Hydrating
 

Just to pick-up on what Steve stated in another thread.

Those working a national on Labor Day weekend should start hydrating about Monday, 8/25.

Same for any other tournament. If you are one who drinks a load of water on a regular basis, you should probably start drinking at least an additional gallon of water a day three days prior to the start of the tournament. If you drink coffee or alcohol on a regular basis, you might want to increase the amount of water intake.

And don't think that this is just for those in the South or Southwest. It doesn't have to be extremely hot for someone to dehydrate especially at the higher altitudes about sea level.

Very good post, especially considering that this is an extremely hot summer
in most of the US. I will be working the 18U Elite 43' Nationals in Sulphur, La.
Everyone knows La.'s humidity is higher than most and what with the soaring
temperatures, you really have to be careful. This will be my second major
tournament in La. this year. In the first, we almost lost one umpire for good.

I found that drinking G2, whichever flavor you prefer, and sipping water every
half inning really does give a boost. I have already started the hydrating
process. Portions of the tournament start Sat. That is if we can divert this
hurricane that is presently in the gulf.

Good Luck everyone, and as Mike stated, start hydrating.

And on a related note, I just received my shipment of Mike's favorite: ammonia spirits! Ten 2 ounce bottles at my doorstep. I'll be ready. :D

10 2 ounce bottles???? Jeez...that's enough to last for a decade or more. Are you planning on sharing some with other officials?? You know that it just takes a capful or two for every gallon of water, don't you?

Blame Mike's formula: 1.5-2 ounces of ammonia spirits per gallon.

That's just ten gallons.

D'oh!!!!

Too much?

I use a 12-pack cooler.

Fill halfway with cubed ice. Add 2 oz of Ammonia Spirits and top off with water.

If that may be more than needed, same cooler, 1/3 ice, 1 oz AS and about of quart of water.

This is what works for us and helps the umpires. It is not a substitute for hydration and proper rest between games, but it certainly helps bring you back from exhaustion caused by heat quicker to "enjoy" the needed recuperation.

Key is wiping down before placing towel on head/face/neck to avoid transfering the dirt and sweat to towel. Always wring out towel well before placing in "Florida" water.

I'm not a doctor, but as an engineer, this advice does not pass the common sense test. We are not camels; the human body has a very limited ability to store excess water. A young, fit athlete's body is about 80% water by weight. Less fit and/or older people have less of their body weight made of water (muscle is about 70% water; blood plasma about 90% water. An obese older person may be only 50% water).

But, considering the young 200# athlete, he will be considered dehydrated if he has lost 1-2% of body weight through water loss, or about 2-4 pounds, or about 1/2 gallon of water (64 fl oz). The body absorbs water at a rate of about 1 pint per hour.

So, even if we assume this athlete is significantly dehydrated, say 5% of body weight loss - or 10 pounds - (where he might very well be experiencing the onset of heat exhaustion), this could be completely re-absorbed within 24 hours by drinking over that time a little more than a gallon of water + whatever fluids are continued to be lost through perspiration, etc., during that time.

I don't understand the need nor the benefit of drinking such large amounts of water so far in advance, especially if the individual is not dehydrated to begin with.

Sports doctors recommend a pre-event hydration regimen for exercise in a hot environment to be more on the order of 1 to 1.5 gallons of fluid above normal intake the day before the event. Consume another quart or so of water 2 hours prior to the event, eliminate the bladder 15 minutes before, and drink another pint of water 5 minutes before, and then drink cold water during the event.

3-4 days early? No harm, but no benefit, either, based on my research.

I absolutely refuse to eliminate my bladder, but evacuate the bladder I will consider a good idea. :confused:

:eek: Ha! Good point! :o

Mike's favorite: ammonia spirits ??? OK I am going to look online, but what are these?

I start drinking the day before, but not too much, or it is 2-4 trips in the middle of the night.

After working 3 times in 100+ index behind the plate, I am going to event a cool water chest protector.

This thread explains ammonia spirits and explains my comment about Mike's formula.

Just to be sure you know... ammonia spirit water (aka Florida Water) is only for external cooling - you do NOT drink it!

Thanks, I found info on it, but was like do you drink it too? and this does work well? Never heard of it, being a Yankee for the north.