When athletes are properly hydrated — with the right balance and amount of electrolytes, especially sodium — they’re able to perform at their best. Explore hydration research and access hydration tools from GSSI below. Science of Hydration.pdf Understanding Electrolytes and Hydration.pdf Fluid Loss Calculator

Proper recovery ensures athletes run stronger, faster, and more resilient. Find insights on recovery – from a full athlete-centric plan to the role of nutrients – from the scientists at GSSI. Sports Recovery Toolkit.pdf Science of Carbohydrate.pdf Science of Protein.pdf

Supplements can play a role in performance, recovery, and individual athlete goals goals. Expand your knowledge with science-backed resources from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute to help guide safe and informed supplementation strategies. SSE 243: Use of Buffers in Specific Contexts: Highly Trained Female Athletes; Extreme Environments; and Combined Buffering Agents SSE 247: No Guarantees! Supporting Athletes to Reduce the Risk of Unintentional Doping from Supplement Use Sports Nutrition and Hydration for Female Athletes - Chapter 12.pdf

Sweat testing is a simple, science‑backed way to understand how your body loses fluid and electrolytes during exercise. During a test, body weight changes help estimate total fluid loss, while small patches placed on the skin collect sweat that’s analyzed for sodium concentration. Together, these measures give insight into how much you sweat—and what’s actually in that sweat. The Gatorade Sports Science Institute had the pleasure of sweat testing star NBA player Jason Tatum of the Boston Celtics during one of his practices ( The Quiet Work Chapter 5 ). Jayson was preparing for his return to the court after months of rehab from his 2025 season ending injury. After careful analysis of his sweat rate, sweat sodium loss, and his hydration habits, a key takeaway was that he’s a salty sweater , meaning he loses a higher‑than‑average amount of sodium in his sweat. Our findings allowed us to make some adjustments to his typical regimen particularly focusing on sodium consumption. That insight matters. Sodium plays a critical role in maintaining fluid balance, supporting muscle function, and helping the body distribute and retain the fluids it takes in. From a hydration and recovery standpoint, identifying someone as a salty sweater helps explain why standard “drink more water” approaches may fall short. Instead, recovery strategies need to account for both how much fluid is lost and how much sodium needs to be replaced to fully rehydrate the body and support performance day after day. While not everyone has access to sweat tests, the principles apply to all of us: Fluid loss is individual. Sweat rates and sodium losses vary widely, especially in the heat. Electrolytes matter. Replacing sodium alongside fluids helps improve hydration efficiency and supports recovery. Personalization makes a difference. Tools like sweat testing can take the guesswork out of hydration, helping tailor strategies for training, competition, and recovery. Whether you’re training hard, working long hours in hot conditions, or simply trying to feel better during activity, understanding your sweat can be a powerful step toward smarter hydration. Do you have any experience with salty or heavy sweaters? Share it here with the Gatorade Fieldhouse community—your insights help move everyone forward.

Hi! Is there a separate app for coaches to receive sweat loss results once athletes scan their patch?

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Thursday. Spring break or not please come hang out with us and learn some outside the box ways of promoting hydration and nutrition for your student athletes.

On 8/4/2025 at 4:02 AM, jorgielunaiii said: “Does anyone know how high school football athletes can apply or get noticed for the Gatorade Athlete Program? My son is a dedicated player with a strong work ethic, and we’re looking into ambassador opportunities like this. Any tips or links are appreciated!” Unfortunately, Gatorade does not offer a public application for high school athletes to become ambassadors. Instead, they select athletes through performance, character, community impact, and visibility—primarily through the Gatorade Player of the Year program and their Gatorade Performance Partner network. How athletes get selected? On‑field performance Academic achievement Community service / leadership Coach nominations Media visibility

