It is important for the coach, trainer, or team leader to recognize the symptoms of dehydration to better optimize performance during exercise or competition. The early warning signs of heat-related illnesses include:
1. Exhaustion
2. Headache
3. Muscle cramping
4. Dizziness
5. Nausea
6. Thirst
7. Decreased athletic performance
Other general symptoms include:
1. Feeling hot or cold
2. Incoherence
3. Visual disturbances
4. Vomiting
5. Stomach cramps
6. Heart palpitations
Further, the symptoms of dehydration can be profound affecting performance and endangering health. Keep in mind the following:
• A loss of just 1% to 2% of body weight begins to compromise cardiovascular, body temperature regulation, and muscular function, and can lead to decreases in aerobic power. For example, heart rate rises an additional three to five beats per minute for every 1% of body weight loss.
• Muscle endurance and maximal aerobic power decreases when 3% to 4% of body weight is lost. Slightly more than 2% loss of body weight can result in as much as a 35% to 48% reduction in physical work capacity.
• Dehydration of greater than 3% of body weight increases the risk of developing exertional heat illness (heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke). Heat illness is common in sports and can occur after just one hour of intense exercise in the heat.
Read more or download this Hydration Guide. And, visit the ThirstMax Products page for products geared to keeping athletes hydrated.
Take a walk along any beach anywhere in the world and washed ashore will be many polythene plastic bags, bottles and containers, plastic drums, expanded polystyrene packing, polyurethane foam pieces, pieces of polypropylene fishing net and discarded lengths of rope. Together with traffic cones, disposable lighters, vehicle tires and toothbrushes, these items have been casually thrown away on land and at sea and have been carried ashore by wind and tide. See the following Greenpeace link for more information about how all of this waste the size of Texas collects in the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii in a trash vortex: Greenpeace .
What about landfills, you ask? Check out this YouTube video from Cornell University to get a sense of the scale:
Where will these bottles end up?
And, see what WebMd has to say about misconceptions with plastic recycling at: 5 Misconceptions .
Further, to produce and distribute one small plastic bottle of water it takes ¼ bottle of oil, three bottles of water, and 120 grams of greenhouse gases to produce that one plastic bottle of water. Pretty scary.
By a simple shift in our consumption patterns we can minimize the impact we have on our environment and save money at the same time. What could be better?
The ThirstMax portable hydration system was designed to reduce plastic waste by being compatible with reusable water containers. ThirstMax helps reduce plastic waste for thirsty sports teams, group hydration for campers, construction projects where job site hydration is a necessity, and picnic parties.
Visit our Products Page and get ready for summer by helping reduce the amount of plastic waste you generate. Your planet will thank you.
ThirstMax will be one of the vendors at the Capo Girls Softball League’s Coastal Classic Tournament this Memorial Day weekend in San Juan Capistrano, California.
We will be introducing our newest product, the ThirstMax Universal portable hydration caddy. The Universal fits neatly into the mix of hydration products available from our line-up of caddies and accessories, and is adjustable to fit many container configurations. You will now be able to supply different beverages to your team or group by utilizing an insulated dispensing container of your choice.
Please come out to watch fun and exciting girls softball, and check out our new product. The event is being held at Cooks Park, Saturday through Monday, May 28-30. Here’s a map to the tournament: Coastal Classic Tournament Map.
ThirstMax has developed a new model to add to its lineup of portable hydration products. The new model is called the Universal and is adjustable to fit varied sizes of liquid containers. It works well with the Igloo and Coleman 2 gallon spigot coolers; mini-kegs from Heineken, Newcastle, Coors Light, and others; various brands of box wine; and a host of other containers on the market today. Your imagination is the only limit to the possible uses you can conjure.
ThirstMax Universal
The advantage the new model brings to the lineup is the ability to mix your favorite beverage for dispensing to your team or group. Gatorade Performance, Tang, margaritas, wine coolers – you make the call. Baseball, softball, soccer, football, fishing, camping, and job sites, you are always ready to deliver refreshment when needed.
The Universal comes in three colors: Camouflage, Berry, and Royal Blue. Check it out on our products and accessories pages.
We are constantly striving to add new innovations to our product lineup and we are currently working on a stand which is freestanding to bring greater flexibility to the many uses ThirstMax offers. We hope to have the final production model available very soon.
Mark your calendar and join us at the Orange County Marketplace October 16th and 17th. We will attend the marketplace that weekend to offer our hydration system in advance of the baseball/softball spring season. Please stop by to purchase a unit for your team, or just to say hello. We are excited about the upcoming season and can benefit so much from your constructive comments for the betterment of ThirstMax. Thanks to all for your support.
