Hydration for Motocross

When it comes to training for motocross we often talk about strength training, conditioning, and diet, but we rarely talk about hydration and its importance in race day performance. Hydration is directly related to strength and endurance in athletes. This means that dehydration can be a serious limiting factor in your performance. In this article we will discuss how to know if you’re dehydrated or hydrated, and some practical strategies for monitoring fluid loss and rehydrating on race day.

In a sport like motocross, hydration needs to be monitored if you have plans to be at the front of the pack. Studies show that fluid loss equivalent to 3% or more of your bodyweight can decrease your aerobic endurance, which is a major component of motocross performance. For a 160 pound rider, you would determine what 3% bodyweight is with the following equation:

160 lbs x 0.03 = 4.8 lbs of fluid loss

It is highly likely that during any race or practice you will lose at least this much fluid, if not more. In an ideal scenario, you should weight yourself before and after a race, with no gear on. This will give you an accurate measurement of how much fluid you’ve lost during the race. Trying to weigh yourself with all of your gear on can be inaccurate and lead to skewed measurements. It’s likely that your gear will absorb sweat and you may accidentally weigh yourself with more or less gear on than you did before. When you eliminate the gear from the equation, you are minimizing any potential complications that can be a major issue when it comes to rehydrating.

Once you determine how much weight you’ve lost during a race, you’re going to need to rehydrate. For every pound you lose you’re going to want to drink 16-24 ounces of fluid. So, let’s say that after your first heat race you lose 6 lbs of fluid. We would determine the amount of fluid you need to consume to rehydrate like this:

6 lbs lost x 16-24 ounces = 96 to 144 ounces of fluid (about 6-9 water bottles)

Keeping this in mind imagine that you weigh yourself with gear on and skew your measurement by one or two pounds. This can completely throw off the amount of water you need to rehydrate optimally. If it is a major issue for you to keep taking your gear on and off to weigh yourself before and after a race, another strategy is to monitor the color of your urine. If your urine is dark, this means you need to consume more fluids. If your urine is completely clear you may have consumed too much fluid. Your urine should be a light yellow color, like lemonade (yes I know that’s a gross comparison), to ensure that you are optimally hydrated and ready to go on race day. You should be careful not to overhydrate, so if you find yourself forcing yourself to drink fluids, slow down, assess how you feel, and make an educated decision on how much more you need to drink. After all, a full stomach of fluid sloshing around will not be comfortable during your next heat race.

Consuming electrolytes like sodium can also play a part in hydration. They help you stay hydrated for longer, regulate your blood pressure, and allow your muscles to contract. You should consume 100 mg of sodium per 8 ounces of fluid that you consume to rehydrate. Staying with our 6 lbs of fluid loss example from above, we would determine the amount of sodium you need like this:

6 lbs lost x 16-24 ounces = 96 to 144 ounces of fluid (about 6-9 water bottles)

96 to 144 ounces / 8 ounces = 12 to 18 eight ounce servings of fluid

12 to 18 eight ounce servings of fluid x 100 mg = 1200 to 1800 mg of sodium (about ¼ to ½ teaspoon)

You may be able to find or dilute a sports drink to achieve this ratio of sodium to fluid, but if not, adding salt is always an option.

Imagine training day in and day out to achieve an elite level of fitness, only to be ruined by your lack of hydration on race day. This is the reality all too often for motocross athletes. Hydration should be a top priority when it comes to your track and race day checklist. Take your hydration seriously and you will see dramatic improvements in your performance.