Hey everybody, I'm Josh Steward, Performance Coach with the New York Knicks with some tips for off-season training. When planning off-season training it is important to start by focusing on recovery, both mentally and physically from the previous season. The longer the competitive season is, the longer the break should be before starting training. For NBA players who play an 82-game season (not including playoffs or pre-season) over the course of 7-9 months, they will need more time off to recover compared to high school athletes which may be ready to begin training as soon as a few days after the season concludes. Less frequent games, younger ages, and mandatory off days in-season also contribute to the shorter rest period for high school athletes. The plan for the off-season will be dictated by several factors such as: · Time available (length of off-season, number of sessions per week, and time per session) · Player health (current and/or past injuries) · Individual goals for each athlete (which are likely to be created collaboratively among the performance and coaching staff based on the previous season’s performance and testing results for each athlete) Once the training begins, we want to ease them back into it and focus on building capacities and working on proper movement patterns to build a foundation for our later more intensive training. During this period movement quality is an important factor (controlled tempos, full range of motion, & core stability) that will help training quality later. After the athletes develop a solid foundation, we want to focus on increasing volume and tissue health/remodeling (both muscle and tendon). This could be the time where you focus on body composition as well if that is a point of emphasis with the athlete. As we get closer to the season it is important to start increasing intensities to prepare the athletes for the demands of competition in terms of strength, speed, and endurance. This could include more strength focused training, more intensive plyos, and small sided games. While progressing athletes through the off-season it is important to consider what they are doing on court with the coaching staff and what variables you want to progress. If possible, you want to avoid large increases in multiple areas at the same time. For example, as the strength and conditioning coach you do not want to add workload through lifting and speed training (either through intensity or volume) at the same time sport demands increase because that will lead to a large spike in total weekly workload for the athletes that can hinder recovery and performance. It is better to stagger the progression among the different areas for a more small but frequent progression that leads into the next season.

On 3/26/2025 at 8:26 AM, KSpencer said: With such a strong focus on game day results, post-game or post-practice recovery isn’t always top of mind for young athletes. How do you educate your athletes on its importance? What strategies do you find helps them keep it in focus? Connecting the concept to performance outcomes Coaches make the “why” real by showing how the behavior influences: Consistency and execution Playing time and trust Injury prevention and recovery Team success and individual growth When athletes see the direct payoff, the concept becomes meaningful instead of abstract. 2. Teaching in short, repeated moments Instead of long lectures, coaches weave the message into: Warm‑ups Film sessions Post‑practice reflections One‑on‑one conversations Repetition builds understanding without overwhelming them. 3. Using examples and role models Stories from past seasons, elite athletes, or respected teammates make the lesson concrete. Athletes learn well from seeing the behavior in action. 4. Modeling the behavior as a coach Athletes watch their coaches more than they listen to them. When the coach demonstrates preparation, discipline, communication, or focus, athletes internalize it. Strategies that help athletes keep the concept in focus Once athletes understand the “why,” the challenge becomes keeping it alive through the grind of a season. Coaches who succeed build systems that make the behavior part of the environment. 1. Short, memorable cues Simple phrases athletes can recall under pressure: “Win the rep.” “Control the controllable.” “Do your job.” These act as mental reset buttons. 2. Routine-based reinforcement Habits make the concept automatic. Coaches embed it into: Daily warm‑ups Team standards Reflection questions Weekly check‑ins When it’s part of the routine, athletes don’t have to “remember”—they just do it. 3. Visual reminders Coaches use: Locker room posters Whiteboard messages Wristbands Team mottos Highlight clips Visual cues keep the idea front‑of‑mind without constant talking. 4. Peer accountability Teammates often influence behavior more than coaches. Captains and veterans reinforce the standard by modeling it, calling out lapses, and celebrating good examples. 5. Celebrating the behavior when it shows up Recognition reinforces the standard. Coaches highlight: Effort Leadership moments Smart decisions Mental toughness Consistency What gets praised gets repeated. A deeper coaching insight Athletes don’t stay focused because they’re constantly reminded—they stay focused because the team environment makes the behavior the norm . When routines, language, expectations, and leadership all point toward the same priority, athletes internalize it without needing motivation every day.

Hydration directly influences how well your body uses the nutrients you eat: • Digestive enzymes require water to break down food efficiently. • Fiber works best when paired with adequate hydration to prevent bloating or constipation. • Metabolism relies on water to convert food into usable energy. • Electrolyte balance affects muscle function, nerve signaling, and overall energy. When hydration is low, even a nutritious diet can feel less effective. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/its-great-to-hydrate-infographic