NUTRITION

Is Your Workout Caffeinated?

By Amanda Carlson-Phillips January 19, 2012

Thinkstock

Q: I’ve always followed standard workout nutrition guidelines, but will adding caffeine to my routine improve my performance?

A: Studies have shown that drinking caffeine about an hour before working out can help boost endurance, energy, and performance, but the findings are mixed as to whether caffeine has an effect on power or strength.

Some studies have shown that drinking 150-200 mg of caffeine (similar to a Starbucks grande vanilla latte), may boost performance, while others recommend increasing it to 2.5-5 mg per kg of bodyweight (about 200-400 mg of caffeine for a 180-pound guy). But people react differently to caffeine. For some, it’s a performance enhancer; for others, it can over-stimulate them and decrease performance. You may want to experiment with different amounts of caffeine during practice runs and workouts to see if it’s helpful to you.

Having caffeine on days when you feel tired or need an extra boost is a good strategy, but don’t rely on it as your main energy source. If you feel tired all the time, you’re probably not getting enough energy from real food. Also, caffeine shouldn’t replace your normal pre-workout snack, but should complement it. Stay away from energy drinks that have chemicals, colors, or high citric acid content. Stick to coffee or tea.

Bottom line: Caffeine can be helpful for some people, but you need to see what works for you.

Why Drink Water?

A common phase you often hear while playing sports is “stay hydrated.”   I agree, this is good advice for all athletes as well as golfers.  Being hydrated can impact your golf game mentally and physically. 

Your body is made up of 75% water (solvent) and 25% solid matter.  Your brain is made up of 85% water.   Proper hydration can help blood flow to the brain which will help you focus on the golf course.  Proper hydration can be a preventation measure against joint pain, as water acts as a lubricant for joints.  Plus, proper hydration allows muscles to fire and function at an optimal rate allowing for maximum power in the golf swing.

HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD YOU DRINK?

Now that you know the importance of hydration, how much should we drink?  The optimal amount of water to drink is 1/2 your body weight in ounces per day.  Other fluids such as coffee, tea, juices, soda, sports drinks and flavored water DO NOT COUNT.   Actually, it takes more water to dilute some of these high sugar drinks resulting in dehydration. 

WHEN SHOULD YOU DRINK WATER?

Drink water first thing in the morning because during sleep and regeneration the body becomes dehydrated.    Drink 25% of your total intake in the morning.  Drink 40%-50% of your total during a golf round.  The remaining water should be consumed throughout the day.

DURING A ROUND -TIPS

Use a stainless steel unlined water bottle.  This is worth purchasing, not only are you helping the environment, but you will be able to be prepared and able to refill throughout the day.   Also, plastic water bottles can leech chemicals into your water in extreme temperatures.

Drink 2 -3 big swigs of water per hole.   That means you should be refilling every 3 to 5 holes.

For proper sodium balance, add a pinch of Celtic Sea Salt to your water bottle at the start of your round and at the turn, this will help to replace important electrolytes.