Here is a tease: we are currently refining two new products, which will add a new layer to our product offerings. We can’t speak too much about it at this time because there is still some testing and adjusting necessary prior to their announcement. Hopefully, you will get the news around the first of the year.
Be Halloween Safe!
From the candy to the costumes, Halloween is a fun-filled time for kids and parents alike. But it’s also a holiday that can pose dangers to young revelers. To help make this year’s festivity a trick-free treat, follow these simple safety tips:
Adorning Your Little Ghouls
Choose a light-colored costume or add glow-in-the-dark tape to the front and back of the costume so your kids can be easily seen.
Don’t buy a costume unless it’s labeled “flame-retardant.” This means the material won’t burn.
Make sure wigs and beards don’t cover your kids’ eyes, noses, or mouths.
Don’t let your children wear masks — they can make it difficult for kids to see and breathe. Instead, use nontoxic face paint or makeup. Have younger children draw pictures of what they want to look like. Older kids will have fun putting the makeup on themselves.
Put a name tag — with your phone number — on your children’s costumes.
Avoid oversized and high-heeled shoes that could cause kids to trip.
Avoid long or baggy skirts, pants, or shirtsleeves that could catch on something and cause falls.
Make sure that any props your kids carry, such as wands or swords, are flexible.
ThirstMax is a buzz of activity lately. We are working hard to bring you more in-depth information about the products we offer to you. We are currently working on a new and improved web site where we hope to make your browsing experience easier to navigate and more comprehensive for news and information. Also, we recently began filming a video showing the many uses of the ThirstMax product at Trabuco Mesa Park in Orange County. We show how you can use it in the dugout, on the tennis court, and when picnicking. Look for it when we launch the new web site coming up in October.
Good Sportsmanship!
10 Ways to Be a Good Sport
Here are some ways that you can show others what good sportsmanship is all about:
Be polite to everyone you’re playing with and against. No trash talk — which means saying mean things while you’re in the middle of a game.
Don’t show off. Just play your best. If you’re good, people will notice.
Tell your opponents “good game!” whether you’ve won or you’ve lost.
Learn the rules of the game. Show up for practices and games on time — even if you’re the star of the team.
Listen to your coaches and follow their directions about playing.
Don’t argue with an official if you don’t agree with his or her call. If you don’t understand a certain call, wait until after the game to ask your coach or the official to explain it to you.
Don’t make up excuses or blame a teammate when you lose. Try to learn from what happened.
Be willing to sit out so other team members can get in the game — even if you think you’re a better player.
Play fair and don’t cheat.
Cheer for your teammates even if the score is 1,000 to 1! You could inspire a big comeback!
Visit our store today! Make sure to purchase your ThirstMax prior to the beginning of the season so you are prepared on opening day to keep your team ready to play in health and safety.
We have recently developed our Facebook and Twitter pages. Please support us by becoming a fan on our Facebook page by clicking the Like button above and by following us on Twitter. All the needed information regarding this can be found in the column to your right. We are very excited to branch out using social media, so please help by communicating with us through these avenues.
Stay Hydrated!
“Many cases of heat illness are preventable and can be successfully treated if such conditions are properly recognized and appropriate care is provided in a timely manner,” said athletic trainer Brendon P. McDermott, assistant professor in the graduate athletic training program, in the department of health and human performance at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. “We’re hoping to educate athletes, coaches, parents and health care providers about what can be done to prevent and treat heat illnesses.”
A ThirstMax caddy fitted with a 2.5 galon jug from the nearby supermarket can help you and your group stay hydrated during the Summer (Fall, Winter and Spring too!) Visit our products page today to purchase your own!
Mark your calendar and join us at the Orange County Marketplace October 16th and 17th. We will attend the marketplace that weekend to offer our hydration system in advance of the baseball/softball spring season. Please stop by to purchase a unit for your team, or just to say hello. We are excited about the upcoming season and can benefit so much from your constructive comments for the betterment of ThirstMax. Thanks to all for your support.
ThirstMax is a buzz of activity lately. We are working hard to bring you more in-depth information about the products we offer to you. We are currently working on a new and improved web site where we hope to make your browsing experience easier to navigate and more comprehensive for news and information. Also, we recently began filming a video showing the many uses of the ThirstMax product at Trabuco Mesa Park in Orange County. We show how you can use it in the dugout, on the tennis court, and when picnicking. Look for it when we launch the new web site coming up in October.
