This page answers that for 46 sports, jobs and everyday situations, with the measured fluid and sodium cost of each and a before/during/after protocol you can follow with any electrolyte. Figures are in US units.

The targets, in one place

Per hour of hard work: 16–24 oz of fluid · 500–700 mg sodium · 150–300 mg potassium · 30–60 mg magnesium.
Per day, mostly from food: 64–80 oz of fluid · 1,500–2,300 mg sodium · 2,600–3,400 mg potassium · 310–420 mg magnesium.

One Engineered Nutrition stick in 16 oz of water supplies 600 mg sodium, 188 mg potassium and 34 mg magnesium, which is why the protocols below are counted in servings. Any electrolyte that hits the same numbers works the same way.

Where these come from. Fluid and sodium ranges are drawn from the ACSM and NATA position stands on fluid replacement and from published sweat-composition research (Maughan & Shirreffs, 2008; Baker, 2017). Individual sweat rate and sodium concentration vary widely — weigh in and out of one session to find yours.

Find your activity

How much should you drink for CrossFit?

Short answer: CrossFit costs about 32–64 oz of sweat in one WOD. That is 2–4 lb of body weight. Sodium loss runs 300–800 mg of sodium gone in 60 minutes. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical CrossFit day takes 1–2 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

The WOD is a fluid problem before it is a fitness problem. Sixty minutes in a hot box takes more sodium than an hour of road running. Most athletes walk in already behind and drink nothing until the cash-out.

What CrossFit costs you

• 32–64 oz of sweat in one WOD. That is 2–4 lb of body weight.
• 300–800 mg of sodium gone in 60 minutes
• 3× faster electrolyte loss than steady cardio
• 10–20% strength drop at just 2% dehydration

The CrossFit hydration protocol

• Before — The hour before the WOD: 16–20 oz of water; One stick, sipped over the hour
• During — Between rounds: The same bottle, 4–6 oz a round; Sip, do not slam
• After — Within 30 min post-WOD: 24 oz of water per pound lost; Then a real meal with salt on it

Signs you are under-hydrated in CrossFit

• Core temperature climbs fast
• Sweat rate hits 32–64 oz an hour
• You feel fine, so you do not drink

Tip. Weigh yourself before and after the WOD. Every pound lost is 24 oz of water with electrolytes, not plain water.

Hydration is not about drinking more. It is about drinking smarter, with the right timing and the right minerals. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for HYROX?

Short answer: HYROX costs about 40–70 oz of sweat over a full HYROX. Sodium loss runs 700–1,400 mg of sodium gone by the finish line. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical HYROX day takes 3 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Eight runs, eight stations, and a sodium bill nobody budgets for. Sixty to a hundred minutes of sustained effort in a warm hall. The runs punish anything sugary in the stomach, so most people drink nothing, and the farmer’s carry collects the debt.

What HYROX costs you

• 40–70 oz of sweat over a full HYROX
• 700–1,400 mg of sodium gone by the finish line
• Station 6–7 where the sled pull and the farmer’s carry cramp
• 2–4 min slower on the back four runs when you are 2% down

The HYROX hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to the start line: 16–20 oz with a stick at T-90; 8 oz plain water in the last 20 min
• During — The halfway transition: A pre-mixed 12–16 oz bottle in the transition zone; 4–6 oz at rowing and the carry
• After — The first hour after the finish: 24 oz per pound lost; Salty food, then a real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in HYROX

• Heart rate high from the gun, sweat pouring in a warm hall
• Plain water at the start line sloshes on run two
• Sodium loss is already 300+ mg and you have not noticed

Tip. Practice the mid-race bottle in your sims. A stomach that has never had 12 oz at station four will not like it on race day.

HYROX is won at stations six through eight. Put the sodium in before you need it and the back half is yours. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Group Fitness?

Short answer: Group Fitness costs about 24–48 oz of sweat in a hard class. Sodium loss runs 300–600 mg of sodium gone before the cool-down. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Group Fitness day takes 1 electrolyte stick, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

A warm room, a coach who never stops, and a class that falls apart at the 35-minute mark. Forty-five to sixty minutes of heart rate up the whole time. Interval formats drain sodium faster than steady cardio, and the 6 am class runs on coffee and nothing else.

What Group Fitness costs you

• 24–48 oz of sweat in a hard class
• 300–600 mg of sodium gone before the cool-down
• 0 oz of water most people drink before a 6 am class
• Minute 35 where the energy drops off a cliff

The Group Fitness hydration protocol

• Before — The drive to class: 16 oz with a stick on the way over; Coffee after, not instead
• During — Every water break: The studio bottle, 4–6 oz a break; Water is fine here
• After — Within 30 min: 16 oz of water; A real breakfast or lunch

Signs you are under-hydrated in Group Fitness

• Coffee and no water: you start behind
• Sweat rate climbs fast in a warm room
• Heart rate spikes higher than the work deserves

Tip. Mix the bottle the night before and leave it in the fridge. The 6 am you will not do it.

Class is only as hard as how dry you walk in. Fix that on the drive over. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Powerlifting?

Short answer: Powerlifting costs about 2 hours of session, and the deficit builds through all of it. Sodium loss runs 400–800 mg of sodium gone on a squat or deadlift day. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Powerlifting day takes 2 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Low sweat per minute. A lot of minutes. Set four is where the nervous system runs out of salt. Two-hour squat days in a hot gym quietly drain sodium and magnesium. You do not feel it as thirst. You feel it as a bar that got heavier after the first hour.

What Powerlifting costs you

• 2 hours of session, and the deficit builds through all of it
• 400–800 mg of sodium gone on a squat or deadlift day
• 3–5% off the bar at 2% dehydration. On a 500 lb pull that is 15–25 lb.
• Set 4 where the nervous system stops firing hard

The Powerlifting hydration protocol

• Before — The hour before the session: 16 oz with a stick; Pre-workout separate, if you use it
• During — Between sets: The jug, 4–6 oz between heavy sets; Second stick at the 60-minute mark on squat and deadlift days
• After — Within an hour: 20 oz of water; A real meal with salt on it

Signs you are under-hydrated in Powerlifting

• Dry pre-workout and no water: you start behind
• Heart rate spikes on each set and takes longer to settle
• The gym is hotter than you think

Tip. Keep the pre-workout and the stick in different bottles. Stims dehydrate; the stick is the fix, not the mixer.

The bar does not get heavier in hour two. You get drier. Fix the jug and the numbers hold. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Bodybuilding & Gym?

Short answer: Bodybuilding & Gym costs about 24–48 oz of sweat in a high-volume session. Sodium loss runs 400–900 mg of sodium out, on top of what the diet already cut. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Bodybuilding & Gym day takes 1–2 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

No pump, flat, foggy. That is not a volume problem. It is a sodium problem on a diet. High-volume training with short rests sweats more than people think, and a calorie deficit already cuts sodium. Add a cardio finisher or a sauna and the daily loss doubles.

What Bodybuilding & Gym costs you

• 24–48 oz of sweat in a high-volume session
• 400–900 mg of sodium out, on top of what the diet already cut
• No pump because sodium is what pulls water into the muscle
• Flat is the word for low sodium plus low calories

The Bodybuilding & Gym hydration protocol

• Before — The shaker on the way to the gym: 16 oz with a stick, before the pre-workout; Coffee after, not instead
• During — Between sets: The same bottle, 4–6 oz between sets; Water top-ups after that
• After — Within an hour, especially on a cut: 20 oz of water; The post-workout meal with salt on it

Signs you are under-hydrated in Bodybuilding & Gym

• You wake up down a pound of water
• Fasted cardio on plain water takes more sodium
• The diet already cut most of the salt

Tip. On a cut, never drop water and sodium together. Drop calories, keep the salt, and the mirror gets better, not worse.

The pump is water and sodium in the muscle. Feed it and the volume finally shows. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Olympic Weightlifting?

Short answer: Olympic Weightlifting costs about 2 hours of platform time, with the deficit building the whole way. Sodium loss runs 300–600 mg of sodium gone in a session that never felt hard. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Olympic Weightlifting day takes 2 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Timing is a nervous-system job. The third pull goes late before the legs go weak. Two hours of maximal, technical reps with full rest. Sweat is modest, the session is long, and timing is the first thing that goes when magnesium and sodium run low.

