Workout 'Power Through'

Want a workout that is challenging and yet does not require going to the gym? Here is one for you. Actually this one is for everyone! I love such workouts. The idea of AMRAP workouts it to do as many reps as YOU can for the time given. This means you are challenging your own capabilities. 

The 'Power Through' workout consists of 2 sets of exercises. Each set is repeated 3 times with 30 seconds rest in between the rounds. And each exercise goes for 45 seconds so set your timers! Do as many repetitions of each exercise as YOU can. Do not make it easy for yourself! But if you really need a break, you can stop for 5 - 10 seconds. 

Sequence 1

1. Switch kicks - Start from standing position. Elbows are bent and close to your body. Imagine there is someone in front of you and you have to kick him in the stomach. Kick with a straight leg, heel comes out. Switch legs in the air. To do that you need to use your core power. Therefore, keep your abs contracted! If you find switching legs in the air way too much for you, you can modify. Straighten the leg out and high, putting it back on the ground and repeat with the other leg. Do not forget to keep the core contracted

Do as many reps as you can for 45 seconds

2. Jump Squats - Get down in a squat position. Your feet are spread at least shoulder width apart or a little bit wider (depending on how flexible you are). Bent your knees until you come to 90 degrees. Make sure your knees stay behind your toes and not leaning in front. Your back should be flat, chest open and you are gazing in front of you. Chin also parallel to the floor. The centre of your weight is on the outside of your feet and on your heels.

From this position, push yourself off the ground with your feet, squeezing your gluteus and abs to help you with the jump. Jump with straight legs and land softly in the same squat position. AMRAP (as many reps as possible) for 45 seconds !

3.Oblique plank - Get down in a plank position. Your wrists are below your shoulders. Your body is in a straight line. (*Note: Make sure your butt is not too high or your hips are not dropping to the ground) Your core and inner thighs are contracted. Bring your right knee out and towards your body. Take the leg back to straight plank. Take the left knee out and towards your body. Take it back. Repeat. Do as many reps as you can for 45 seconds and do not forget to keep the right form !

4. Floor runs - After you are done with the oblique plank, keep the plank position. Bring one knee to your chest, put the leg back and repeat with the other knee. Like you are running with your palms on the floor. Do as many reps as you can for 45 seconds.

Rest for 30 seconds. Repeat the sequence 3 times in total

Sequence 2

1. 20x high knees + 4x push ups - From a standing position lift your right knee up above your hip. Switch with the other knee. Use your lower abs to lift the knees up. Always land softly to prevent injury. Do 20 repetitions and get down on the ground for 4 push ups. If you need modification of the push ups, perform them with knees on the ground. 

2. Burpees - From a standing position place your hands on the ground close to your feet. Jump your feet out and lay down on the ground. Jump your feet back in and jump up clapping your hands above your head. Make sure you are using your abs to help you jump. Do as many reps as you can in 45 seconds !

3. Triceps dips - Get yourself a chair next to a wall or use a step or something that can hold you. If you cannot find anything you can also do it on the ground. Place your palms on the chair (or floor) behind you with fingers pointing towards your body. Knees are bent and elbows straight. Bent your elbows as low as you can (without your butt reaching the ground) and push yourself up to straight arms again. Do as many reps as possible (AMRAP) for 45 seconds.

Rest 30 seconds. Repeat the sequence 3 times in total. 

Enjoy your workout and we are waiting for your comments !

Bodyweight Interval Training

What I love about interval trainings is that it can never be too easy. Why? Because you have to go as fast as you can. So the stronger you become, the more reps you do. You get it? Now go get ripped with this 50:10 protocol bodyweight workout and nothing more !

4x Exercises 4x Rounds 50:10

The workout consists of only 4 exercises. Each exercise goes for 50 seconds followed by 10 seconds rest (the 50:10 protocol. We've done that before!) .You've got to go as fast as possible in these 50 seconds, kicking your heart rate go up. Make sure you breath a lot during the exercise and the 10 seconds of rest to get enough oxygen to your muscles. This is  very important when you are doing HIIT (Read more about High Intensity Interval Training).

Repeat the sequence for 4 rounds. Trying to score higher reps on each round. Together with the warm up it should last for about 20 minutes. It is also a good idea to stretch for 3 -5 minutes after the workout.

1. Jump Squats

Get down in a squat position. Your feet are spread at least shoulder width apart or a little bit wider (depending on how flexible you are). Bent your knees until you come to 90 degrees. Make sure your knees stay behind your toes and not leaning in front. Your back should be flat, chest open and you are gazing in front of you. Chin also parallel to the floor. The centre of your weight is on the outside of your feet and on your heels.

From this position, push yourself off the ground with your feet, squeezing your gluteus and abs to help you with the jump. Jump with straight legs and land softly in the same squat position. AMRAP (as many reps as possible) for 50 seconds ! Write down your scores.

2.Jump Lunges

Set up your lung position. From standing make step out with your right foot and bent your knees. The front knee is about your ankle at 90 degrees. The back knee is below the the hip also at 90 degrees. Do not bring the back knee too much to the back or to the front.

From this position, push yourself off the ground with your feet. Switch legs and land softly in the same position. The only different is that now your leg foot is in front and your right foot is back. Repeat the jump and switch. AMRAP for 50"! Write down your score

3. In&Out Abs

Get down in a plank position. Your shoulders are above your wrists. Neck is long. Your back is flat. Your legs are straight, so you are on your toes and palms. Maintain your body line straight. If you look yourself into the mirror, fro your head to your toes your body should be aligned in one line. Do not lift your butt or collapse your hips. In order to maintain straight body line you need to contract the abs. Work those abs ! They should be contracting during the whole time.

