There’s a lot of hype out there about power drinks. We know this because it’s a kabillion-dollar industry, with marketing trends often targeting young athletes.

Understandably, serious athletes want to pay attention to what they should guzzle while shooting hoops at home under the Goalrilla Basketball Goal on a hot summer day or playing an intense championship game. No one wants to end up weak-kneed and wobbly from over-exertion. It not only affects your game, it’s also hard on your body.

Because more than 70% of the human body is composed of water, the dangers of dehydration are very real. And this condition may occur when the amount of water leaving the body is a lot more than what your body is taking in. If, for example, you have played all of the game and you’re sweating so badly that it’s dripping into your eyes and wetting your jersey, you are at great risk for dehydration if you don’t continue taking in fluid every chance you get.

Symptoms of dehydration include:

• muscle cramps,
• nausea,
• feeling lightheaded and
• weakness.

So what should you pour into that plastic bottle before tucking it into your gym bag? The answer is simple: water. That’s right, plain old, no-frills water. In fact, smart athletes drink water all day long, not just when you feel thirsty.

Here’s more detailed information about your hydration needs:

• 2 hours prior to attending a work-out, practice or basketball game, drink 16 oz. of water.
• 15 minutes before your work-out, practice or game, drink 8 oz. of water.
• Throughout the work-out, practice and game, keep your body hydrated by drinking water as often as you can. When the coach is talking, for example, grab your water bottle and take a quick drink.
• After completing the work-out, practice or game, drink 24 oz. of water for every pound of body weight you lost.

Just like no-frills water, we are all about providing the best product at the best price at the Basketball Goal Store. We let all the glitz and glamour play out on the court!

-Pat of the Basketball Goal Store