What Olympic Weightlifting costs you

• 2 hours of platform time, with the deficit building the whole way
• 300–600 mg of sodium gone in a session that never felt hard
• Late is the word for the third pull when the signal slows
• 60 min where misses stop being strength misses

The Olympic Weightlifting hydration protocol

• Before — The hour before you touch the bar: 16 oz with a stick; A small meal; not fasted
• During — Between attempts: The platform bottle, a few sips per attempt; Second stick at the 60-minute mark
• After — Within an hour: 20 oz of water; A real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Olympic Weightlifting

• Training fasted and dry because it is skill work
• Coffee and no water: nervous system starts behind
• Everything moves fine at 70%

Tip. Skill work still needs fuel. If the snatch goes late after an hour, check the bottle before you check the technique.

Technique is a signal. Keep the wire it runs on full and the lifts stay on time. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Strongman?

Short answer: Strongman costs about 48–96 oz of sweat on a contest day for a 250 lb athlete. Sodium loss runs 1,000–2,000 mg of sodium out between the first event and the last. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Strongman day takes 5 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Big bodies lose big sodium. The last carry is where the plan runs out. Medleys spike heart rate, contests run all day outdoors, and the rests are long enough to cool down but not to rehydrate unless it is planned.

What Strongman costs you

• 48–96 oz of sweat on a contest day for a 250 lb athlete
• 1,000–2,000 mg of sodium out between the first event and the last
• Event 4–5 where grip goes on the carry
• 5–8% off the top-end effort when you are 2% down

The Strongman hydration protocol

• Before — Breakfast to the first event: 32 oz across the morning with two sticks; Salty breakfast
• During — Between every event: A pre-mixed 20 oz bottle per event; Sip through the rest, do not slam
• After — The first two hours: 24 oz per pound lost; A real meal, then another

Signs you are under-hydrated in Strongman

• One giant jug at breakfast and nothing planned after
• Heart rate spikes on the medley and settles slowly
• Sweat pours in the sun and no one drinks between events

Tip. Pack a cooler of pre-mixed 20 oz bottles, one per event, the night before. Plans made at the contest do not happen.

Strongman is decided by whoever still has grip on event five. Put a bottle at every event and that is you. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Calisthenics?

Short answer: Calisthenics costs about +50% more sweat in the sun than the same session indoors. Sodium loss runs 300–700 mg of sodium out in a park session. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Calisthenics day takes 1–2 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Sun on the bars doubles the loss you never feel. Grip goes first. Outdoor park sessions in the sun, long skill sets, high grip demand. Body-weight athletes underestimate sweat because there is no barbell telling them how hard it was.

What Calisthenics costs you

• +50% more sweat in the sun than the same session indoors
• 300–700 mg of sodium out in a park session
• Forearms are the first muscle to cramp when sodium and magnesium drop
• Earlier is when holds start to shake when you are dry

The Calisthenics hydration protocol

• Before — The walk to the park: 16 oz with a stick; Coffee after, not instead
• During — Between sets: The bottle, 4–6 oz between skill sets; Refill at the fountain
• After — Within 30 min: 16 oz of water; A real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Calisthenics

• Walked over on coffee and nothing else
• Sun on the bars, sweat starts fast
• It feels easy, so the bottle stays in the bag

Tip. A stick in the shorts pocket plus a public fountain is a real bottle. Stop training on plain fountain water.

Grip is a mineral problem before it is a strength problem. Keep the bottle full and the bar stays in your hands. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Running?

Short answer: Running costs about 20–40 oz of sweat an hour on a warm run. Sodium loss runs 500–1,000 mg of sodium out per hour for a salty sweater. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Running day takes 2–3 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Runners lose more sodium per hour than almost anyone, and put back plain water. Thirty to a hundred and twenty minutes of steady sweat, usually outdoors, often in heat. Plain water at every fountain dilutes what sodium is left, and mile eight is where the bill comes due.

What Running costs you

• 20–40 oz of sweat an hour on a warm run
• 500–1,000 mg of sodium out per hour for a salty sweater
• 2–3% slower per 1% of body weight lost
• Mile 8–10 where the calves seize and the walk starts

The Running hydration protocol

• Before — The hour before you run: 16 oz with a stick; Nothing in the last 15 minutes
• During — Every 15–20 minutes past 45 min: A soft flask with a stick, 4–6 oz at a time; Refill at a fountain and add a stick past the hour
• After — Within 30 minutes: 24 oz per pound lost; A salty snack, then a meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Running

• Coffee and no water: you leave the house behind
• Sweat starts in the first mile
• Feels fine, so the fountain gets skipped

Tip. Sip, do not chug. Small sips of a mixed flask every 15 minutes beat a full fountain stop that sloshes for a mile.

The wall at mile eight is sodium, not fitness. Carry a mixed flask and the back half is yours. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Marathon?

Short answer: Marathon costs about 1–2 lb of sweat lost every hour on the course. Sodium loss runs 3,000+ mg of sodium out over a full marathon. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Marathon day takes 5 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Nobody bonks at mile 20 because they are unfit. They bonk because the tank was empty at mile 14. Three to five hours of steady sweat, a sodium bill that can pass 3,000 mg, and aid stations that hand you plain water. The wall is a fluid and fuel problem you can plan for.

What Marathon costs you

• 1–2 lb of sweat lost every hour on the course
• 3,000+ mg of sodium out over a full marathon
• 2–3% slower pace per 1% of body weight lost
• Mile 18–22 where the cramps and the wall show up

The Marathon hydration protocol

• Before — 2 hours out, then the start line: 16–20 oz with a stick at wake-up; 8 oz plain water 20 min before the gun
• During — Every aid station, every hour: 16–24 oz an hour, sipped; One stick per hour in a handheld or flask
• After — The first hour after the finish: 24 oz per pound lost; Salty food, then a real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Marathon

• Sweat starts within minutes
• You skip the first aid stations because you feel great
• The deficit begins before anything hurts

Tip. Practice this on your long runs, not on race day. The stomach trains like the legs do.

Run the race you trained for. The wall is optional when the sodium and the carbs go in on schedule. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Ultra & Trail?

Short answer: Ultra & Trail costs about 2–4 gal of sweat over a 100-miler. Sodium loss runs 5,000+ mg of sodium out over a long day, more in the heat. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Ultra & Trail day takes 7 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Six to thirty hours on your feet. The gut quits before the legs do, and sodium is what keeps it working. Heat, altitude and cold in the same day. Sweat rate swings hour to hour, aid-station drink you have never trained with, and nausea that shows up the moment you switch to plain water.

What Ultra & Trail costs you

• 2–4 gal of sweat over a 100-miler
• 5,000+ mg of sodium out over a long day, more in the heat
• Nausea is the first sign the gut has stopped absorbing
• Hour 6–10 where the climbs cramp and the aid station spins

The Ultra & Trail hydration protocol

• Before — Wake-up to the start: 16 oz with a stick at wake-up; Another 16 oz with a stick at T-60
• During — Every hour, every aid station: 16–24 oz an hour, sipped; One stick per hour; two in the heat of the day
• After — The first two hours: A stick per 16 oz until the urine goes pale; Salty food, then real food

Signs you are under-hydrated in Ultra & Trail

• Cool morning, sweat hidden under layers
• Running the early climbs too hard
• Aid-station drink you have never tried

Tip. Carry your own sticks and mix into aid-station water. Never race on a drink you did not train with.

Ultras are eating contests with running in between. Sodium is what keeps the eating possible. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Road Cycling?

Short answer: Road Cycling costs about 60–90 oz of sweat in three summer hours. Sodium loss runs 1,500+ mg of sodium out on a long ride. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Road Cycling day takes 5–6 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Airflow hides the sweat, not the loss. Three summer hours cost you a bottle every 30 minutes. Cyclists under-drink on every ride because the wind dries the sweat before they see it. Three hours in July costs 60–90 oz of fluid and a sodium bill the plain-water bottle never covers.

What Road Cycling costs you

• 60–90 oz of sweat in three summer hours
• 1,500+ mg of sodium out on a long ride
• Hour 2 where the quads cramp on the second climb
• White bibs are a heavy salt sweater telling on you

The Road Cycling hydration protocol

• Before — The hour before you roll: 20 oz with a stick; Salty breakfast
• During — One bottle an hour, two in heat: A stick in every bottle, 20–24 oz an hour; Sip every 10–15 minutes on a timer
• After — Within the hour: 24 oz per pound lost; A real meal with salt on it

Signs you are under-hydrated in Road Cycling

• Wind dries the sweat; you drink half a bottle
• Coffee stop instead of a fill-up
• Sodium loss is invisible and already 400 mg

Tip. Set a bottle alarm every 15 minutes. Cyclists never feel thirsty until it is too late, so drink on the clock, not on thirst.

The wind is lying to you. A stick in every bottle is the only honest number on the ride. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Mountain Biking?

