First, a quick reminder to sign up ASAP for the 70′s Big workshop coming next weekend, August 7th. Ruth has also been informed that Justin and AC will be available for training on Friday evening for $25 per person. Let us know right away so we can get a headcount!

Today’s question:

What’s the best sports drink for during or post-WOD?

Sports drinks are a big business. Advertisers love to feature athletes drinking their beverages so people form a mental connection between the two. Who can forget the iconic “Be Like Mike” campaign?

Then there’s this more recent campaign, featuring my least favorite player:

The funny thing is that most people view the 2nd commercial and shake their heads at the thought of drinking soda after a workout. But aside from the carbonation, there’s not a lot of difference between Sprite and Gatorade. In fact, while they plan to change this year to a glucose-dextrose blend, Gatorade has been using HFCS as their energy source of choice… just like sodas. Further muddying the waters is the fact Gatorade is owned by Pepsi, while Coke owns Powerade. Yet oddly, many people reach for a Gatorade thinking that it’s somehow healthier than a can of soda.

So it should come as no surprise that the recommended drink of choice is plain ol’ water. Your body doesn’t need the extra sweeteners once you train your taste buds accordingly. Oh and the electrolytes? It’s pretty much nothing more than table salt. Unless you come into the gym dehydrated, you would only need electrolytes after three or more hours of extreme exercising. So grab a bottle (hopefully stainless steel) of H₂O, since it’ll get the job done better than anything else. Yes, even more than Brawndo — water is what plants (and humans) crave.

WOD 07.26.10

Back Squat 3×5, 1×15-20

Then, four rounds for time:

• 10 Toes to Bar
• 10 Ground to Overhead