Career progression

When I started my career, I wanted to be an athletic trainer in order to help other injured athletes return to their desired level of activity safely. Since I did not have any sports medicine care when I was younger, I struggled with injuries that could have been prevented, detected and properly treated.

Over time, I realized I wanted to be more involved with the business side of health, sports and fitness, and this is what prompted me to get my graduate degree in sport management. Since I never took any business courses in my undergraduate program I thought this would give me the theoretical background I would need in order to be a better business person. I have always liked numbers and investing, but I didn't realize how much I enjoy the concept of business, management and leadership. I have discovered a passion for diving into the financial information of organizations to better understand how they function and to drive decision making.

Since I wanted to progress into administration, I also started talking with those that held positions I was interested in obtaining. During these conversations there emerged some trends.
Quite a few of the executives I met with got their start by having a manager who took an interest in their career and helping them develop the skills they needed to progress. When opportunities arose, these managers then had the chance to step into larger organizational roles.
Another trend I noticed was similar to the first and it was that their manager took a chance on them based on something that they saw inside. While they may have lacked education or experience in the position they were chosen for, their manager hired them anyways and then trained them in how to perform the job and even set up with continuing education opportunities. In this way, they hired the person based on intangible characteristics and developed the experience that they thought they needed to succeed.

From what I gathered, few people make their own way. They tend to perform well in a job with a manger who takes the time to work with them to progress their career. Then, when an opportunity arises they are able to move into a larger role.

I want to share this with you to help you progress your own career. When you are looking for jobs, look for those managers who take an active interest in developing their people, this will fast track your career learning and progression. If you are already in a management role, remember how you got there and don't forget to pay it forward. There are a lot of talented individuals out there just waiting for someone to notice them and take an interest in them so they can achieve great things. Don't miss out on identifying these future stars.

Strength development

I enjoy programming workouts with the objective of getting stronger.  I find that the development of strength is one of the easier goals to program for and achieve. The main concept behind the development of strength is to be just a little stronger tomorrow than you are today.

The two programming techniques that I employ the most are a periodized program with the reps decreasing and the weight decreasing over time and a heavy/light routine with one workout of the week being heavy and the other being lighter. Both of these methods are extremely successful if your main goal is the pursuit of strength.

The added bonus of strength development is that the workouts are shorter, since fewer exercises are being performed. You can do 3-5 exercises per workout and still get stronger on a consistent basis. As always, it is important to eat enough quality calories to fuel recovery and replenish energy stores, as well as getting adequate sleep.

When your goal is to get bigger or smaller, the program has to change and nutrition becomes a huge component of your training plan. But, strength development is the simple application of doing a little bit more every time you workout.

Currently, I get to lift 2-4 times a week and follow a weekly linear periodization program descending from 15-6 reps and then repeating.

Push:
Incline DB Press
Standing shoulder press
lateral raises
skull crushers
Pressdowns

Pull:
Trap bar deadlifts
Bent over rows
EZ bar curls
Incline curls

Push 2
I exchange DB presses with pushups since my shoulder has a tendency to flare up with too much pressing. This is also why I don't do flat pressing, personal preference to decrease my discomfort

Pull 2:
I exchange deadlifts for Bulgarian split squats and Bent over rows for one arm dumbbell rows


As you can see, there is nothing fancy with this program, but if you add more weight every week, you will definitely get stronger.

Fitness social media use

When you own a business, or even if you work in a client services role within a business, it is important to stay up to date of technology. The impact of technology is dramatically changing a lot of industries and those that are able to understand and capitalize on those changes stand a better chance of being successful.

 

These two fitness professionals were able to explode their business and generate a lot of revenue by simply utilizing Instagram as a means to share content and connect with like-minded people who then became clients. This simple strategy helped them to build a complete business model around their profiles.

 

The simplicity of this plan means that most people who interact with others have the potential to generate income by becoming more proficient on social media. Take the time to learn about the brand you want to have and the clientele you want to have, then execute it.

 

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/web-social/building-body-and-brand-instagram-impacts-fitness-industry.html?eid=277204494&bid=1261796

 

Stadium revenue

Great little article out of Pittsburgh that is looking at the revenue generated from the three sports venues to the city. The study shows that the direct financial impact has been 102 million dollars over 5 years. But does that tell the full story?

