Rugby Coaching Blog | Professional Rugby Advice & Coaching

August 19

Water

15. Water

Whatever the weather, players must drink. However too much water and they can reduce the effectiveness of the energy systems in their body.

A player who has not drunk enough water will be more tired and less speedy than a properly hydrated player.

Here are five tips for you and your players in pre season to be in tune with hydration.

1. Weigh the players in their pants before and after training. Note down the weights before and after to note the percentage loss due to sweat. Too great a loss and not enough water is being taken on.
2. Players should start drinking water long before training starts. They should be thinking they need to have had a couple of large glasses of water before coming to training.
3. Players should start the day with a couple of large glasses of water, but then spend the rest of the day sipping water.
4. A good guide to hydration is that a player’s urine is pale yellow (not clear).
5. It is okay to drink tea and coffee. However, since these are diuretics, that is enhance dehydration, so an equal amount of water should be drunk to balance this.