Short answer: Mountain Biking costs about 100 oz of plain water in the bladder, and no sodium anywhere. Sodium loss runs 1,200+ mg of sodium out over a long ride. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Mountain Biking day takes 4–5 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Arm pump is sodium and magnesium leaving. The bladder on your back is full of plain water. Short violent efforts and long climbs in the sun, with a hydration pack that is easy to forget. Grip demand makes forearm and hand cramps the first sign you are behind.

What Mountain Biking costs you

• 100 oz of plain water in the bladder, and no sodium anywhere
• 1,200+ mg of sodium out over a long ride
• Arm pump arriving earlier each lap is the first sign
• Lap 3 where line choice gets sloppy and the crash happens

The Mountain Biking hydration protocol

• Before — The drive to the trailhead: 20 oz with a stick; Salty breakfast
• During — Sip every 10–15 minutes: Two sticks in a 100 oz bladder at the trailhead; A stick per hour if you refill
• After — At the car: 24 oz per pound lost; A real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Mountain Biking

• A full bladder of plain water and no salt
• Sun on the climb, sweat under the pack
• Feels great; you barely drink

Tip. Mix into the bladder, not just a bottle. The bladder is the thing you actually drink from on the trail.

The bladder is full and you are still dry. Drop two sticks in it and the arm pump stops arriving. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Triathlon?

Short answer: Triathlon costs about 16–24 oz of sweat lost in the swim that nobody counts. Sodium loss runs 2,000+ mg of sodium out over a half; double for a full. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Triathlon day takes 8 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

You leave the water already low. The bike is where the run is won or lost. You sweat in the water and never notice it, dry out on the bike, then run in the heat of the day. The bike is the only leg where you can drink comfortably, so that is where the plan lives.

What Triathlon costs you

• 16–24 oz of sweat lost in the swim that nobody counts
• 2,000+ mg of sodium out over a half; double for a full
• Mile 1 of the run is where the calves lock off the bike
• T2 slosh is plain water on the bike telling you it never absorbed

The Triathlon hydration protocol

• Before — Wake-up to the swim start: 16 oz with a stick at wake-up; 16 oz with a stick at T-60
• During — The bike, every 15 minutes: One bottle an hour, one stick each; two in heat; A pre-mixed flask on the run belt, small sips
• After — The first two hours: 32 oz over the afternoon with two sticks; Salty food, then a real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Triathlon

• Sweat in a wetsuit you never feel
• Salt water or a warm lake: no way to drink
• Out of the water down a pound already

Tip. Rehearse the exact bottle plan on every brick. T2 is not the place to find out your stomach hates something.

Triathlon is three sports and one hydration plan. Put it on the bike and the run takes care of itself. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Swimming?

Short answer: Swimming costs about 16–32 oz of sweat in a practice you never felt. Sodium loss runs 300–700 mg of sodium out, per practice, per day, twice. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Swimming day takes 3 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

You sweat in the pool and never feel it. The last set is where the calves find out. Two-hour practices in a warm pool, twice a day in season. Swimmers lose fluid and sodium at rates close to runners and drink almost nothing because they never feel hot.

What Swimming costs you

• 16–32 oz of sweat in a practice you never felt
• 300–700 mg of sodium out, per practice, per day, twice
• Last set is where the calves and feet cramp
• Afternoon practice is where the fog shows up

The Swimming hydration protocol

• Before — The locker room: 16 oz with a stick before you hit the deck; Breakfast, even a small one
• During — At the wall, every set: The deck bottle, a few sips at every wall; A stick in the deck bottle
• After — Between doubles: 20 oz of water; A real meal between practices

Signs you are under-hydrated in Swimming

• Woke up down a pound and drank nothing
• The pool is warm; sweat starts immediately
• No thirst signal, so the bottle stays dry

Tip. Weigh in and out of one practice. Most swimmers are shocked at the number. Then they start drinking.

The pool hides the sweat. The deck bottle is where you put it back. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Rowing?

Short answer: Rowing costs about 32–48 oz of sweat an hour on the erg. Sodium loss runs 700–1,200 mg of sodium out in a hard session. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Rowing day takes 4 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Full-body maximal effort in a room with no airflow. The third 500 is where the legs cramp. Sweat is enormous for the duration, the erg room has no wind, and regatta days stack heats hours apart in the sun. Nobody drinks between heats because they might feel heavy.

What Rowing costs you

• 32–48 oz of sweat an hour on the erg
• 700–1,200 mg of sodium out in a hard session
• Third 500 is where the legs lock
• Regatta days stack heats in the sun with hours between

The Rowing hydration protocol

• Before — The hour before the first piece: 16 oz with a stick; Salty breakfast on regatta days
• During — Between pieces and between heats: A mixed bottle, 6–8 oz between pieces; A stick in 12 oz between heats
• After — Within the hour: 24 oz per pound lost; A real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Rowing

• No airflow; sweat pours from minute five
• Feels strong, bottle untouched
• Sodium already 300 mg down

Tip. Put the bottle on the erg rail, not in the bag. Out of reach is out of mind for two hours.

The erg room has no wind and no mercy. A bottle between pieces is the difference in the third 500. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Spartan & OCR?

Short answer: Spartan & OCR costs about The rig is where low sodium and magnesium show up first. Sodium loss runs 1,000+ mg of sodium out on a Super; double on a Beast. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Spartan & OCR day takes 5 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Grip obstacles are the first to expose a sodium deficit. The rig does not care how fit you are. Hills, mud, sun and grip obstacles for one to six hours. Water stations are far apart and hand out plain water. Carrying your own sticks turns course water into real hydration.

What Spartan & OCR costs you

• The rig is where low sodium and magnesium show up first
• 1,000+ mg of sodium out on a Super; double on a Beast
• Hill climbs are where the calves cramp
• Plain water is all the course will give you

The Spartan & OCR hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to the start corral: 16 oz with a stick at T-90; 8 oz plain water at the corral
• During — Every water station: Course water mixed with your own stick, 8–12 oz; A flask on the belt for between stations
• After — The first hour: 32 oz with two sticks over the afternoon; Salty food, then a real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Spartan & OCR

• Started on plain water and adrenaline
• Sweat starts on the first hill
• Skipped the first water station because it was crowded

Tip. Sticks in a zip bag in the race belt. Mud and water stations do not mix with paper packaging.

OCR is a grip contest disguised as a run. Keep the sodium in and the rig is yours. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for DEKA?

Short answer: DEKA costs about All-out effort for every station, no coasting. Sodium loss runs 400–800 mg of sodium out in under an hour. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical DEKA day takes 3 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Short enough that people skip hydration. Long enough to punish that at zone seven. Ten stations with 500-meter runs between them, twenty to sixty minutes indoors and warm. Short and all-out drains you faster than long and steady. Front-loading at T-90 is what zone seven runs on.

What DEKA costs you

• All-out effort for every station, no coasting
• 400–800 mg of sodium out in under an hour
• Zone 6–7 where the fade and the lunge cramp show up
• Slosh on the runs is what a start-line chug gets you

The DEKA hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to the start line: 16 oz with a stick at T-90; 8 oz plain water in the last 20 min
• During — Between zones, only past 45 min: Sips from a mixed bottle at the transitions; Nothing on a 20–30 minute race
• After — Within 30 minutes: 20 oz with a stick; A real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in DEKA

• Nothing before because it is a short race
• Heart rate maxed from the first run
• Sweat pouring in a warm arena

Tip. Do not chug at the start line. Ninety minutes out is when the fluid absorbs. Twenty minutes out is when it sloshes.

DEKA is short because you empty the tank. Fill it at T-90 and zones seven to ten are the fast ones. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Soccer?

Short answer: Soccer costs about 7 miles of running in a full match. Sodium loss runs 800–1,500 mg of sodium out in ninety minutes. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Soccer day takes 2–3 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Seven miles of running in ninety minutes, one real break, and the touch goes heavy after halftime. Afternoon heat, turf, and tournaments that stack two or three games in a day on plain water and orange slices. Sodium and potassium are gone by the second half.

What Soccer costs you

• 7 miles of running in a full match
• 800–1,500 mg of sodium out in ninety minutes
• Minute 70 where the calves and hamstrings cramp
• Heavy touch after halftime is a hydration tell

The Soccer hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to kickoff: 16 oz with a stick at T-90; 8 oz plain water in warm-up
• During — Halftime, and every stoppage in heat: A pre-mixed 16 oz bottle at halftime; Sips at injury stoppages
• After — Within 30 min, and between tournament games: 20 oz with a stick; Real food between games, not orange slices

Signs you are under-hydrated in Soccer

• Warm-up in the sun on nothing but breakfast
• Sweat starts before kickoff
• Heart rate climbs faster than the tempo

Tip. Mix the halftime bottle before kickoff and leave it on the bench. Halftime is fifteen minutes and you will not do it then.

