HYDRATE OR DIE!!
Since 05-26-08
Remember the old Camelback slogan? We are entering into the
warmer months of the year and with that the risk of heat
casualties is higher. There are some things you can do as a
trainer and if you are student about to conduct summer training.
The first thing is to get accustomed to the heat. You won’t do
well if you spend your entire day in air conditioned bliss and
then expect to be at your best spending the entire weekend in
the sun. Usually beginning this month, I will exercise and
train during the full heat of the day just to get used to it. I
will hydrate very well the night before and that morning and
then spend an hour or more either running or conducting weapons
training.
Make sure that you maintain proper hydration at least one week
before the event. In truth it will not hurt you to do this all
the time. Fluid balance in achieved by:
1. Water intake because you feel thirsty
2. Water loss via the kidneys and urine.
Under normal conditions, average adult fluid replacement is 2-3
liters per day.
With prolonged exertion, you can lose almost 2 liters per hour
by sweating alone. A good rule of thumb is to load your stomach
when you load your magazines. But guys forget. Now add heat
and sun and you begin to create a situation that may lead to you
going down from the heat.
Proper fluid replacement:
1 quart of fluid should be drunk 2 hours before arriving at the
range. Cold water is an ideal fluid replacement. It is tempting
to down a quart of some sports drink or a soda. No!
Water….drink water. If it doesn’t taste good to you, too bad.
Drink it.
Avoid alcohol. A beer or two with dinner won’t hurt you IF you
accompany it with water. A case or a keg is not a good idea.
Caffeine. I am a coffee drinker. But I am careful to not
overdo it in the heat of summer. A couple of cups maximum and
again…accompanied with water. Wilderness Survival authority
Tony Nester advises to keep the water in your stomach not in the
bottle. Downing (10 ounces or more) is better than sipping,
during the activity, by moving it through your stomach faster.
Stay hydrated, avoid having to play catch up. Don’t allow
yourself to get thirsty. Yes, you will be pissing quite a bit.
That is a good thing. We jokingly call urination during
training breaks “hydration checks”. If you are well hydrated
your urine will tend to be clear. If you don’t see that, go
drink some water.
If you begin to feel a headache, or that your words seem a
little slurred, you are beginning to fall victim to the heat.
Get in the shade, down some water and pour some water over your
head and face to cool off. It may not be a bad idea to bring a
hadji rag (shemagh) or a towel from the hotel to dip in the ice
chest water and keep wrapped around your neck. Same thing with
the hat, which you should keep on your head all day long. Dip
it routinely in water and keep your head cool.
These are all simple precautions you should take.
Remember, you took time off work, bought ammo, traveled to the
site, and paid for the training. What a waste if we have to
take you back to the hotel room to sit in the AC because you
didn’t feel like drinking water.
Gabe Suarez
Suarez International USA, Inc.
One Source Tactical
info@suarezinternational.com
Office
928-776-4492
Spaniard by Heritage
Cuban by Birth
Christian by Grace
American by Choice