How to drink well before, during, and after your swimming sessions?
This article on hydration in swimming is part of our publications on the theme of “drinking well in your favorite sport.” After addressing the topic of hydration during a 10 km, of hydration in cycling as well as hydration in sports (simply!), it seems legitimate to enlighten you on the good practices related to drinking water when you perform in a pool, lake, or sea.
Why hydration in swimming deserves your full attention
In swimming, hydration is often underestimated. Indeed, when we swim, we are already in the water… and yet, even in a pool or open water, the body sweats, loses water, sodium, and other electrolytes and minerals. Therefore, poorly managed hydration can impact your energy, the quality of your technique, your recovery… and possibly your enjoyment of swimming.
Moreover, in swimming, the feeling of thirst can also be less obvious than during a trail in the full sun. Indeed, the water cools your body, the humidity around the pool easily blurs the signals (just like being focused on your breathing, your movements, or your performance): you may find yourself more easily finishing a session with a dry mouth, heavy legs, or the beginning of a headache.
The basis of everything is therefore to arrive already well hydrated at the water's edge, with a strategy adapted to the duration of your effort and its intensity.
But then, when to drink to swim better?
The right strategy starts before you put on your swim cap. For a typical session, drinking regularly throughout the day remains the fundamental principle, always based on 1.5 liters. It is worth noting that before your training, it is better to avoid swallowing a large amount of water just before diving: your stomach may make you pay for it as soon as you start to pick up speed!
A simple guideline to remember? That of the American College of Sports Medicine, which recommends about 5 to 7 ml of liquid per kilogram of body weight at least 4 hours before exercise, in order to give the body time to both absorb the water intake and eliminate the excess.
During the session, keep a water bottle at the edge of the pool. A few regular sips are better than a large volume drunk all at once: you can aim for small intakes every 10 to 15 minutes, especially during long or intense sessions.
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Finally, after the effort, the goal is to rehydrate, but also to recharge your energy reserves that you have necessarily just requested. If the session was long, intense, or conducted in a hot environment, water alone is not always enough: your sodium losses must also be taken into account. In this context, you can slip in a electrolyte tablet into your flask to give you a boost… However, be careful, avoid drinking beyond your losses, as an excess of water can also be counterproductive!
What drink to choose for hydration in swimming?
For a short and moderate session, water is a very good option. However, as soon as the training exceeds 1 hour to 1 hour 30, involves many intense sets, or is part of a heavy weekly load, a drink with electrolytes can become relevant, just like a solution rich in carbohydrates, such as our protein drinks designed to promote your recovery.
You can remember this simple scheme:
short session: still or slightly mineralized water
long or intense session: water + sodium/electrolytes, or even carbohydrates depending on the duration,
competition or series in succession: energy drink easy to digest, tested in training,
recovery: water, minerals, carbohydrates, and proteins in the meal or snack.
Sodium helps retain water in the body, while carbohydrates support effort when energy reserves begin to drop. It should be emphasized that thoughtful hydration, far from being a detail, fits perfectly into a strategy of sports nutrition global: hydration, energy intake, recovery, sleep… everything is aligned!
And as always, Baouw stands by athletes! As a hungry swimmer after laps, you can turn to a snack that is easy to digest after a demanding session, like an energy puree or a protein bar, depending on your timing and hunger. The right fuel, at the right time!
The signs of poor hydration management in swimmers
For a swimmer, it can be complicated to quickly notice dehydration. However, some signals can alert you: a decrease in tone, difficulty maintaining pace, cramps during exertion, a dry mouth and, after exertion, an unusual feeling of fatigue, dark urine, or even slower recovery.
Conversely, drinking too much water without sodium intake during long efforts can dilute blood sodium. Certainly, this case is rather rare, but it is important to know, especially during long open water competitions or large training blocks. Intakes should therefore be adjusted to actual losses, heat, duration, and your level of sweating.
Adjusting hydration according to the type of swimming session
A 45-minute technical session does not require the same strategy as a 2-hour training with threshold sets. The same logic applies between indoor pools, outdoor pools, and open water.
For a gentle session, drinking before and after may be enough. For an intense session, keep your water bottle accessible at the edge of the pool. For an open water outing, plan ahead: you don’t always have access to your drink when you want, and losses can increase if you swim for a long time in a wetsuit. So now is the time to use a trick as simple as it is well-known: weigh yourself before and after a big session, without wet clothes, to estimate your water losses. Indeed, a significant weight loss during a session mainly indicates a loss of water. This method allows you to refine your needs over the course of your training, thoughtfully.
Hydration, energy, and recovery: the winning trio for swimmers
Remember that drinking well does not replace a proper diet, especially in swimming, a sport where energy expenditures can be particularly high, especially during long or repeated sessions. Carbohydrates help support effort, proteins contribute to muscle repair, and micronutrients aid recovery.
In practice, hydration in swimming is not complicated: a water bottle at the edge of the pool, a few regular sips, electrolytes when the effort extends, and a proper recovery snack when the session has tapped into your reserves. Simple, effective, and much more pleasant than a final 400 m legs with calves screaming for help!