Games are won in the last twenty minutes. The halftime bottle decides who still has legs. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Football?

Short answer: Football costs about 32–64 oz of sweat an hour in pads for a lineman. Sodium loss runs 2,000+ mg of sodium out in a camp practice. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Football day takes 8 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Pads trap heat. Linemen sweat more than anyone on a field. The night cramp is the bill. August camps run two sessions a day in full gear. Losses can top 32 oz an hour with very high sodium, and the gap between two-a-days is where the deficit builds.

What Football costs you

• 32–64 oz of sweat an hour in pads for a lineman
• 2,000+ mg of sodium out in a camp practice
• 2 am is when the calf cramp wakes you up
• 4th quarter fog is dehydration, not conditioning

The Football hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to the first drill: 32 oz across the morning with two sticks in heat; Salty breakfast
• During — Every water break: A mixed bottle at every break, 8–12 oz; One stick per hour; two in pads in the heat
• After — Between sessions and before bed: 32 oz with two sticks between two-a-days; A stick before bed on camp days

Signs you are under-hydrated in Football

• Helmet on, core temperature climbs from the first drill
• Water only at breaks, nothing in it
• Salt crust already forming on the strap

Tip. The gap between two-a-days is where camp is lost. Two mixed bottles at lunch, every day, no exceptions.

Camp is a hydration contest in pads. Whoever closes the gap between sessions is still fast in the fourth. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Basketball?

Short answer: Basketball costs about 32–48 oz of sweat in a full game. Sodium loss runs 700–1,200 mg of sodium out by the final buzzer. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Basketball day takes 3 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Sprint and stop in a warm gym. The fourth-quarter legs are asking for sodium, not a timeout. Indoor courts are warm, the sprint-and-stop pattern spikes sweat, and AAU weekends run three games a day. Most players drink at timeouts only, and only water.

What Basketball costs you

• 32–48 oz of sweat in a full game
• 700–1,200 mg of sodium out by the final buzzer
• 4th quarter is where the calf and foot cramps hit
• Free throws fall short late when the focus goes

The Basketball hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to tip-off: 16 oz with a stick at T-90; 8 oz plain water in warm-up
• During — Halftime and every timeout: A pre-mixed 16 oz bottle at halftime; Sips at every timeout
• After — Within 30 min, and between games: 20 oz with a stick; Real food between tournament games

Signs you are under-hydrated in Basketball

• Energy drink before tip, no water
• Sweat pouring in a warm gym from the first sprint
• Feels great; the bottle stays on the bench

Tip. Two bottles on the bench: one mixed, one plain. Mixed at halftime and timeouts, plain for the sips in between.

The fourth quarter belongs to whoever put the sodium in at halftime. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Baseball & Softball?

Short answer: Baseball & Softball costs about 4 hours of sun exposure in a doubleheader. Sodium loss runs 1,000+ mg of sodium out for a catcher in gear. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Baseball & Softball day takes 4 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Hours in the sun with short bursts. It never feels like a workout, and that is the problem. Catchers and pitchers sweat through gear; everyone else stands in the sun for hours and forgets to drink. Sunflower seeds and a soda in the dugout is salt without water and sugar without minerals.

What Baseball & Softball costs you

• 4 hours of sun exposure in a doubleheader
• 1,000+ mg of sodium out for a catcher in gear
• Late innings are where the focus fades and the errors show up
• Base paths are where the hamstring cramps

The Baseball & Softball hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to first pitch: 16 oz with a stick at T-90; 8 oz plain water in warm-ups
• During — Every three innings: A mixed bottle every three innings, 12–16 oz; Two for catchers and pitchers in the heat
• After — Between games and after: 20 oz with a stick; Real food between games

Signs you are under-hydrated in Baseball & Softball

• Coffee and no water before the first pitch
• Sun on the field, sweat you do not notice
• Catchers and pitchers already behind

Tip. A cooler in the dugout with pre-mixed bottles labeled by inning. The team that drinks in the seventh wins in the ninth.

Baseball loses games in the late innings to focus, and focus is a hydration problem. The cooler is the fix. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Lacrosse?

Short answer: Lacrosse costs about +10°F on turf versus grass. Sodium loss runs 800–1,400 mg of sodium out in one game. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Lacrosse day takes 4 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Turf adds ten degrees. The helmet keeps it in. Four games on plain water is a cramp waiting to happen. Sprints in a helmet and gloves on turf in spring and summer heat, with tournament days stacking three or four games. Replacing sodium at halftime is what keeps the fourth-quarter legs.

What Lacrosse costs you

• +10°F on turf versus grass
• 800–1,400 mg of sodium out in one game
• The clear is where the calves cramp
• 4 games on a tournament day, all on plain water

The Lacrosse hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to the first draw: 16 oz with a stick at T-90; 8 oz plain water in warm-up
• During — Halftime and every break: A pre-mixed 16 oz bottle at halftime; Sips at every stoppage in heat
• After — Between games: 20 oz with a stick between games; Real food at the tent, not just snacks

Signs you are under-hydrated in Lacrosse

• Helmet on, turf already hot at 9 am
• Water only at breaks
• Feels fine; sodium already 700 mg down

Tip. A cooler at the tent with pre-mixed bottles, one per game. Sticks in the stick bag for the ones you forgot.

Turf, helmet, four games. The team with the cooler at the tent is the team still running in the fourth. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Hockey?

Short answer: Hockey costs about 2–5 lb lost in a game you never felt hot in. Sodium loss runs 1,000+ mg of sodium out under the gear. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Hockey day takes 3 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

A cold rink hides an enormous sweat rate. Weigh in and out once and you will change your mind. Full gear, all-out shifts, short benches. Players lose several pounds a game without ever feeling hot, and the third period runs on whatever sodium went in between periods.

What Hockey costs you

• 2–5 lb lost in a game you never felt hot in
• 1,000+ mg of sodium out under the gear
• Third period is where the groin and calves cramp
• Locker room fog after the game is the deficit talking

The Hockey hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to warm-up: 16 oz with a stick at T-90; 8 oz plain water at the rink
• During — Between periods, and on the bench: A mixed bench bottle, sips at every change; A stick in 12 oz between periods
• After — Within the hour, and before the next game: 24 oz per pound lost; A stick before the next-day game

Signs you are under-hydrated in Hockey

• Gear on, core temperature climbing from warm-up
• Water only on the bench, and not much
• Feels fine; the rink is cold

Tip. Weigh in and out of one game in gear. The number ends the argument about whether hockey players sweat.

The rink is cold and you are still dry. Put the bottle between periods and the third period is yours. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Rugby?

Short answer: Rugby costs about 40–64 oz of sweat for a forward in a full match. Sodium loss runs 1,000–1,800 mg of sodium out over eighty minutes. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Rugby day takes 3 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Eighty minutes of contact and running, one break, and beer as the first thing after the whistle. Forwards carry more mass and sweat more; sevens tournaments stack short games all day in the sun. A stick at halftime keeps the scrum honest and a stick after keeps the clubhouse from wrecking tomorrow.

What Rugby costs you

• 40–64 oz of sweat for a forward in a full match
• 1,000–1,800 mg of sodium out over eighty minutes
• Late scrums are where the calves cramp
• Clubhouse beer on a deficit is tomorrow’s headache

The Rugby hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to kickoff: 16 oz with a stick at T-90; 8 oz plain water in warm-up
• During — Halftime, and every stoppage: A pre-mixed 16 oz bottle at halftime; Sips at injury stoppages in heat
• After — Before the clubhouse: 20 oz with a stick, first; Then food, then whatever you like

Signs you are under-hydrated in Rugby

• Warm-up in the sun on breakfast alone
• Contact and running from the kickoff
• Sodium already 700 mg down at halftime

Tip. Mix the post-match bottle before kickoff and put it in the kit bag. It is the one that gets skipped and the one that matters.

Rugby is eighty minutes of losing sodium. Put it back at halftime and after, and the clubhouse stops costing you Sunday. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Volleyball?

Short answer: Volleyball costs about 24–40 oz of sweat in a three-set match. Sodium loss runs 600–1,000 mg of sodium out per match; double on the sand. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Volleyball day takes 4 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Jumping loads the calves. Calves cramp first when sodium runs low. The fourth set is where it happens. Indoor tournaments run all day in warm gyms; beach adds sun and sand. Nobody drinks between matches because the next one is in twenty minutes, which is exactly when to drink half a mixed bottle.

