FITNESS ZONE BYKARENHARRISON A dequate hydration is important for both good health and optimum sports performance. With any sporting activity lasting longer than 40-60 minutes, the con- sumption of water along with carbohydrates (your primary energy source) is performance enhancing. For a golfer, who potentially spends up to five hours playing a tournament round and countless hours practicing outdoors, ensuring adequate hydration is a MUST. Let’s examine what proper hydration means for the young golf athlete. Firstly, how is dehydration likely to affect you? In cases of mild dehydration, the signs may include one or more of the following: headache, fatigue/weakness, dizziness, dry skin/ lips, nausea and/or muscle cramps. More severe dehydra- tion can cause vomiting, confusion and agitation, with ex- treme cases ultimately leading to unconsciousness. Playing in the heat and humidity makes it even more im- portant to maintain a hydrated state since these factors increase the risk of dehydration and, even worse, a danger- ous rise in core body temperature (usually referred to as heat exhaustion or heat stroke). In fact, these heat-related illnesses can occur even while exercising in a temperature environment that’s only mid-60’s°F! Most healthy children and adolescents can safely participate in activities in warm to hot conditions, however, with suitable preparation. KNOWTHERISKS Being aware of the risk factors for dehydration or other heat-related illnesses is the first step toward prevention. Some of the risk factors affecting golfers may include in- sufficient consumption of fluids during play, poor fitness, inadequate pre-hydration, little sleep/recovery, illness, heat-retentive clothing or two rounds played in one day. Clearly, poor fluid management can negatively influence performance, especially in the heat. Even mild dehydra- tion has been shown to reduce the muscular co-ordination required during sports activity, affect mental clarity (focus, alertness, the ability to concentrate, decision making) and make everything basically harder to do. A 2012 research study demonstrated that mild dehydration negatively af- fected both swing mechanics and decision-making, includ- ing the ability to judge distances, note changes in slope and recognize differing shades of green. Ultimately, this led to reduced distance and accuracy of the golf shots measured. RECOGNIZETHESYMPTOMS Howdoyouknowifyouaredehydrated?Oneofthesimplest ways is to check the color of your urine. Generally, pale yel- low (the coloroflemonade) is a good indication that you are well-hydrated, and darker than the color of apple juice may indicate dehydration. For an even more accurate gauge, determine your sweat rate during exercise under differing environmental con- ditions. In practice sessions, measure your weight before and after a period of practice, also noting how much fluid you’ve consumed. The total amount of fluid and weight lost per hour can be easily calculated. Obviously, it will differ be- tween individuals and according to the climatic conditions, but engaging in this type ofpreparation allows you to devel- op your own hydration strategy for both the practice setting and under tournament conditions. This in turn can improve the quality of your practice and maximize performance. The pros do it! In a conversation with former LPGA player Sue Kim (Cana- da), she related how she had a problem with drinking fluids on the course. “I would never drink enough during a tournament,” she said. “I simply forgot to drink.” Her solution? Kim modified her pre-shot routine. Arriving at each new shot, she first took a few sips of water before hitting. It helped her to maintain a hydrated state during a round and the action became automatic, ensuring she didn’t forget to drink. With that in mind, here are some things to remember about staying properly hydrated. GENERALADVICE • As a guide, 13-16-year-olds need 1.6-1.9 L, or 54 oz– 64 oz, of total fluid each day (from food and liquids). Exercise will increase this amount. • Be prepared – bring adequate water with you to the course/practice range. There may not always be opportunities for purchasing water when you need it (e.g. ninth hole). • Be aware that thirst may not be a good indicator of how dehydrated you are. • Develop your own customized fluid replacement strategy and evaluate in training first before attempting it during a tournament. CONSUMINGFLUIDS BEFORE EXERCISE • Aim to start your practice/tournament in a well-hydrated state – check your urine color (ideally pale yellow). • Consume 8 oz–24 oz or 250–700 ml or 1-3 cups before exercising. • Consider including sodium in foods/fluids, as it will help you to retain fluid during exercise. DURINGEXERCISE • Aim for 4-8 oz or 125–250 ml or ½–1 cup of fluid every 20 minutes. Hydration – A “Must” forYoung Golf Athletes 6 | December 2017 #juniorgolfmag Visit us at juniorgolfmag.net • Water is the number one choice for fluid replacement in most instances. • Consume small volumes of fluid frequently throughout the exercise/round/practice. • Avoid over-drinking. A condition called Hyponatremia (low blood sodium level) can result from consuming too much water, with symptoms shockingly similar to dehydration. • Recommendations are to consume enough fluid to minimize loss of body mass (1-2% loss). • There may be a case for sports drinks in certain circum- stances when a source of carbohydrates and electrolytes (primarily sodium) is required (e.g. when access to food is limited). • Cold drinks may help to reduce core body temperature during exercise in the heat and increase the tendency to consume more fluid. Flavored waters may also increase consumption. • Avoid energy drinks at all costs! RECOVERY • The goal is to drink up to 150% of the fluid lost during exercise (based on weight). Yes, more than you lost…this accounts for the obligatory urinary losses. • Eat a meal post-practice/tournament – it will provide the carbohydrates, protein and electrolytes necessary for recovery. The optimal fluid intake strategy for young golfers will vary, based on climatic conditions, the opportunity to eat/drink, stomach comfort and a person’s own physical makeup and biochemistry. Consider the hydration recommendations provided and work on developing your own customized hy- dration strategy for both practice sessions and tournament rounds. It should be considered an essential element of a golf athlete’s preparation. KarenHarrisonbringsherpassionforthedevelopmentof juniorgolferstoBishopsGateGolfAcademywherestudents areinspiredtobuildexcellenceingolfskillandcharacter. Formoreinformation,visitBGGA.com.