Heat and Hydration Management Strategies for Games

U16’s Nutrition Games & Competitions Heat and Hydration Management Strategies for Games

Pre-Cooling

Slushies

Ice Slushies can assist in both pre hydration and also lowering your core body temperature and thus delaying the rise in core temperature and sweating

If competing close to venues that serve slushies, grab one on your way to the game. You can even pop it into a thermos to take with you. If you need extra carbohydrate before or during the game

Make your own

Tip a little bit out of the top of a pre-made 600mL sports drink bottle.

Add 1-2 sachets of ural (from chemist) and freeze overnight

Take out of the freezer before the game, loosen the cap and gently tap the outside on a hard surface until you have slushie consistency

Ambient Heat

Avoid ambient head as much as practically possible

Seek shade wherever possible

Don’t stand in the sun between games and in breaks if possible. Find shade, and if practical continue with any of the other cooling strategies at this time. The aim is to take your core body temperature down as quickly as possible

During Game Cooling

Evaporative Cooling

The cool water on your skin, not only makes you feel cool, but also does the job of sweat, so and cools you and ideally slows the body’s sweat rate.

Fill bottles with icy cold water and spray as desired.

Keep in an esky to keep cold

Menthol Style product

How? This works works via central nervous system effect to lower perception of heat. The consumption of these items which “feel cool” when we ingest them, espeially when combined with a cool drink, works to lower “perceived effot”

2-4 menthol “lollies: taken at once with cool water.

Taken as desired throughout games. These will also add some carbohydrate for energy too (no need to go overboard)