What Volleyball costs you

• 24–40 oz of sweat in a three-set match
• 600–1,000 mg of sodium out per match; double on the sand
• Fourth set is where the calf cramps hit
• Vertical drops late when you are 2% down

The Volleyball hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to the first serve: 16 oz with a stick at T-90; 8 oz plain water in warm-up
• During — Between sets and between matches: Sips between sets; Half a mixed bottle between matches; a full one on the sand
• After — Within the hour: 20 oz with a stick; A real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Volleyball

• Coffee and no water before the first serve
• Warm gym, sweat from the first rally
• Feels easy; nothing between matches

Tip. Pre-mix two bottles before the tournament and refill them at the fountain with a stick. Courtside, not in the bag.

The fourth set belongs to whoever drank between matches. Half a bottle, every time. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Tennis?

Short answer: Tennis costs about 24–40 oz of sweat an hour on a summer court. Sodium loss runs 1,500+ mg of sodium out over a three-set match. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Tennis day takes 4 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Three hours of sprints in the sun with only changeovers to drink. The third set is a sodium contest. Two to three hours of sprints and stops on a hot court with no shade. Changeovers are the only chance to drink, and most players use them for plain water or a sugar drink that sloshes.

What Tennis costs you

• 24–40 oz of sweat an hour on a summer court
• 1,500+ mg of sodium out over a three-set match
• Hand cramps in the third set are the classic sign
• Decisions go first when the focus fades late

The Tennis hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to the first serve: 16 oz with a stick at T-90; 8 oz plain water in warm-up
• During — Every changeover: 4–6 oz of a mixed bottle at every changeover; One stick per hour; two in the heat
• After — Within the hour: 24 oz per pound lost; A real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Tennis

• Coffee and no water before the first serve
• Sun on the court from the warm-up
• Skipped the first changeovers because you were up a break

Tip. Two bottles courtside, both mixed, and drink on every changeover whether you are thirsty or not. Thirst arrives a set late.

The third set is not about fitness. It is about who drank on the changeovers. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Pickleball?

Short answer: Pickleball costs about 3 hours is the average open-play session. Sodium loss runs 800+ mg of sodium out on a summer afternoon. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Pickleball day takes 2–3 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Longer sessions than anyone expects, in full sun, and the pace feels easy right up until the calves cramp in the car. Two to three hours of quick games with no real breaks. The sweat adds up while the effort feels light, and coffee before with plain water during is the standard plan.

What Pickleball costs you

• 3 hours is the average open-play session
• 800+ mg of sodium out on a summer afternoon
• The car is where the calf cramp shows up
• Kitchen line is where the wobble and the errors show up late

The Pickleball hydration protocol

• Before — Before the first game: 16 oz with a stick, before the coffee if it is early; Coffee after, not instead
• During — Between games: Sips of a mixed bottle between games; One stick every 90 minutes; one per hour in the heat
• After — In the car: 16–20 oz of water; A real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Pickleball

• Coffee before and nothing else
• Sun on the court, sweat you barely notice
• Bottle stays in the bag; the next game is starting

Tip. Mix the bottle before the first game. Between games is thirty seconds and you will not do it then.

Pickleball is three hours in the sun that feels like one. Drink like it is three. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Golf?

Short answer: Golf costs about 5 miles walked over eighteen holes. Sodium loss runs 600–1,000 mg of sodium out on a summer round. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Golf day takes 2–3 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Five miles and four hours of sun. The back nine is where the hands stop being steady. Low intensity, long exposure, and beer and soda as the only fluids. Walking golfers cover five miles, and the focus on the back nine goes before anyone thinks about water.

What Golf costs you

• 5 miles walked over eighteen holes
• 600–1,000 mg of sodium out on a summer round
• Back nine is where the focus and the putting go
• The turn is a beer for most people, and a stick for the ones who score

The Golf hydration protocol

• Before — The first tee: 16 oz with a stick on the drive to the course; Coffee after, not instead
• During — The turn, and every six holes in heat: A mixed bottle at the turn, 16 oz; One stick every six holes in the heat
• After — The clubhouse: 20 oz of water; A real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Golf

• Coffee at the clubhouse and nothing else
• Sun from the first tee, sweat you do not notice
• Feels fine; the cart cooler has beer in it

Tip. Keep a stick in the pocket of the golf bag. Every course has water on the tee box; every course sells beer at the turn.

Golf is four hours of sun disguised as a walk. A stick at the turn keeps the hands steady when the round is on the line. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Boxing & MMA?

Short answer: Boxing & MMA costs about 32–64 oz of sweat in a sparring session with the hoodie on. Sodium loss runs 1,000+ mg of sodium out, on top of what the cut already took. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Boxing & MMA day takes 3–4 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Cuts strip water and sodium on purpose. The hands drop in round five because the tank was never refilled. Sparring and pad rounds in a hot gym with a hoodie on, plus weight cuts that empty the body by design. Fighters are the most chronically dehydrated athletes in this book, and rehydrate with plain water that goes straight through.

What Boxing & MMA costs you

• 32–64 oz of sweat in a sparring session with the hoodie on
• 1,000+ mg of sodium out, on top of what the cut already took
• Round 5 is where the hands drop and the legs go
• The cut pulls water and sodium out together, and water alone will not bring them back

The Boxing & MMA hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to the first bell: 16 oz with a stick at T-90; 8 oz plain water in the wraps
• During — Between round blocks: The corner bottle, 4–6 oz between rounds; A stick between round blocks in the hoodie
• After — After sparring, and after the weigh-in: 20 oz with a stick after sparring; After a cut: a stick per 16 oz until the urine is pale, then food

Signs you are under-hydrated in Boxing & MMA

• Cut week: already down water and sodium
• Hoodie on in a hot gym, sweat from the bell
• Nothing in the corner bottle but water

Tip. After the weigh-in, the first thing in is a stick in 16 oz, not a bagel. Then another. Then food. The order is the rehydration.

Fighters lose fights in round five to dehydration they signed up for on Tuesday. Put it back on purpose too. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Jiu-Jitsu & Wrestling?

Short answer: Jiu-Jitsu & Wrestling costs about +15°F in a gi versus no-gi in the same room. Sodium loss runs 800–1,400 mg of sodium out in a hard open mat. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Jiu-Jitsu & Wrestling day takes 3–4 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

A gi holds heat like a sauna. Grip goes first. The last roll is where the forearms find out. All-out grip work in a room with no airflow, and tournaments that stack four or five matches after a morning weigh-in. Sodium leaves fast and the first thing back in after a cut is usually a bagel and plain water.

What Jiu-Jitsu & Wrestling costs you

• +15°F in a gi versus no-gi in the same room
• 800–1,400 mg of sodium out in a hard open mat
• Forearms cramp first when sodium and magnesium drop
• Weigh-in to first match is where the tournament is decided

The Jiu-Jitsu & Wrestling hydration protocol

• Before — T-90 to the first drill: 16 oz with a stick at T-90; 8 oz plain water in the car
• During — Between rounds at open mat: A mixed bottle matside, 4–6 oz between rounds; A stick between rounds in a gi
• After — After class, and after the weigh-in: 20 oz with a stick after class; After a cut: a stick in 16 oz first, then food, then another

Signs you are under-hydrated in Jiu-Jitsu & Wrestling

• Gi on, room warm, sweat from the first drill
• Water only, and only at the break
• Feels fine; the deficit is already open

Tip. Sticks in the gi bag and a mixed bottle matside before the warm-up. Between rounds is ninety seconds and you will not mix it then.

The gi is a sauna you fight in. Put the sodium back between rounds and the last roll is yours. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Hot Yoga & Pilates?

Short answer: Hot Yoga & Pilates costs about 105°F in the room, before you move. Sodium loss runs 600–1,100 mg of sodium out while it feels gentle. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Hot Yoga & Pilates day takes 2 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

A 105-degree room takes more sweat than a run. The effort feels gentle, so nobody replaces it. Sixty to ninety minutes in a room heated to 95 to 105°F. Sweat loss rivals a hard run while the effort feels calm, and the dizzy stand-up off the mat is the deficit announcing itself.

What Hot Yoga & Pilates costs you

• 105°F in the room, before you move
• 32–48 oz of sweat in a 90-minute class
• 600–1,100 mg of sodium out while it feels gentle
• Dizzy coming up from the mat is the tell

The Hot Yoga & Pilates hydration protocol

• Before — T-60 to the door: 16 oz with a stick at T-60, sipped; Nothing in the last 20 min
• During — Between series: Sips of a mixed bottle at the mat; Not a full bottle, sips
• After — Within the hour: 20 oz with a stick; A real meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Hot Yoga & Pilates

• Came in dry to avoid feeling full
• Core temperature climbing before the first pose
• Sweat pouring; feels calm, so nothing gets replaced

Tip. Sip the bottle over the hour before class. A gulp at the door sloshes through the standing series. A sip an hour out is already in your blood.