 

As is usually the case with numbers, economics and projections, the answer is not really. The study was commissioned by the city to assess to revenue generated from the facilities. The study did not address a return of investment of the city’s direct contribution to the projects or the opportunity costs of the facilities.

 

When the picture is enlarged, it tells a different story. The direct impact is 102 million. But the facilities are subsidized by tax dollars. The real estate that they sit on is tax exempt, so there is no property tax being collected, the opportunity costs of previously existing structures or other tax paying entities is also not discussed. So, what is the actual net financial impact to the city for these facilities? We don’t  have that answer. 

 

The point to remember with numbers is that they can be used to reinforce one perspective, which seldom gives the global picture. Ask questions and dig deeper to get the real answers.

 

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/stadium-arena/revenue-from-sports-venues-flood-city-coffers.html

Competent leadership

When evaluating team performance, choosing the right leader can lead to improved performance.


In studies evaluating the effectiveness of three different groups: competent leader, random leader, and self managed democratic groups, the teams that had the leader with competence in the field and understanding of the technical aspects of the business outperformed the other groups. Even self managed groups outperformed the teams that had a randomly assigned leader.


I think that the key point is not trying to find the best leader, but to avoid choosing someone who does not understand the business. There are plenty of ways to improve management and leadership skills; formal education, reading, attending seminars, certifications, but that will not matter if that person does not understand enough about what the work actually is. Teams routinely choose leaders that display confidence and physical attributes, but may not possess the technical skill or understanding. These teams then lag behind because they are not able to make the best decisions. In turn, look to people that have excellent technical understanding and leverage their knowledge.


This is in line with other research that demonstrated that teams preferred leaders who had similar backgrounds to them. They felt these leaders understood them, and their role, better and were then able to be more effective in their leadership.


Take the time to understand the business and the technical aspects of what is needed to be successful. This will improve your ability to create strategy and become successful. When in a hiring position, do not just hire someone who has a degree, make sure they know the business.


"Leadership qualities" vs. competence: which matters more? Harvard Business Review, 11/5/15

Recommendations on Tackling in Youth Football

 

The American Academy of Pediatrics released a study looking at tackling in football. The authors of the study performed a literature review looking at the mechanisms of head, neck and catastrophic injury in football.

 

Not surprisingly, the act of performing a tackle, or being tackled, is a leading mechanism of injury in football for head and neck injuries, catastrophic injuries and other serious injuries. One of the leading causes of concussion in youth and high school sports is head to head contact. The main recommendation in this area is to continually stress proper tackling technique and educating players and coaches on the importance of keeping their heads up and making contact with their shoulder pads, thus reducing the mechanism of head to head contact.

 

The authors summarize their findings of tackling in football by exploring the idea of limiting contact in practice to reduce the overall occurrence of head contact throughout the season, but do point out that it is not fully known how much of an impact this will make. They also discuss increasing the age at which players initiate contact and the possibility of non-contact leagues. This would allow those that are interested in playing, but are concerned for head injuries, an outlet to enjoy the game with a decreased injury risk.

 

As athletic trainers, we play a key role in the recommendations made by the authors. The last two points that they recommend on tackling in youth football are to institute neck strengthening programs and have an athletic trainer on hand for contests. We have the ability to educate coaches, athletes and administrations on the risk of head injury in football (and sports in general) and the implementation of programs to reduce to the risk, including strengthening and skills based technical training. Having an athletic trainer available to athletes allows injuries to be detected and treated earlier.

 

While the risk of injury will not be eliminated in sports, we can hopefully continue to make progress with our educational material to keep all of our athletes healthy and active.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/early/2015/10/20/peds.2015-3282.full.pdf

Management questions

When you think of management, what comes to mind? How is your manager working to meet the company and your individual needs? If you are like a lot of Americans, the answers are not encouraging.

 

This article is trying to change that. If you are a manager, take a step back and look at your role, how you fulfill your responsibilities and how you interact and lead the people that work for you. Do you actively listen and engage to your staff and listen to what they tell you? Do you take an interest in them and their career and want to see them succeed? If not, then start to implement some of these questions and solutions into your daily activities. They can really help you gain a better understanding of your staff and your time. By empowering them and encouraging them they will be more likely to put in the extra effort for you and the company.

