The Best Performance Enhancing Drug

Every athlete looks for that edge, something that will help them take their performance to a higher level. The greatest one is right in front of you and costs practically nothing. This topic may sound boring, but this may be the most important article you will ever read. Hang in there, and then share it with others.

Let’s start at the beginning. A few years ago, it was not unusual to have at least one kid per month show signs of dehydration during one of our lessons. We saw a few kids get a little bit sick in the past and one actually pass out. It was time to aggressively attack the problem. We uncovered some exciting things.
We began working with medical experts to become better able to spot symptoms of dehydration in advance and to restore these kids to normal function quickly. The things we learned during this time are pretty amazing when it comes to performance.
First, dehydration is not seasonal. In fact, we see it more during lessons in winter than any other time. Kids don’t “feel thirsty”, like they do in summer, so they drink less. Winter air is often dry and it sucks the moisture out of the body. Many batting cages have dry heat which takes this effect to a new level.
This past summer we did a college camp where the temperature was over 103 degrees in the shade, and over 112 on the turf. The camp was 8 hours in length. How many kids do you suppose suffered dehydration? Not one. We took extreme measures to keep the kids healthy, and in so doing their performance was exciting. You see, proper hydration fuels performance.
How do we identify the signs of dehydration and solve it so quickly these days? Long before she gets sick, the kid begins to lose fine motor skills, appears more sluggish, and has trouble interacting. She no longer responds promptly or laughs as quickly. If a kid is new to us, we have more trouble spotting the problem as early because we do not know her, so you will notice our Instructors really “pushing their buttons” to get reactions so they can measure their responses.
So, repeating the question, how do we recognize dehydration? The kid loses a few miles per hour, breaking pitches stop working, and she has trouble with control. A good pitcher is no longer good. That being said, why do we call water the “cheapest performance enhancing drug”? Here is a quick summary of what it does for you: regulates body temperature, aids digestion to efficiently release energy to the body, lubricates joints, removes toxins from the blood, discards waste from the body, transports nutrients to the cells, and increases oxygen levels in the blood.
I have begun to notice a big difference in kids who come into the facility drinking a big bottle of water and those who come in with none or, even worse, sipping iced tea or soda. It is not even close. You are putting yourself at a tremendous disadvantage and you are flirting with danger if you are not properly hydrating.
Start drinking water a couple of hours before exercise. Drink at least one bottle, two if it is hot, before even beginning exercise, and continue drinking throughout. If you are not going to the bathroom every 60 to 90-minutes, you are not drinking enough.
Read the benefits again and tell me one drug that offers the benefits of water. Simply put, it increases speed, endurance, coordination, and focus. Hmmm…doesn’t that describe the perfect prescription for a pitcher?
***Note: If you are a former college player who would like to learn about our Instructor Certification process, contact us. You will be surprised about all of the ways we can help you become successful. We believe pitching can be much better in America and we are looking for people who have played the college game and have a passion for helping kids succeed.