Hydration Is A Key Part Of Sport

We've all seen those commercials that tell us that our bodies are made up of a large percentage of water. And while it may be hard to believe, the reality is that water is the central force of life. We are told to drink several glasses of water during the day as a way to promote our overall health. Doctors and nutritionists recommend that we make a conscious effort to stay hydrated in order to stay in our best physical shape.

The functions of water in the body are manifold. It is responsible for the transportation and nutrients and the elimination of waste products. Water lubricates joints and tissues and facilitates digestion. It regulates temperature through sweating and plays an important role in the function of several organs and glands.

In daily life, it is important to stay well-hydrated at all times. When sports and athletic activity are added into the mix, hydration becomes an even more important issue.

Exercise causes us to sweat, meaning that our bodies lose water. When we lose water, our bodies are forced to work harder. Take this statistic for example - a loss of just one percent of body weight because of sweating is related to a significant drop in blood volume and an increased effort on the part of the heart. Dehydration is also a leading cause of cramps, dizziness, fatigue and heat stroke.

This is why athletes have to pay special attention to hydration while engaging in a sport or working out.

Monitoring hydration and figuring out when to rehydrate is a trial-and-error process. All individuals are different, and each person must decide what works for him or her. The amount of fluid to take in during sport depends upon the length and intensity of exercise as well as the individual athlete. When taking into consideration other factors such as high altitude and temperature, the hydration process can be even more complicated. With time, however, most athletes come to know what works and what doesn't.

Once the amount of hydration and rehydration is determined, the beverage chosen for hydration must be determined. Many athletes and coaches insist that water is always the best choice. Nevertheless, today more and more sports drinks are hitting the market and many people are turning to them.

There is no definitive answer, however, when it comes to the real effectiveness of sports drinks. They contain electrolytes important to take in after intense exercise, but these electrolytes come accompanied by sugars, syrups and chemicals that are not always the best.

The best idea is to simply proceed with caution. Remember that sports drinks like Gatorade and PowerAde have calories - about 200 per bottle, in fact. Such calories are great to take in after a highly intense work-out, not necessarily after a 20-minute walk.

Hydration is key to performance in physical activity and to well-being as a whole. Get your water bottle ready the next time you head to the gym - you may be surprised at what a difference it makes.

Damian Papworth, an enthusiastic recreational cyclist, recently put together the Cycling Water Bottle website. He understands how important a bike water bottle is to hydration on the long outings.

Tags: bikes, Biking, Cycling, exercise, fitness, health and fitness, sport, sport and recreation

From France And Beyond: Getting To Know The Tour De France

For most Americans, the initial images that come to mind when one mentions sports are group athletics on a field. Football, baseball, and basketball are the holy trinity of sporting events States-side, but to Europeans, older and more traditional activities reign supreme.

Those in the United States might not understand the appeal of the race, but getting to know The Tour de France means starting to get excited about watching people on bicycles, too. For most amateur athletes, even a vague understanding of how fit one has to be to even consider making it to the end, let alone winning, is enough to give the race a little bit of time in between other television programming.

But make no mistake about it--rather than a simple leisurely bike ride through the countryside, The Tour de France is one grueling bike race, and the trials and tribulations of even making it to the finish are why it's the most famous race in the entire world. Rides from all over the world are competing not just against one another, but also against the landscape, the conditions, and their own psyches. The three-week long race is broken into daily segments, with very little time for recovery from day to day.

In fact, a number of riders have actually not survived The Tour de France, whether it was succumbing to heart attacks after ingesting methamphetamine while climbing part of the hills, or simply not being able to keep a bicycle on the road in times of great exhaustion. Riding the race has been compared to running in a marathon non-stop for a month, and it's no wonder why this seems an appropriate description once viewers take a single look at those treacherous mountain passes.

Though most of the accidents seem to occur during stretches through crowded mountain areas, as well as on the more hilly terrain, the race isn't all climbing and sprinting down mountains. There is a substantial amount of distance endurance riding through moderately hilly countryside, as well as some of the most famous stretches in cities, including that final lap through Paris, where thousands of locals and visitors congregate to see their favorite rider pass through and complete his epic race through France.

Aside from that, the race is known for being daunting emotionally, since much time is spent alone, unsure of one's standing in the race, and dealing with the very real thought that, after the next hundred miles, 900 more are waiting. It takes a lot out of anyone, even a famous bicyclist, to compete in this race.