 

On the flip side, if you work for someone else, see what aspects of these you can implement for your own career success. Do you touch base with your manager on a consistent basis to stay up to date so there are no surprises? Do you offer to take on more tasks that are in line with what you want to do in the future? If not, then start having a conversation with your manager about your skills and how you can be better utilized to reach personal, department and corporate goals. You can’t expect someone else to care about your career growth if you don’t.

 

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites#/sites/jackzenger/2015/10/14/the-shrinking-effectiveness-crisis-4-reasons-organizations-fail-to-fully-utilize-employees/?utm_campaign=Forbes&utm_source=TWITTER&utm_medium=social&utm_channel=Leadership&linkId=17970862

 

Words of wisdom

Warren Buffett is well known for his investment success and his frugality. He has crafted a life that has netted him billions of dollars and yet, he remains humble.

 

His phrases around investing are famous and he takes a very forward, simple approach to his businesses. Some of the people that he has influenced have taken the time to write about some of his phrases and applied them to everyday life. The following is a guide book for how to live your life, spend your time and make decisions. All of us could benefit from heeding this wisdom.

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/schifrin/2015/10/04/not-for-investors-only-top-10-nuggets-of-buffett-wisdom-for-life-success/2/

 

Fitness in the digital age

It is the age of digital, and that goes for fitness, too.

Several colleges and clubs are even doing online competitions based on the number of people exercising.

This concept is a fun way to get fitness members involved and engaged. Even though the time frame for the competition may be short, it can stoke a fire for them to start coming more frequently. It also gives the staff a chance to sell other products to them based on their goals and the goals of the competition.  

As more and more digital platforms become available, we will undoubtedly see an uptick in the number of competitions, promotions, social engagement and tracking of data accumulated. As more equipment becomes digital, workout data can be stored remotely and the data can be analyzed.

The good news for clubs is that they can use data collected to identify trends in their facility and their membership. These trends may help them to ease congestion, staff during busy and slow times respectively, determine class schedules and market promotions to different segments.

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/health-fitness/how-interactive-competitions-are-driving-fitness-participation.html?eid=277204494&bid=1184820

6 steps for self-improvement

Former Navy SEAL and executive coach, Jeff Boss, discusses 6 practices that he believes help people improve their performance. The steps are:

1.       Fundamentals

2.       Accountability

3.       Add one percent

4.       Adapt faster

5.       Get a guru

6.       Make a decision

 

He believes that by working on those 6 areas, individuals can positively improve their performance over time.

The fundamentals never change and without being really good at your craft, you will never reach the top of the game. Perfect your craft first.

 

I cannot stress the importance of accountability enough. In order to improve and succeed we need to be pushed beyond our current limits so we can adapt to a higher level. This is true for physical training, as well as mental and intellectual. If you never push past where you already are, then you will never improve and meet your full potential. But, in order to get there, you need to be accountable for your actions to someone else. Ideally, this is your manager who gives you a task and then follows up to make sure you completed it satisfactorily. If you do not have a manager who can push you, try to find a colleague, mentor, partner or new job where you will be pushed. You deserve to reach your potential and if your current manager can’t get you there, try to find someone who will.

 

The more we do a job and the more we learn the closer to our intellectual and skill ceiling we get. That doesn’t mean we stop trying. That means that we have to try harder to make progress. Look at your current job and determine what skills you need to do it well. Then, create a plan to address those skills. As those skills improve, so does your job performance.  Then, look at your ideal job and determine what skills you need to do in order to do it well. Then, start improving those skills and you will eventually achieve that job.

 

This is nice article that can help you improve your performance and reach your potential and is worth the read.

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffboss/2015/09/06/6-best-practices-to-sustain-superior-performance/?utm_source=followingweekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20150907

Strategy questions

When you own a business it is important to take time to work ‘on’ your business. You work ‘in’ your business every day as an employee, manager, salesperson, etc, but by taking the time to work ‘on’ your business is when you function as the leader. It is up to you to evaluate your business, identify your trends and really get an idea for the vision you have created and assess how your business is doing in terms of achieving that vision.

 

This framework gives you a structure for when you contemplate your business and form your strategy. These questions can also be used to evaluate your career, as well as your business or department. In order to be effective you need to understand what it is you are trying to achieve. Develop that vision and then see how you are doing in terms of being able to meet it.

