Dehydration Results in Decreased Functional Strength
As many know, being dehydrated has profound effects on one’s functional strength levels.
What many people may not know, however, is how little dehydration is needed to begin experiencing negative impacts on performance. For instance, one research study has shown that even a small amount of dehydration (i.e., a drop of 1.5% of body mass in water weight) begins showing adverse effects on your one rep bench max (1RM). For a summary of this research please refer to this study’s abstract which can be found in the Feb 2001 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.)
Other tests have also shown the negative impacts of dehydration:
- University of Connecticut study on negative impact of dehydration on squats
- Journal of Applied Physiology study on dehydration impact on pulse rate and max VO2 levels
How to test your hydration levels:
- Check your urine based on this color spectrum scale – be aware that different food and medical conditions can have a dramatic effect on color
- Check your urine’s specific gravity using this tool – Phinex 10 Parameter (10SG) Urinalysis Reagent Test Strips, 100 Strips/Bottle
- Or find your Euhydration Level, or normal state of hydration, and keep tabs on your short term decreases in weight, as these drops are most likely caused by dehydration.
