Episode Summary
We measure bar velocity to two decimal places. Most of us have no idea whether an athlete finished practice down one pound or five.
This episode is not a reminder to drink water. It is a breakdown of what the peer reviewed research actually shows about hydration and performance, including the places where the research openly contradicts itself, followed by a system you can run on Monday morning with a bathroom scale and a whiteboard.
We cover why the hydration conversation got distorted first by industry funded research and then by the overcorrection against it, and why the popular drink to thirst message came out of a self paced endurance world that looks nothing like a prescribed weight room session.
Then we get into the mechanisms. Reduced plasma volume and what it does to stroke volume and heart rate. Impaired heat dissipation and why hydration policy and heat acclimatization policy are the same policy. The central nervous system effects on effort perception, and why that quietly breaks any RPE or RIR based autoregulation you are running. And the recovery tax, where I separate what is mechanistically plausible from what is actually supported by trials.
On the evidence: the meta analytic findings on muscle endurance, strength and anaerobic power, the three qualifiers that most coaches leave out when they quote those numbers, and why vertical jump is structurally blind to hydration status.
On the myths: why the dehydration and electrolyte model of muscle cramping is far weaker than most of us were taught, what the altered neuromuscular control model explains better, and why passive stretching working within seconds tells you almost everything you need to know.
And on safety: exercise associated hyponatremia, why sports drinks do not prevent it, why the early symptoms mimic heat illness, and the simple weigh in weigh out heuristic that helps you tell them apart on the field.
Finally, the system. The sweat rate test step by step with a worked example. The weight, urine and thirst monitoring method and how to act on the flags. Before, during and after protocols. And how to actually run all of it with a team of forty athletes and eleven minutes.
RESEARCH REFERENCED
- Savoie et al. 2015, Sports Medicine, hypohydration and muscle performance meta analysis
- Goulet 2011 and 2013, British Journal of Sports Medicine, ecological validity of dehydration protocols
- Sawka et al. 2007, ACSM Position Stand on Exercise and Fluid Replacement
- Schwellnus et al. 2009, British Journal of Sports Medicine, cause of exercise associated muscle cramps
- Miller et al. 2016, Muscle and Nerve, EAMC and neuromuscular fatigue
- Hew Butler et al. 2015, Third International Exercise Associated Hyponatremia Consensus Statement
DISCLAIMER
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, fitness, or professional advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare and fitness professionals before making changes to your training, supplementation, nutrition, or health practices. Individual results may vary. The host and producers are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any information, suggestions, or procedures discussed in this podcast.
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About Brandon Smitley
Instagram: @bsmitley @team.thirst
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Website: THIRSTgym.com
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Brandon Smitley is a world renowned strength coach and athlete for over a decade. He and his wife, Adrian, own Terre Haute Intensity Resistance and Sports Training (THIRST) where they work with youth athletes and personal training clients of all ages. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in Health and Fitness, and his Master’s degree from Indiana State University in Physical Education and Coaching. Brandon has been awarded Personal Trainer of the Year Awards from Purdue University and Indiana State University as well is the 2020 Reader's Choice for Best Personal Trainer in Terre Haute, IN and the Wabash Valley.
Brandon is a sponsored athlete with Elitefts and NutraBio where as a competitive powerlifter he currently holds the all-time world record squat in the 132 pound weight class, with a 567 pound squat. He also holds a 330 pound bench press, and 510 pound deadlift in that weight class, totaling 1377 pounds, ranking 4th all-time. He provides online coaching and programming around the world, and has personally worked with over 200 athletes in the US, UK, France, Italy, Mexico, Canada, and other countries. Brandon’s been published at Elitefts, Muscle and Performance, and Muscle and Fitness magazine.
He holds his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Level One Sports Performance (USAW), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certifications, and is educated in PRI for Fitness and Performance.
