Q: Why are electrolytes important?

A: Electrolytes like potassium and sodium are elements crucial to proper muscle function. However, these and other electrolytes are lost through sweat, so athletes need to ensure that they are replenishing their supplies on a regular basis. Dehydration and electrolyte loss can result in severely diminished performance through fatigue, lack of focus and cramping.

View the video below with Lindsay Baker from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute to learn how you can improve your athletic performance through proper electrolyte intake.

Video of GSSI on Electrolytes

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Q: How much should I drink after a workout?

A: Fluid requirements after a workout depend on a lot of things—for example, how long you trained, how much you weigh and how profusely you sweat. However, there is a tried and true method for determining how much you need to drink to properly rehydrate following a workout.

Learn how to rehydrate right by watching the video below with Jeff Zachwieja from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.

Learn How Much Fluid to Drink

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Q: Can I train speed and strength in the same workout?

A: Yes. In fact, most elite athletes perform movement exercises geared toward speed and lifts geared toward strength in each workout. Doing so is a great way to make your workouts more efficient. Learn how to balance your movement and strength training. Check out the video below to see how NFL All-Pro QB Peyton Manning incorporates both types of training in the same workout.

Video of Peyton Manning’s Speed and Strength Workout

Q: How should I be eating once my season ends?

A: The main principles of a well-balanced diet for an athlete apply in all seasons, but there are some key considerations to take into account during the off-season. You’ll want to tweak how much and what types of food you consume.

Watch the video below with Melissa Tippet from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute to learn how to keep your energy levels up throughout the day during your off-season training.

Off-Season Eating Video

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Q: Should I eat carbs?

A: Absolutely. As an athlete, you not only need carbs, you need a lot of them. Carbs are your body’s main source of fuel throughout the day. Practices, workouts and games require high amounts of this macronutrient for peak performance. Don’t get caught up in the latest fad diet that excludes or limits carb intake; such lose-weight-quick plans are not for athletes.

Click the link below to watch a video with Kristen Steele from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute to learn how many grams of carbohydrates you should be taking in on a daily basis.

Video of GSSI on the Importance of Carbs?

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Q: What is the best way to gain weight?

A: To gain weight, you need to take in more calories than you burn on a daily basis. However, the biggest challenge for athletes trying to gain weight is making sure that the additional weight is quality lean muscle, not fat. Click the video link below with University of Florida nutritionist Cheryl Zonkowski to see how she helps Gator football players add quality muscle through proper nutrition.

Gain weight like the Florida Gators

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You run down the field, stop and change direction—movements you’ve performed hundreds of times—but this time something goes wrong. On the cut, your foot rolls inward and you tumble to the ground in pain. You have suffered an ankle injury, the most common injury in sports.

Your ankles are vulnerable every time you step on the field. You might cut too hard, causing your ankle to roll, or you might come down from a jump and accidentally land on a teammate’s foot.

To help prevent this injury, strengthen the muscles around your ankles to provide extra support to the joints. A great way to way to get this done is with the Three-Way Ankle Band exercise. It strengthens ankle muscles by moving the foot in three directions, ensuring the development of support around the entire joint.

Develop Ankle Strength for On-Field Success continued »

Back Hypers are an excellent exercise for improving hip extension by developing the lower back muscles, glutes and hamstrings. However, the exercise is generally performed in a slow and controlled manner. To target these muscles in a more powerful manner, A J Hawk, Green Bay Packers LB, performs a variation called Explosive Med Ball Hypers.

The exercise is similar to a traditional Med Ball Hyper, but instead, the athlete extends his hips as quickly as possible while simultaneously throwing a med ball to a partner. For enhanced performance and injury prevention, it’s important to work the entire body in an explosive manner. This will help you cope with the various extreme positions experienced during games.

Perform AJ Hawk’s Explosive Med Ball Hypers continued »

Nearly every athlete has been sidelined with an injury she didn’t anticipate. For female track stars and long-distance runners, the unexpected injury is often a pulled or torn hamstring, a muscle used extensively when running and one that is quite susceptible to injury.

Pulls and tears are usually precipitated by a lack of strength in the muscle. However, a weak core can put additional strain on the hamstring, resulting in an injury.

Below is a program designed to prevent imbalances, reducing stress on the hamstrings and lowering the risk of a pull or tear. In addition, healthy, flexible and strong hamstrings help prevent ACL injuries.

Perform these exercises at the beginning of your workout to keep your hamstrings healthy on your way to faster times.

Runners, Help Prevent Hamstring Tears continued »

How do you lose weight while still building muscle? To meet both your weight and strength goals, throw out that old treadmill program and replace it with a multifaceted approach that incorporates both training and nutrition.

Jumping on the treadmill and running for a half hour burns calories; however, you aren’t strengthening your muscles. To elevate your heart rate and engage your muscles for improved strength, perform plyometrics and other bodyweight exercises. This type of training allows you to do more reps at a high intensity, which activates your aerobic energy system and burns more calories. To achieve your goal, perform your regular exercise program with lower weight, more than 12 reps and less than 30 seconds of rest.

Lose Weight and Still Build Muscle continued »