Watt House

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/optimizing-strength-to-weight-ratio-while-staying-healthy/ SEPTEMBER 13, 2018    BY TAYLOR THOMAS Striking the appropriate balance between your power output and weight is critical for a sustainable and healthy approach to training and racing. Many athletes try to maintain as low a weight as possible while still being powerful on the bike—but it can be difficult to hit that sweet spot. If weight loss is taken too far, athletes can see a decrease in overall power, along with more serious health issues. While  watts per kilo  are often top of mind, health and resiliency should ultimately be the key goals for any athlete. Here’s how to strike that elusive balance. Why is Weight Important? Weight plays an important role for all athletes to some degree, but in cycling specifically, watts per kilogram (W/Kg) or strength-to-weight ratio, has been found to be one of the  single best predictors of performance.  Simpl...

EY TERMS The amount of water and electrolytes (primarily sodium, Na+) lost as a consequence of thermoregulatory sweating during exercise can vary considerably within and among athletes. The reported range in sweating rate and sweat Na+ concentration ([Na+]) is ~0.5 to 2.0 L/h and ~10- 90 mmol/L, respectively. Sources of intra/interindividual variability in sweating rate and sweat [Na+] during exercise include exercise intensity, environmental conditions, heat acclimation status, aerobic capacity, genetic predisposition, body size/composition, protective equipment, sex, diet and hydration status. Sweat testing can be conducted to estimate individual sweating rates and sweat Na+ losses to help guide personalized fluid and electrolyte replacement recommendations. However, unstandardized methodological practices and challenging field conditions can produce inconsistent/inaccurate sweat testing results. Based on study findings to date, as well as some practical considerations, curren...

KEY POINTS In humans, thirst tends to be alleviated before complete rehydration is achieved. When sweating rates are high and  ad libitum  fluid consumption is not sufficient to replace sweat losses, a cumulative loss in body water results. Body mass losses of 2% or greater take time to accumulate. Dehydration of > 2% body mass and greater is associated with impaired thermoregulatory function, elevated cardiovascular strain, and in many conditions impaired aerobic exercise performance (e.g., warmer, longer, more intense). Circumstances where planned drinking is optimal include: longer duration activities > 90 min, particularly in the heat; higher intensity exercise with high sweat rates; exercise where performance is a concern; when carbohydrate intake of 1 g/min is desired. Circumstances where drink to thirst may be sufficient include: short duration exercise < 60 to 90 min; exercise in cooler conditions; lower intensity exercise. NEVER  drink so much t...