Hydrating your body during exercise is a fundamental element of performing well. If you are not making an effort to take a drink of water or sports drink every time you get a break from the match, you are most certainly thwarting your body's ability to play at the highest level.
There are several key reasons why it is important to hydrate during exercise in general and in volleyball in particular. The gist is that proper water intake allows your body to function more easily in very important ways. If you are an outdoor grass or sand player, you need to hydrate even more because the heat will strip you of even more of your fluids than the average indoor player.
Here are the main reasons you should pay attention to your hydration if you want to play well.
- Staying hydrated allows the body to get the nutrients from the food you eat through your system so you can use it for energy
- Proper hydration helps the body to digest and metabolize food and nutrients
- Hydration helps the body eliminate waste more efficiently
- Some of the water you drink is transformed into sweat which allows the body to regulate its temperature properly
