Peak Performance on Sport Drinks and Warm-Ups
Just subscribed to the What's New @ Peak Performance blog. They carry all kinda of interesting stuff. Two leapt out at me from my quick scan of their first page:
Contrary to what you might expect, fluid absorption tends to take place in the small intestine rather than the stomach. Studies have shown that the larger the volume of fluid in the stomach, the more rapid the emptying into the small intestine, which means that maintaining a large fluid volume in the stomach by repeated drinking will maximise the rate of fluid (and nutrient) delivery to the small intestine.
Alas. I can't carry a large fluid volume in my stomach without feeling like it's sloshing around and making me feel generally bloated. Interesting, nonetheless.
Is there a better way? [than a jog followed by static stretching] I believe there is. In my view, an active or 'dynamic' warm-up is an infinitely superior way to prepare for physical activity.
Although this type of warm-up has been used by track and field athletes for years, it is not widely practised within other sports - eg football, basketball and baseball - at junior, senior or professional levels.
I keep reading everywhere that pre-competition static stretching is a bad idea (except, perhaps, the hip flexors). I switched from my only stretching occurring pre-play to a model where I stretch for flexibility regularly throughout the day, and do dynamic warm-up pre-play, and I prefer it.