A hot room is a hard workout in disguise. Drink like it is one and the class gives back instead of taking. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Dance?

Short answer: Dance costs about 8 hours of rehearsal on a tech day. Sodium loss runs 1,500+ mg of sodium out over a full rehearsal day. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Dance day takes 3–4 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Stage lights and costumes trap heat through eight-hour days. Dancers sweat like athletes and hydrate like office workers. Long rehearsals under lights, costumes that trap heat, and a culture of not stopping to drink. The second act is where the calves cramp and the choreography goes foggy.

What Dance costs you

• 8 hours of rehearsal on a tech day
• 1,500+ mg of sodium out over a full rehearsal day
• Second act is where the calves and feet cramp
• Foggy choreography late in the day is a hydration tell

The Dance hydration protocol

• Before — Before morning class: 16 oz with a stick before class; Coffee after, not instead
• During — Every break, every three hours: A mixed bottle in the wings, sips at every break; One stick every three hours of rehearsal
• After — After the last call: 20 oz with a stick; A real meal, even late

Signs you are under-hydrated in Dance

• Coffee and nothing else before class
• Lights on, sweat from the barre
• Feels fine; the bottle is in the bag

Tip. A mixed bottle lives in the wings, not in the dressing room. If it is more than ten steps away it will not get drunk.

Dancers train like athletes and drink like they are at a desk. Fix the bottle and the second act stops being a different show. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Hiking & Backpacking?

Short answer: Hiking & Backpacking costs about 8,000 ft is where the loss per breath doubles. Sodium loss runs 1,500+ mg of sodium out over a full day on the trail. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Hiking & Backpacking day takes 4 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Dry air and altitude pull water out faster than you notice. The summit headache is the bill. Hours of steady climbing with a pack, dry air, and thin air that strips water with every breath. Most hikers carry water and no minerals, then wonder why the legs turn to concrete on the way up.

What Hiking & Backpacking costs you

• 8,000 ft is where the loss per breath doubles
• 1,500+ mg of sodium out over a full day on the trail
• Summit headache is dehydration wearing an altitude costume
• Concrete legs on the climb are the calves out of potassium and sodium

The Hiking & Backpacking hydration protocol

• Before — The trailhead: 16 oz with a stick at the car; A salty breakfast
• During — Every refill: A stick in every other refill of the bladder or bottle; One per hour above 8,000 ft or in heat
• After — At camp or the car: 20 oz with a stick; Salty dinner

Signs you are under-hydrated in Hiking & Backpacking

• Coffee at the trailhead and nothing else
• Dry air; sweat evaporates before you see it
• Feels great; the bladder stays full

Tip. A sleeve of sticks in the hip-belt pocket. Mix into the bladder or the refill bottle at every stream and it costs you nothing.

The mountain takes water with every breath. Put the minerals in with every refill and the summit is just a view. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Skiing & Snowboarding?

Short answer: Skiing & Snowboarding costs about 0 thirst at altitude in the cold, and the loss is the same. Sodium loss runs 1,000+ mg of sodium out over a ski day under the layers. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Skiing & Snowboarding day takes 4–5 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Cold and altitude dehydrate you without thirst. The afternoon legs are the bill, and lunch was a beer. Dry mountain air, high altitude and layers that trap sweat. You lose fluid with every breath, never feel thirsty, then add a beer at lunch and wonder why the quads turn to jelly by two.

What Skiing & Snowboarding costs you

• 0 thirst at altitude in the cold, and the loss is the same
• 1,000+ mg of sodium out over a ski day under the layers
• 2 pm is when the quads go to jelly
• Lunch beer on a deficit is the afternoon headache

The Skiing & Snowboarding hydration protocol

• Before — Breakfast at the condo: 16 oz with a stick with breakfast; Coffee after, not instead
• During — The lodge stops: A stick in the lodge water at 10 am and again mid-afternoon; A soft flask under the shell for sips on the lift
• After — Après and dinner: 20 oz with a stick before the beer; Salty dinner

Signs you are under-hydrated in Skiing & Snowboarding

• Coffee and altitude; already behind at 9 am
• Layers trap sweat you never see
• Cold kills the thirst signal completely

Tip. Sticks in the jacket pocket. Every lodge has free water and every lift line is a chance to sip from a flask under the shell.

The mountain is dry, cold and high, and none of those make you thirsty. Drink on the schedule and last chair is yours. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Surfing & Paddling?

Short answer: Surfing & Paddling costs about 0 oz of water drunk in a three-hour session. Sodium loss runs 800+ mg of sodium out in a wetsuit under the sun. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Surfing & Paddling day takes 3–4 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

You sweat into the ocean and drink nothing. A calf cramp in the lineup is a safety problem, not a fitness one. Sun, salt water, wetsuits and hours of paddling. Coffee at dawn, surf until noon, nothing in between. Sodium before you paddle out is what keeps the calves safe when you are 200 yards from the beach.

What Surfing & Paddling costs you

• 0 oz of water drunk in a three-hour session
• 800+ mg of sodium out in a wetsuit under the sun
• The lineup is the worst place for a calf cramp
• Paddle back is where the arms give out

The Surfing & Paddling hydration protocol

• Before — The drive to the beach: 16 oz with a stick in the car; Coffee after, not instead
• During — Between sessions: A mixed bottle in the car, 16 oz between sessions; Sips on the beach between sets
• After — Back at the car: 20 oz with a stick; A real breakfast or lunch

Signs you are under-hydrated in Surfing & Paddling

• Coffee at 5 am and nothing else
• Wetsuit on, sun coming up, sweat you cannot see
• Feels great; the bottle is in the car

Tip. A mixed bottle in the car and a sleeve in the board bag. If it is not mixed before you park, it will not happen.

The ocean takes your sweat and gives nothing back. A bottle in the car is the difference between a session and a rescue. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Climbing?

Short answer: Climbing costs about The pump arrives early when sodium and magnesium are low. Sodium loss runs 1,000+ mg of sodium out over a crag day. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Climbing day takes 4 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Forearm pump is sodium and magnesium leaving. Staying light by staying dry costs you attempts. Long days at the crag in sun and dry air, or hours in a warm gym. Climbers under-drink to stay light, and forearms are the first muscle to cramp when sodium runs low.

What Climbing costs you

• The pump arrives early when sodium and magnesium are low
• 1,000+ mg of sodium out over a crag day
• Route reading goes foggy late in the day
• 0 lb is what a stick weighs, and the water you drink with it is what keeps grip

The Climbing hydration protocol

• Before — The approach: 16 oz with a stick at the car; A real breakfast
• During — Between attempts: A mixed crag bottle, sips at every rest; One stick every two hours; one per hour in the heat
• After — The walk out: 20 oz with a stick; A salty dinner

Signs you are under-hydrated in Climbing

• Coffee and no water to stay light
• Sun on the wall, dry air, sweat that vanishes
• Feels great on the warm-up routes

Tip. Sticks in the chalk bag pocket. Mix at the base of every route and the bottle stops being plain water by lunch.

The pump is chemistry before it is strength. Keep the crag bottle mixed and the send is a few attempts closer. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Hunting & Fishing?

Short answer: Hunting & Fishing costs about Coffee is the day’s main fluid for most hunters and anglers. Sodium loss runs 1,500+ mg of sodium out over a full day with a load. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Hunting & Fishing day takes 4–5 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Long days on coffee and beer. The hands shake when it matters, and the pack-out cramps. Full days outdoors in heat or cold, heavy packs, long hikes with a load, and caffeine as the main fluid. Salt loss is high and nobody plans for it, then the pack-out is a cramp with a load on it.

What Hunting & Fishing costs you

• Coffee is the day’s main fluid for most hunters and anglers
• 1,500+ mg of sodium out over a full day with a load
• Shaky hands when it matters is dehydration, not nerves
• Pack-out with a load is where the hamstrings cramp

The Hunting & Fishing hydration protocol

• Before — The truck at first light: 16 oz with a stick in the jug; Coffee after, not instead
• During — Every two to three hours: A stick in the jug or the boat cooler every 2–3 hours; One per hour on the pack-out or in the heat
• After — At camp: 20 oz with a stick before the beer; A salty dinner

Signs you are under-hydrated in Hunting & Fishing

• Coffee in the truck and nothing else
• Heavy pack, sweat under the layers in the cold
• Feels fine; the jug stays in the truck

Tip. A sleeve in the pack lid and one in the boat. Mix into the jug or the cooler and it is done before you think about it.

The hands shake and the pack-out cramps for the same reason. A stick in the jug at first light fixes both. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Trades & Job Sites?

