Hydration & Intra
Electrolytes for the heat and EAAs to sip through a session. Salt, potassium and magnesium do more for a summer workout than another scoop of pre.
See every hydration & EAA tub, side by side →
Hydration in the Central Valley is not optional
Training in McFarland in July is a different problem than training in a climate-controlled gym somewhere mild. If you work outside — the fields, a job site, a warehouse — you are starting your workout already down. Water alone does not fix that, because what you lose in sweat is water and salt, and drinking plain water on a heavy sweat day can leave your sodium lower than when you started.
What is actually in an electrolyte product
- Sodium — the one that matters most and the one cheap products skimp on. Look for 300 to 1,000mg per serving. Sweat runs roughly 800 to 1,500mg of sodium per liter.
- Potassium — 100 to 400mg. Supports the sodium, not a replacement for it.
- Magnesium — 50 to 100mg. Often credited with stopping cramps; the evidence is thinner than the marketing.
- Carbohydrate — a small amount speeds absorption. A zero-sugar stick is fine for daily use; for sessions over 90 minutes, some carbohydrate helps.
EAAs and intra-workout — who they are for
Essential amino acids give you all nine your body cannot make, so unlike BCAAs they can actually support muscle protein synthesis. Sipping 10 to 15g through a session is worth it if you train fasted, if you train more than 90 minutes, or if your daily protein intake is genuinely low. If you eat 150g of protein a day and had a meal before the gym, an EAA drink is mostly a flavored reason to keep drinking fluid — which is not nothing in this heat, but be honest about what you are buying.
A practical plan for a hot day
Drink 16 to 20oz of water with electrolytes in the two hours before you train or before a shift. Sip 6 to 12oz every 15 to 20 minutes while you work. After, drink about 1.5 times the weight you lost — weigh yourself before and after once and you will know your rate. If your urine is dark, if you get a headache mid-afternoon, or if you cramp in the same muscle repeatedly, sodium is usually the missing piece.
Signs you have gone too far the other way
Nausea, confusion, and a headache after drinking a lot of plain water in the heat can mean sodium that is too low, not too high. That is the case for an electrolyte product over a gallon jug of water.
On the shelf
Electrolyte tubs and single-serve sticks, plus intra-workout EAA blends. See the brands we carry or call (661) 428-4801 for what is in today.