 

https://hbr.org/2015/09/5-strategy-questions-every-leader-should-make-time-for?utm_source=Socialflow&utm_medium=Tweet&utm_campaign=Socialflow

 

Personal training for high school athletes

If you train high school athletes this will get you thinking about your value to the high school athlete. I can understand both perspectives for the personal coach and team coach. At the end of the day, it is about what is the most beneficial for the student athlete. 

I have had the pleasure of working with quite a few high school athletes and teams over the years and I have seen the good and the bad. I have seen coaches who did not understand athletics training athletes inappropriately (in my opinion) and I have seen coaches poorly condition and prepare their athletes (in my opinion). I have also had overzealous parents who thought that this is what their athlete needed, when in fact that athlete needed a rest and not to train 7 days a week.

Any good coach or trainer will take the time to talk with the athlete about their goals, understand their personal and training history and observe their movements. I agree that a lot of schools utilize a cookie cutter strength program that is not appropriate for every member of the team. Whoever is running the program needs to understand human movement, and athletics in general, as well as how to assess a movement and progressions/regressions. Tossing a player into a poorly organized and controlled program is a recipe for poor results. If a personal coach is able to work with athletes and improve their form, movement, strength and speed then they have a role. But, let’s also keep this in perspective, great athletes will be great athletes regardless of who they train with. The main thing is to keep them healthy and gradually progress them. Too often these athletes are pushed farther and farther because of their raw athleticism and the basic patterns are ignored. In this instance, the training is inappropriate, regardless of who is in charge of it.

Is there a place for the personal coach, I think so. As long as they keep the long term health and goals of the player in mind when developing a program to maximize their performance and decrease their injury risk.

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/high-school/personal-trainers-for-prep-athletes-is-there-value-br.html?eid=277204494&bid=1156965

 

Military vs. Corporate leadership

This is a pretty powerful article that discusses why leadership in the military is different that leadership in corporate America. The big take-away? Sacrifice.

 

Military leaders put their team before themselves and the welfare of the team comes first. By showing service toward his followers, the leader establishes a feeling of trust and camaraderie amongst the group. When things are getting tough, they know that their leader has their back, and they have his (hers). 

 

In corporate America, too much stress is placed on competition among the team that leads to distrust, infighting and politics. When this happens, leadership has been ineffective. It has created a culture that detracts from the purpose of the group/department/organization and erodes trust. In this dog-eat-dog culture, the strongest, most manipulative survive and the cycle continues.

 

To truly become a leader means to stand in front of your team and take the hits. You are the one they are counting on to have their back and their best interests in mind. If you can’t do that, then don’t expect them to have yours.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/why-managers-act-like-military-leaders-2015-8?nr_email_referer=1&utm_content=BISelect&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_campaign=BI%20Select%20%28Wednesday%20Friday%29%202015-08-14&utm_term=Business%20Insider%20Select

 

Leadership tips

The state of management and leadership is, and has been, in trouble in the United States. One of the reasons why is a lack of communication from leadership to their staffs.

 

Take a few minutes to read this short article on the top 5 mistakes that leaders make. Then, use it as a guideline to do well in those areas. You will notice an improvement in communication, staff collaboration, and engagement. Don’t focus all your time on achieving goals, interpersonal relationships and a sense of belonging are important, too.

 

https://hbr.org/2015/06/the-top-complaints-from-employees-about-their-leaders?utm_campaign=Socialflow&utm_source=Socialflow&utm_medium=Tweet

Full contact practice and concussion risk

The research on head impacts continues to propagate, with this new study raising some interesting questions on the impact of full contact practices on concussion risk.

 

It seems that full contact practices produce head impacts that are equal to the ones sustained in a game. This means that athletes may be receiving hard hits to the head multiple times per week. The NFL cut back on the number of days that teams could have full contact practice and have noted a decreased concussion rate vs. college football.

 

While, this is not yet definitive, it does suggest that more studies should be performed comparing the injury rates of teams with different number of full contact practice days over the course of the season.

 

I applaud the researchers for trying to find ways to make sports more safe.

 

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/athlete-safety/study-full-contact-football-practices-increase-head-injury-risk.html?eid=277204494&bid=1143339

 

Role of athletics in academics

We take sports for granted in North America and it is an ingrained aspect of our high school culture. Now a school board is looking to determine just what the role is for the athletics program in the district, and I think this is a great idea. 