Short answer: Trades & Job Sites costs about 1–2 gal of sweat on a summer workday. Sodium loss runs 3,000+ mg of sodium out on a roof in July. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Trades & Job Sites day takes 5–6 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Ten hours of sweat on coffee and soda ends in a night cramp. Every time. Roofers, framers, landscapers and warehouse crews sweat more in a workday than most athletes do in a week, and the standard fluids are coffee, an energy drink and a 20 oz water at lunch.

What Trades & Job Sites costs you

• 1–2 gal of sweat on a summer workday
• 3,000+ mg of sodium out on a roof in July
• Early afternoon headache is the deficit, not the sun
• 2 am calf cramp is the bill for the day

The Trades & Job Sites hydration protocol

• Before — 6 am in the truck: 16–20 oz with a stick; Coffee after, not instead
• During — Every break: A stick in the jug at every fill; One per two hours; one per hour above 85°F
• After — The truck home: 20 oz with a stick; A salty dinner

Signs you are under-hydrated in Trades & Job Sites

• Coffee and an energy drink; no water
• Sweat from the first hour on the roof
• Salt rings already on the shirt

Tip. A sleeve in the truck and a stick in the jug at every fill. It is cheaper than the energy drinks and it is what actually keeps you working.

The job site is a ten-hour workout. Drink like it is one and the night cramps and the 2 pm wall disappear. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Military & First Responders?

Short answer: Military & First Responders costs about +20°F under armor or a turnout coat. Sodium loss runs 2,000+ mg of sodium out on a shift in gear. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Military & First Responders day takes 5–6 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Gear traps heat. Shifts run long. Sodium under load is what keeps the ruck and the test from cramping. Armor, turnout coats and packs trap heat. Shifts run twelve to twenty-four hours with irregular meals, and the PT test is scheduled at dawn after a short night. Losses are high and unpredictable.

What Military & First Responders costs you

• +20°F under armor or a turnout coat
• 2,000+ mg of sodium out on a shift in gear
• Back half of a shift is where the fog and the mistakes show up
• The run portion of the test is where the fade hits

The Military & First Responders hydration protocol

• Before — Wake-up, before the shift or the test: 16–20 oz with a stick at wake-up; Coffee after, not instead
• During — On shift, under load: A stick per two hours on shift; One per hour under load or in gear; mix in the canteen or the bladder
• After — End of shift, after the test: 20 oz with a stick; A real meal, then sleep

Signs you are under-hydrated in Military & First Responders

• Coffee and no water at the start
• Gear on, core temperature climbing on the first call
• Sweat you cannot see under the armor

Tip. Sticks in the cargo pocket, mixed in the canteen or the bladder. Nothing extra to carry and it is the thing that keeps the back half of the shift sharp.

The gear is a sauna you work in. Put the sodium in with the water and the shift, the ruck and the test all hold. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for The Desk?

Short answer: The Desk costs about 1 lb of water lost overnight, before the first coffee. Sodium loss runs 1,500 mg of sodium is the daily floor, and coffee-and-salad days miss it. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical The Desk day takes 2–3 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Climate control, coffee, and a water bottle that never gets refilled. The 3 pm crash is mostly thirst. Most desk workers start the day behind and never catch up, then blame the crash on lunch. A stick in cold water at two is a cleaner fix for the 3 pm dip than a third coffee.

What The Desk costs you

• 1 lb of water lost overnight, before the first coffee
• 3 coffees and no water is the average desk day
• 2–4 pm is where the crash, the fog and the headache land
• 1,500 mg of sodium is the daily floor, and coffee-and-salad days miss it

The The Desk hydration protocol

• Before — First thing, before the coffee: 16 oz with a stick at wake-up; Coffee after, not instead
• During — 2 pm, at the desk: 16 oz of cold water with a stick; Not the third coffee
• After — Before the evening workout or bed: 16 oz of water with dinner; A stick before the evening workout if you train

Signs you are under-hydrated in The Desk

• Woke up a pound down and reached for coffee
• Climate control dries you out from the first hour
• The water bottle is full and untouched

Tip. A sleeve in the desk drawer and a stick in the office bottle at 2 pm. The trigger is the moment you think about the third coffee.

The desk is dehydrating and nobody tells you. A stick at wake-up and one at two is the whole fix for the 3 pm wall. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Travel & Flights?

Short answer: Travel & Flights costs about 10–20% humidity in the cabin, drier than the Sahara. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Travel & Flights day takes 4 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Cabin air is drier than a desert. You land behind and the first day of the trip pays for it. Pressurization, coffee and a small cup of water every two hours leave you well behind on landing. Two coffees and a drink on the plane is how the first day of the trip gets lost to a headache.

What Travel & Flights costs you

• 10–20% humidity in the cabin, drier than the Sahara
• 8 oz of water lost per hour in the air, through your breath alone
• Landing headache is the deficit, not the time zone
• Swollen hands and feet are the fluid in the wrong place

The Travel & Flights hydration protocol

• Before — Before boarding: 16 oz with a stick at the gate; An empty bottle through security, filled at the fountain
• During — Every three hours: A stick every three hours in the air, in the bottle you filled; Ask for a full cup of water from the cart, not the small one
• After — The first hour on the ground: 16 oz with a stick on landing; Water with the first meal

Signs you are under-hydrated in Travel & Flights

• Coffee at the gate and nothing else
• Already behind from the early alarm
• Bought a bottle of water and left it in the bag

Tip. An empty bottle through security, filled at the gate, with sticks in the carry-on. The cart water is never enough and the airport water is $6.

The cabin is a desert with a drink cart. Sticks through security and day one of the trip is yours. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Sauna & Cold Plunge?

Short answer: Sauna & Cold Plunge costs about 180°F is the room; your core climbs two degrees inside it. Sodium loss runs 500–900 mg of sodium out in one session. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Sauna & Cold Plunge day takes 3 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Twenty minutes at 180°F is a pint of sweat. Stacked after training on plain water, it drains the rest of the day. A sauna session can cost 16 to 32 oz in twenty minutes. People stack it after a hard session, hydrate with plain water, and feel drained for the afternoon and cramp that night.

What Sauna & Cold Plunge costs you

• 180°F is the room; your core climbs two degrees inside it
• 16–32 oz of sweat in twenty minutes
• 500–900 mg of sodium out in one session
• Lightheaded stepping out is the deficit, not the heat

The Sauna & Cold Plunge hydration protocol

• Before — Before you walk in: 16 oz with a stick, sipped; Especially if it follows a training session
• During — Between rounds: Sips from a mixed bottle on the bench outside; Not a full bottle in the heat
• After — Within 30 minutes: 20 oz with a stick; Then dinner

Signs you are under-hydrated in Sauna & Cold Plunge

• Already down two pounds from the session
• Plain water in the locker room, or nothing
• Core temperature still elevated from the workout

Tip. A mixed bottle on the bench outside the sauna, before you go in. If you have to walk to the locker room for it, you will not.

The sauna is a pint of sweat in twenty minutes. A stick on each side of it turns it from a drain into recovery. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for The Night Out?

Short answer: The Night Out costs about +4 oz of water lost, net, for every drink. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical The Night Out day takes 3 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Alcohol makes you lose more water than you drink, and pulls minerals with it. The morning is largely dehydration you can plan for. The headache, the foggy morning, the leg cramps overnight. Most of it is water and sodium leaving together, and a stick before bed is the whole trick.

What The Night Out costs you

• +4 oz of water lost, net, for every drink
• Minerals leave with the water: sodium, potassium, magnesium
• Overnight is when the leg cramps and the 4 am wake-up hit
• The morning headache is a deficit, not a mystery

The The Night Out hydration protocol

• Before — Before you go out: 16 oz with a stick before the first drink; Eat a real dinner
• During — Between drinks: A glass of water between drinks; Not a soda; water
• After — On the way home: 16 oz with a stick before bed; One in the morning

Signs you are under-hydrated in The Night Out

• Dinner, then drinks, no water in between
• Every drink pulls out more than it puts in
• Feels great; nobody orders water

Tip. A stick in the jacket pocket and one on the nightstand. The one before bed is the one that matters, and it is the one nobody remembers.

The night out is a hydration event. A stick before bed turns the morning from a write-off into a day. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Youth Sports?

Short answer: Youth Sports costs about Same sweat rate per pound as an adult, with a smaller tank. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Youth Sports day takes 1–2 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Kids sweat like adults per pound and never stop to drink. Half a stick, cold, gets the second game. Tournament days in the sun with three games, juice boxes and orange slices. Check with your pediatrician for kids under 12 before adding electrolytes; this page is for the ones cleared to use it.

