Our bodies are about 60% water. That’s why we always need to retain a solid level of fluids. We’ll need to drink more water if we exercise, specifically if we box. Due to the heavy sweating that comes with the art of punching, you’ll need to drink water, or any sports drink constantly.
Preventing dehydration for boxing is key to feeling better and boosting your performance, so drinking 2-3 cups 2 hours before your boxing session—is critical. Likewise, it’ll be best to drink 1-2 cups of water every 20 minutes of boxing and finish up with 3-4 cups or a sports drink after the boxing class.
The symptoms of dehydration—are severe. You can even get kidney stones if you don’t drink enough. Do know that you will feel early signs of dehydration before such an extreme situation.
That said, we sometimes get so busy in life that we give up on caring for our bodies. So, retaining a good level of fluids in your body—is vital for your long-term health.
If you box, you’ll be sweating a lot. Therefore, you must drink more than enough water to compensate for all the fluids you have lost due to sweating. You’ll need to drink more water than the recommended amount, as you need to compensate for the sweating from boxing.
Before we dive into the article if you want to learn more about whether you should drink protein after boxing, follow the link.
How much water to drink for boxing?
Drinking enough water is critical, especially if you’re boxing. The symptoms of dehydration can be so severe that you’ll regret every moment you skip drinking. So let’s see how many fluids you should retain if you’re boxing.
According to NASM, you should drink 14-22 oz (400-650ml) of fluid 2 hours before boxing; 6-12 oz (177-354ml) of water or sports drink every 15-20 minutes during the boxing class; and 16-24 oz (473-709ml) of water or sports drink for every pound of body mass lost after the boxing session.
| Before boxing | During boxing | After boxing |
|---|---|---|
| 14-22oz | 6-12oz | 16-24oz |
| 2-3 cups | 1-2 cups | 2-3 cups |
| 400-650ml | 170-350ml | 470-710ml |
According to Mayo Clinic, this is the recommended amount that the average person should drink.
- About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men
- About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women
Do note that these numbers can some foods are mostly water. As a result, they also count in your daily calculation. Did you know that watermelon is 92% water?
Later, Mayo Clinic notes that you’ll need to consume more fluids, using water, fruits, vegetables, or sports drinks, if you exercise. So, boxing will force you to consume more fluids, preferably water.
As I previously mentioned, you’ll need to retain more fluids if you box. That’s because you sweat during the boxing session itself. So now, your body needs you to drink more water or get fluids from any source.
We’ll discuss alternatives for water later in the article.
Should I drink water during boxing?
Drinking water during exercise is vital, regardless of what you do. For example, I was boulder climbing yesterday and felt more tired than usual. I immediately went to sip 500ml of water, giving me a boost for the next hour!
Drinking water during your boxing session—will help boost mood, prevent headaches, and boost performance. However, if you let yourself be dehydrated due to sweating and elevated heart rate, your performance will diminish while experiencing severe symptoms of dehydration, such as dizziness and tiredness.
Boxing will make you sweat. I’m a person who sweats more than the typical amount, so I especially know the importance of being hydrated. If you won’t retain a solid level of fluids, especially when boxing, a sport that will make you sweat more than usual, you will experience dehydration symptoms fast.
As such, fueling yourself with fluids during the boxing session itself—is vital.
You should especially do that if you want to perform at your best. Of course, don’t flood your system with water, as it’ll only make you feel worse for a short period. Instead, try to drink water every 20 minutes.
Just look at how much people sweat when boxing. Do you think their bodies can withstand 2 hours of boxing while losing a high amount of fluids? I think not.
Knowing what to eat before boxing can be as important, if not more, than knowing how much to drink. Because of that, I wrote a complete guide on what you should eat before boxing. Follow the link to give it a read.
Why do boxers spit and not drink water?
You might often see professional or amateur boxers spitting water and not drinking it. And you might wonder about its purpose. Well, once you begin sparring or competing, you’ll want to do so too. Let’s see why.
Boxers spit and do not drink water to clean their mouth from blood or any dirt they got from the fight. Likewise, drinking too much will force them to puke once they get hit in the face or the stomach. Boxers avoid such situations by drinking when thirsty and not throughout the fight.
Water alternatives for boxing
The primary water alternative for boxing or any other exercise is sports drinks. These are drinks filled with electrolytes and other essential nutrients. Boxers who want to ensure they’re hydrated and ready for an intense workout should drink them.
Here are some other water alternatives for boxers:
- Green tea
- Coconut water
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Celery juice
- Fruit shakes
However, I do recommend drinking more water. It’s the purest nutrient you can consume, so don’t hesitate to drink much of it!
If you want to learn more about the complete breathing guide for boxing and how to boost your boxing performance using breathing, follow the link.
Benefits of being hydrated for boxing performance
The two primary benefits of being hydrated include a boost in your performance and not experiencing any symptoms of dehydration. If you can drink enough, the sole fact you’re avoiding dehydration, which can lead to severe symptoms, should be enough of a reason for you.
According to Mayo Clinic, here are the benefits of being hydrated.
- Gets rid of wastes through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements
- Keeps your temperature normal
- Lubricates and cushions joints
- Protects sensitive tissues
However, there’s another side to the coin. Here are the symptoms of dehydration, according to a study:
- Feeling very thirsty.
- Dry mouth.
- Urinating and sweating less than usual.
- Dark-colored urine.
- Dry skin.
- Feeling tired.
- Dizziness.
Now, let me ask you a question. Which of these do you want to experience daily? If you, as I should assume, picked the first one, then you must prioritize drinking enough water.
This article is filled with many numbers and recommendations on how much you should drink. I encourage you to calculate how much water you need to drink daily and in your boxing class and follow that religiously.
By doing so, you’ll be avoiding the harmful symptoms of dehydration!
Can I drink too much water before boxing?
Drinking too much is definitely possible. If you want to avoid such a scenario, it’ll be best if you stick with the amount I recommended in the first section of this article; usually, it’ll be around 2-3 cups 2 hours before boxing.
Drinking too much water before boxing is possible, however difficult. Our kidneys can eliminate 27-34 oz of water per hour. This equals 800-1000ml of water per hour. Or 4-5 cups. If you drink more than that per hour, you might experience various symptoms of overhydration, such as stomach pain and fatigue.
the kidneys can eliminate 27 to 34 ounces of water per hour, or a total of 676 to 947 ounces (20 to 28 liters) per day. More than that might put you in the danger zone.
SOURCE
It’ll be best if you stick with the recommended total daily fluid intake, which is about 3 liters for men and 2.2 liters for women. However, if you want to ensure you’re clear, spread your fluid intake throughout the day.
The recommended total daily fluid intake of 3,000 ml for men and of 2,200 ml for women is more than adequate. Higher fluid intake does not have any convincing health benefits, except perhaps in preventing (recurrent) kidney stones.
SOURCE
Final words
Drinking enough water—is critical. However, if you boost your performance, you must also ensure your body is ready to work hard.
That’s why eating and drinking appropriately before the boxing class starts—is critical. The primary dehydration symptoms you’ll feel first will be dizziness, fatigue, and headaches.
Promise yourself to drink water once you feel tired or have a minor headache. If you do, you’ll be more likely to avoid dehydration and keep your body healthy and ready to work!
If you enjoyed reading this article, you’d also enjoy whether boxing will improve your physique. Follow the link to learn more.