 

There have been several studies that have assessed the link between physical activity and higher test scores and attendance in school, but much less has been done on sports (or any after school program) and higher test scores. I applaud this district for undertaking the research to determine just what the culture of the sports program is, who is participating (or not participating) and just what the link is between participation and other quantifiable assessments such as test scores, GPA, etc.

 

The results of this should be illuminating, not only for the school district, but for others. Understanding what exactly occurs with the athletics program and the development of the students can lead to more funding, participation and appreciation for the role of athletics in high schools.

 

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/more-news/school-board-ponders-sports-role-in-academic-success-br.html?eid=277204494&bid=1138672

 

 

Passion and preparation

If you are thinking of starting a business, you know that you need to have a passion for what you do. Just don’t get too caught up in your passion that you forget to do your due diligence.

 

In order for a business to succeed it needs both a passionate leader and a plan. Passion without planning is futile. The preparation and thought that goes into understanding the market, supply chain, distribution and financing of the business cannot be glossed over. The planning of the business is what will keep it afloat and able to be productive.

 

When trying to get financing, passion appeals to the non-professional investor that will contribute via crowdfunding, but professional investors and banks want more proof that you understand the business and will not invest without a thorough plan. By matching your passion with a comprehensive and cohesive plan you will not only appeal to both groups, but you will have the outlet and the understanding to give your passion the best chance it has to reach its potential and achieve your vision.

 

https://hbr.org/2015/07/for-founders-preparation-trumps-passion

In house marketing

Business is changing and so is the marketing.

Large advertising agencies are struggling to keep up with the current trend in consumer relationships, and as a result, more marketing is being done in house.

 

So much of marketing relies on adapting to the current consumer environment and responding quickly to what is posted. The typical ad agency cannot do that: they don’t have the people power or the decision making ability to respond that quickly. As a result, the marketing plans are falling flat or are not able to take advantage of new developments.

 

In an attempt to counter that, businesses are looking to do more of their marketing in house. This means that they have a team that is able to adapt and respond quickly to changes. To be fully effective, they need to understand what the ad agencies do. 

 

For a business to truly turn in house, they have two options: hire a full marketing team that creates all the advertising, marketing plans, evaluates their effectiveness and is able to respond accordingly. Alternatively, they can work with an outside agency with expertise in marketing to develop a plan and oversee the global implementation of that plan and have an in house response team that monitors social media, analytics and communicates directly with hired agency. This can help decrease the lag time in response and still provide for the expertise and evaluation that is vital to running a successful campaign.

 

For those companies that have the budget for a full marketing program it can make sense to shift things in house. For others, it is still necessary to work with a professional company, but having an in house team can really help campaign reach its full potential. 

 

https://hbr.org/2015/07/6-reasons-marketing-is-moving-in-house

Your personality affects your career

This is a fascinating article that looks at the links between personality type and career trajectory.

 

Your personality has an effect on your future potential. If you want to see where you stack up, check out the full infographic.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/surprising-ways-your-personality-affects-your-career-2015-7?utm_content=BISelect&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=BI%20Select%20%28Wednesday%20Friday%29%202015-07-29&utm_source=Sailthru&nr_email_referer=1&utm_term=Business%20Insider%20Select

Goal setting

Precision Nutrition put together an article explaining their coaching process and why they have been so successful.

They have developed a 2 part process to goal setting and attainment: breaking the goal down into skills and the skills into specific daily practices. To determine what those practices are they use another set of parameters: simple, segmental, sequential, strategic and supported. What this means is that whatever the larger, grander goal is can be broken down into specific skills that need to be either worked on or achieved and then putting a daily routine in place to attain those skills.

The best part about this process is that it can be used to reach any goal. This system is adaptable and applicable to a variety of arenas, not just for fitness and nutrition. By making the goal smaller and putting together daily action steps the skills necessary for attainment can be developed. Having some guidance and accountability in place is also helpful. Having some way to monitor and assess your progress is a vital component of goal attainment.

Give this a try the next time you have a big goal you want to accomplish. The daily application of small, dedicated practices can add up in a big way.

You can check out the whole article to see how it can be used with real world examples by clicking below.

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/pn-coaching-secrets-revealed?utm_source=PnCoachingSecretsRevealed&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=PnCoachingSecretsRevealedEmail

John Smoltz talk

As a young baseball player, it is not normal to have medial elbow pain (pain on the inside of the elbow) that is restricting your ability to throw. It can be caused by an irritation of the growth plate or from an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament. Often, an injury to the ligament results in Tommy John surgery.