What Youth Sports costs you

• Same sweat rate per pound as an adult, with a smaller tank
• 3 games in the sun on juice boxes and orange slices
• Mood crash mid-afternoon is the deficit, not the loss
• Game 3 is where the cramps and the tears show up

The Youth Sports hydration protocol

• Before — Before the first game: Half a stick in 12 oz, cold; Breakfast with something real in it
• During — Between games: Water at breaks in the game; Half a stick in 12 oz between games in the heat
• After — After the last game: Half a stick in 12 oz after; A real meal, not just the snack bag

Signs you are under-hydrated in Youth Sports

• Cereal and a juice box; no water
• Sun from the first whistle
• Feels fine; the bottle stays on the sideline

Tip. Pre-mix the 12 oz bottles the night before, label them by kid, and put them in the cooler. Cold is what makes them drink it.

Kids do not stop to drink. Half a stick, cold, in a bottle with their name on it, and game three is the good one. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

How much should you drink for Masters Athletes?

Short answer: Masters Athletes costs about Weaker thirst signal after 40, with the same sweat rate. Aim for 16–24 oz of fluid and 500–700 mg of sodium per hour of hard work. A typical Masters Athletes day takes 3–4 electrolyte sticks, spread before, during and after — not all at once.

Thirst gets quieter with age while losses stay the same. Drinking on the schedule keeps recovery to one day. After 40 the thirst signal weakens, the kidneys hold less water, and many people take medications that shift fluids. Recovery slows because the deficit never fully clears between sessions.

What Masters Athletes costs you

• Weaker thirst signal after 40, with the same sweat rate
• Same sodium loss as at 30, replaced less
• 2 days of recovery where one used to do
• Night cramps are the deficit that never cleared

The Masters Athletes hydration protocol

• Before — First glass of the day: 16 oz with a stick at wake-up; Before the coffee, with the medications if your doctor is fine with it
• During — Before and during a session: 16 oz with a stick before; Sips through the session; a stick past 60 min
• After — Within the hour, and before bed on hard days: 20 oz with a stick after; A stick before bed on hard-training nights

Signs you are under-hydrated in Masters Athletes

• Woke up a pound down and did not feel it
• Coffee first; the thirst never showed
• Medications that shift fluid, taken on empty

Tip. Talk to your doctor if you take blood-pressure, heart or kidney medication before changing your sodium intake. Then drink on the schedule, not the signal.

The thirst signal retires before you do. Drink on the schedule and recovery goes back to one day. Full two-page protocol, plus the carbohydrate, protein and recovery guidance that goes with it: The Hydration Playbook.

Electrolyte questions, answered

How much water should I drink during exercise?

16 to 24 oz per hour of hard work is the practical range for most people, adjusted for heat and body size. Fluid alone is only half of it: at that intensity you also need roughly 500 to 700 mg of sodium, 150 to 300 mg of potassium and 30 to 60 mg of magnesium per hour, because those leave in sweat with the water. Drinking large volumes of plain water without replacing sodium dilutes what you have left, which is why people can drink all day and still feel flat.

How much sodium do I need per hour of exercise?

500 to 700 mg per hour covers most athletes in most conditions. Heavy or salty sweaters in heat can lose over 1,000 mg an hour and need more. You can tell which you are with the salt-mark test: train in a black shirt or a dark hat and let it dry. White streaks or a crusty brim mean you lose more sodium than average.

How do I know how much I sweat?

Weigh yourself before and after an hour of training, with no clothes, towelled off. Every pound lost is about 16 oz of sweat. Under 1 lb an hour is a light sweater; 1 to 2 lb is average; over 2 lb an hour is heavy and changes your dosing. Replace about 24 oz of fluid for every pound lost, over the following few hours, with electrolytes in it.

What electrolytes do you lose in sweat?

Five, in roughly this order by weight per 32 oz of sweat: chloride 1,000 to 1,500 mg, sodium 800 to 1,500 mg, potassium 150 to 250 mg, calcium 50 to 100 mg and magnesium 10 to 30 mg. Sodium and chloride are most of what leaves. The other three are small by weight and large by effect: potassium and magnesium govern whether a muscle can relax after it fires, which is what a cramp actually is.

Do electrolytes actually stop cramps?

Sometimes, and it depends on the cramp. A cramp in the first ten minutes of a session is usually a warm-up or pacing problem. A cramp that shows up past minute 40, in the heat, in the same muscle every time, is the pattern that tends to track minerals — usually potassium and magnesium alongside sodium. Replacing them is worth trying for that second pattern. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA; this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

When should I drink electrolytes — before, during or after a workout?

All three, in different amounts. Before is the one most people skip and the one that matters most: 16 to 20 oz with electrolytes in the hour before training means the first part of the session spends fluid you have rather than fluid you are missing. During keeps the deficit from opening on anything over about an hour. After is 24 oz per pound of body weight lost, which is what makes the next session possible.

Can you drink electrolytes every day?

Yes, and for most people the daily baseline matters more than the training dose. Most of the water you lose leaves on ordinary days — coffee, climate control, a long drive, a hot afternoon. One serving in the first glass of the day is the single most useful habit, because you wake up roughly a pound of water down after eight hours without drinking.

Can you have too many electrolytes?

Yes. More sodium is not automatically better, and very large intakes matter if you have high blood pressure or kidney or heart conditions. The dose ladder in our guide tops out at one serving per hour of hard sweating plus a daily baseline, which keeps intake inside ordinary sports-nutrition ranges. If you are pregnant, nursing, under 18, on a sodium-restricted diet, or take medication for blood pressure, heart or kidney conditions, talk to your doctor before changing your electrolyte intake.

Do electrolytes break a fast?

A zero-calorie, zero-sugar electrolyte drink contains nothing that triggers an insulin response, so most fasting protocols treat it as fast-safe. Check your specific protocol. Low-carb and fasting diets actually increase sodium excretion, which is why people on them often need more electrolytes, not fewer.

Are electrolyte powders worth it?

It depends on how much you sweat. They are worth it if you train hard for 60+ minutes, sweat heavily, work a physical job, spend long days in heat, follow a low-carb or fasting protocol, or drink large volumes of plain water and still feel flat. If you are sedentary, eat a varied diet and sweat little, food covers your needs and a supplement adds little.

Is an electrolyte drink better than a sports drink?

They solve different problems. A traditional sports drink is mostly a carbohydrate delivery vehicle with some sodium; a zero-sugar electrolyte mix is mineral replacement without the sugar. If you are going long enough to need fuel, the cleaner approach is to take carbohydrate as food or gels and minerals as an electrolyte drink, so you can adjust each independently instead of being locked to one ratio.

How much water should I mix with an electrolyte stick?

16 to 20 oz of cold water per stick. Less than that and it tastes sharp and leaves the stomach slowly; much more and you are drinking for ten minutes. Cold matters — it dissolves faster, tastes cleaner and you will drink more of it. Do not double two sticks into one bottle; two sticks want two bottles of water.

What is the best hydration for CrossFit?

One serving in 16 to 20 oz sipped over the hour before the WOD, the same bottle at 4 to 6 oz between rounds, and 24 oz of water per pound lost afterwards. A WOD costs 32 to 64 oz of sweat and 300 to 800 mg of sodium in about an hour, and strength drops 10 to 20% at just 2% dehydration, so the loss shows up as the third round falling apart rather than as thirst.

What is the best hydration for a marathon?

One serving with breakfast, one per hour on the course in a handheld or flask, and one with the first bottle at the finish — five to six for most runners. A marathon costs over 3,000 mg of sodium, and plain water past mile 14 dilutes what sodium is left, which is what the wall usually is. Practise it on long runs; the stomach trains like the legs do.

What is the best hydration for football?

Two servings across the morning before a camp practice, one per hour in pads, and two between two-a-days — six to eight on a camp day. Pads and a helmet trap heat, linemen sweat more than anyone on the field, and losses can top 32 oz an hour with very high sodium. The gap between two-a-day sessions is where the deficit compounds and where the night cramps come from.

What should I drink for a desk job or the 3 pm slump?

One serving in 16 oz first thing, before the coffee, and one in cold water at about 2 pm. You wake up roughly a pound of water down, and most afternoon fog is mild dehydration wearing a caffeine costume. Daily targets are about 1,500 to 2,300 mg of sodium, mostly from food, with 64 to 80 oz of fluid.

The full protocols

Each activity above is a summary. The Hydration Playbook is the 111-page version: two pages per activity, a chapter on what your body actually loses, three self-tests for finding your own sweat rate, a mixing guide and a 7-day tracker. $20, instant PDF, and free with any Starter Kit.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This page is general education, not medical advice.