Perhaps the most world-famous superhuman winner of The Tour de France is not some muscular Swiss rider or a scrappy-looking Italian, but a bona-fide American. And this American didn't just win the race a couple of times--he swept almost a whole decade, taking home seven wins in a row. This man? Lance Armstrong, the ex Mr. Sheryl Crow, and a cancer survivor. Even the European cycling fans had to admit his talents after win number two, and every year after that, it was anyone's guess as to whether or not this old (for racing standards) man could manage to pull it off again.

That one rider, who beat not only The Tour but also managed to triumph over cancer, is none other than Lance Armstrong. At the top of his game, truly, the man managed to win The Tour De France seven times in a row, often far ahead of the other riders. Armstrong is not just a legend to those in his home country, but also to many Europeans, who begrudgingly accepted him as one of the greatest cyclist of our time, and are just as excitedly rooting for him as he takes on the course as they are when their home country favorites whiz by.

No matter the reason, one thing is definitely certain about The Tour de France: it's not a sporting event for the faint of heart to participate in, and anyone watching has to give a whole lot of kudos to anyone strong--or crazy--enough to decide they're ready to take on the mountains and the landscape of France for three weeks at a time, with only a bicycle.

Damian Papworth, an enthusiastic cyclist knows how important hydration is in the sport, at all levels. For this reason, he created the Cycling Water Bottle website, offering free information on bicycle water bottles

Tags: bikes, Biking, Cycling, exercise, fitness, health, health and fitness, lifestyle, people, sport, sport and recreation, travel

Cycling Taking On New Meanings

On the list of the most high-profile sports in the world, cycling does not necessarily fall within the top ten. In fact, most of us know very little about the sport in general. Though bicycles are among the most familiar objects known to man, we are much more likely to associate them with training wheels and leisurely bike rides, not competitive, heart-pumping athletic activity. While the Tour de France and the Olympics bring some attention to the sport, it remains largely unknown. Cycling seems to simply fly under the radar.

And while cycling isn't necessarily the most popular or well-known sport in the world, it is not insignificant. The reality is that cycling is really quite exciting to follow and is extremely beneficial to practice.

Cycling was originally created, of course, as a form of getting from one place to another more than anything. While it remains both a transportation and recreational activity, it is becoming increasingly valued as a sport on a competitive level.

The earliest races took place in the 19th century, with large races becoming popular in the 1890s curing the "Golden Age of Cycling" in Europe. In fact, cycling was a quite popular sport until the mid-20th century. Today, cycling is largely known for the Tour de France, which started in 1903. It is featured in the Olympics, giving viewers another chance to experience it. Beyond these two events, however, it is a minority sport.

There are various racing formats for cycling. Road races, for example, involve both teams and individuals and are contested in a number of ways. They may last just one day or include several stages. Track racing is lesser known but also takes place throughout the year in Velodromes. In recent years, mountain bike racing has become increasingly popular and is now an Olympic sport.

Nowadays, cycling is moving beyond the world of professional racers and becoming popular among a wide array of amateur athletes and sports enthusiasts. It is an excellent way to spice up a cardio work-out.

The sport offers tons of benefits, just like most physical activity. It is linked to improved physical and mental health.

Like running, cycling is a great way to improve cardiovascular fitness. It benefits the legs, buttocks and abdomen among other parts of the body while getting heart rates up to burn calories and to lose fat. Easier on the joints than impact sports, cycling is a great cardio alternative for those with arthritis or past sports injuries. Because it is generally practiced sitting down, it is an activity within reach of all.

Those looking to try out cycling have both indoor and outdoor options. Indoor spin classes are popping up in gyms all over and seem to be all the rage. For those who prefer to be outside, the cycling options are endless. All that's necessary is a bike.

Cycling is truly a fantastic sport to both watch and practice. If you haven't gotten in on the action yet, check out your television sports channels and head to your local sporting goods stores.

Damian Papworth loves cycling, both as a leisure past-time and in weekend competition. He understands how crucial hydration in cycling is so he published the Cycling Water Bottle website. You can visit it at http://cyclingwaterbottleshop.com

Tags: bikes, Biking, Cycling, exercise, fitness, health, health and fitness, lifestyle, people, sport, sport and recreation, travel