 

As this surgery gets more and more common, it can be misconstrued, that this is normal for baseball players and especially pitchers. It is not. This injury is caused by repetitive trauma over time that causes a breakdown in the ligament. If a young player is having this injury it is often the result of too many pitches at a competitive level.

 

We all want our children to play and have fun and to excel in the sport that he/she chooses, but we also need to keep in mind that we want them to be healthy adults. Participating in one sport year round at a competitive level has negative consequences including injuries, sometime serious injuries. We all need to encourage young athletes to play multiple sports, take time off their main sport, and start a strength and conditioning program. For those athletes, that have a passion for one sport we can work with them to develop skills and have fun, but to limit the competitiveness in the off season so that they have a chance to recover.

 

This is a great article on Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz discussing his surgery and his recommendations for young players.

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/bobcook/2015/07/26/in-hall-of-fame-speech-john-smoltz-warns-against-tommy-john-surgery-for-teens/?utm_source=followingweekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20150727

 

Concussion research

The news on concussions keeps on coming. It is quite the hot study topic these days, and for good reason; we do not know as much about their prevention and treatment as we should.

Stanford researchers have been criticizing the helmet tests that determine their safety by pointing out the fact that they may not be accurately testing for concussions. Helmets do a great job at dissipating force that can cause blunt force trauma and fractures, but they are not capable of decelerating the brain on the brain stem. The researchers looked at the cause of injury and noticed there was a rotational force component that was not being accounted for in standard tests and they recommend that future tests take this into consideration. While this is a great summary of the causes of concussions, I am still skeptical at the ability of a helmet to effectively control the acceleration and deceleration of the brain. I think the biggest factor in preventing concussions is to properly train kids how to play.

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/athlete-safety/study-football-helmet-tests-may-need-a-change.html?eid=277204494&bid=1133043

This is also born out in another study that looked at the causes of concussions in soccer. Heading the ball is typically blamed for the injuries sustained, but the actual results show that individuals are more likely to have a concussion in a collision. An aggressive play style increases the risk over heading alone. Along with player education and training in football, soccer athletes should be taught how to protect themselves and referees should work to ensure that the play stays within the laws of the game. Keeping the game under control can help to decrease the risk of sustaining a head injury.

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/more-news/study-rough-play-riskier-than-heading-in-youth-soccer-br.html?eid=277204494&bid=1122209

When an athlete does suffer a concussion, it is not fully clear why some athletes heal faster than others, until now. Researchers looked at the brains of children with head injuries and compared them to their non-injured counterparts and noticed that those who have a head injury have slower electrical activity. This may be a result of damage the coating that surrounds nerve fibers and aids in conduction. This lining may be injured in a concussion and may help explain why some athletes take longer to heal. When this lining is damaged, nerve impulses are not effectively transmitted which can cause some of the common symptoms related to a concussion such as headaches, confusion, vision trouble and difficulty concentrating. They may not return to normal until this lining is healed. 

 http://www.athleticbusiness.com/athlete-safety/brain-injury-study-suggests-why-some-children-recover-faster.html?eid=277204494&bid=1123452

Overall, lots of interesting new news on the head injury front. Hopefully, in time we will have a better picture of what is happening when the brain is injured so we can effectively work to decrease injuries and improve healing.

Over hydrating

We all know the dangers of dehydration, but there is danger of hyperhydration, too. When you have too much fluid intake this is called hyponatremia, and can be a life threatening condition. 

The challenge is that when you are hydrating you are diluting the sodium in the blood vital for cell function. As the water content grows, the body starts to shut down. Drinking a sports drink can help mitigate this for longer term activities, but the sodium content is still not enough to offset the water content.

The general recommendation is to prehydrate, drink water for activities less than 60 minutes in duration and sports drinks for longer than 60 minutes of duration. It may also be a good idea to increase the sodium in your diet if you are going to be very active through adding salt to foods or consuming chips, pretzels or popcorn.

You can tell if you are drinking too much during activity if your weight is more at the end than it was at the beginning. Some mild weight loss is normal for activity, but overweighing with activity is a sign that you may be drinking too much. Cut back, drink when you’re thirsty and check out the new guidelines.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150709092727.htm