From the straight plank position, jump with your feet in, between your arms. Then jump them out, back into the straight plank position. Do as many reps as possible for 50" ! Write down your score

4. Triceps Dips

Get yourself a chair next to a wall or use a step or something that can hold you. If you cannot find anything you can also do it on the ground. Place your palms on the chair (or floor) behind you with fingers pointing towards your body. Knees are bent and elbows straight. Bent your elbows as low as you can (without your butt reaching the ground) and push yourself up to straight arms again. Do as many reps as possible (AMRAP) for 50". Write down your score


Try to perform better with every round. Even one rep more is an improvement! For a maximum recovery, take some good protein.

Banana Pancakes From the Paleo Kitchen

The more I get into healthy cooking, the more I love it! I have always been lazy to get up early on a Sunday to make a pile of pancakes for everyone. It just seemed like so much work, and all the mess later on.... uh. Recently, I found this recipe on one of my favourite websites for healthy recipes thedetoxinista.com . OMG!! I never knew that you could make sooo healthy and delicious pancakes for no time! Enjoy it !

Ingredients

for 4/5 pancakes (1 portion)

2x ripe bananas

1 egg

1/8 tblsp baking soda

* I also put some walnuts in although it was not in the original recipe. You can also play and add peanut butter,almond butter , raisins or cinnamon, according to your preferences. 

Instructions

Smash the bananas with a fork until they reach the state of almost smooth purée. Add the egg, baking soda and whatever else you would like and mix it well. Ingredients should be well blended.

Preheat the oven to about 180C. Place the mixture on a baking sheet. 1 - 1 1/2 spoon should be enough for one pancake. Make sure the pancakes do not "mingle" with each other. Bake until they look somewhat golden brownish.

* The baking paper I used did not have parchment so the pancakes stick to it at the end a little bit, so it might be a good idea to use baking sheet with parchment paper if you have.

These pancakes really do not need any sweetener since they get are super sweet anyway because of the fructose in the ripe bananas.

Indulge yourself ! :)


Reference: http://detoxinista.com/2012/01/paleo-pancakes/

Morning Stretching Routine to Reduce Back Pain

With the busy daily lives that most of us have, it is not uncommon for back pain to appear in the lower and upper back. We often sit for hours in front of our desks, computers. Some of us study extensively in their beds, rounding their backs. Unfortunately, no one can quit their daily duties. The best way to cope with this is by stretching our backs every morning. 

Benefits from morning stretch

• A morning stretching routine does not need to last long. 5 - 10 minutes are more than enough. 
• It does not require any flexibility.
• It does not require any equipment and you can do it even in your bed.
• Stretching in the morning moves around the blood allowing it to flow towards the muscles, thus reducing stiffness. 
• It also moves blood towards your brain, causing it to `wake up`. 
• It wakes you up better than coffee !! 
• Gives you energy for at least the first half of the day
• Let's you concentrate better and be more productive
• Helps you maintain straight and healthy spine
• Improves confidence

During the stretch

Remember that you are just waking up your body so do not try to push it too much. Stretch as much as you feel comfortable with. 

Many people think stretching is not for them because they are not flexible. This is not true! As the famous Tara Stiles said ones: "As long as you breath, you can stretch". Stretch as much as you can allow yourself. 

Try to keep every posture for around 3 deep breaths - inhale and exhale. 

Now have a good day ! :) 

High Intensity Interval Trainings (HIIT) or Why you should quit long-lasting gym workouts?

A few years ago I used to spend around an hour and a half in the gym working out. That was sometimes without the time for going there and coming back. Now my workouts rarely take more than 30 minutes of my time. I do them at home or in the nearby park (so I save money) and I am loving the results. Read more about High Intensity Interval Training and its benefits...

What is HIIT?

High Intensity Interval Trainings are short workouts, that might last from 4 to 30 minutes. It is a form of
workout that alternates high intensity anaerobic exercises with lower intensity (or recovery) periods. A warm up is required before the workout and is recommended to be followed up by some stretching to cool down. 

The Tabata method

Probably the most famous kind of HIIT is the Tabata method. After a study, Izumi Tabata found, according to him, the most effective regime of training. The Tabata method alternates 20 seconds of a maximum- intensity exercise with 10 seconds of rest for 4 minutes, or 8 cycles in total. According to the study, this method performed 4 times a week produces the same results as a steady state training performed 5 days a week.

Benefits from HIIT

1. Fat burner cardio effect

Actually HIIT trainings burn more calories than regular cardio exercises such as jogging ! Apart from being a great fat burner during the workout, this regimen kicks off your metabolism so good that you burn more calories also in the 24 hours after the workout!

2. Metabolic kick

The fact that you keep on burning calories up to 24 hours after the workouts, means your metabolism is constantly working like a Swiss watch. It keeps on burning calories from fat and you do not lose any muscle unlike regular cardio activities! Moreover, it stimulates your body to produce more of the human growth hormone, which is an awesome anti-ageing effect.

3. Aerobic / Anaerobic benefits

Most of the people find it hard to keep up when they are in the anaerobic zone. This is the moment when you feel like your heart is going to jump out any moment and you are gasping for breath. With a few weeks of an intensive interval training, you can improve your anaerobic abilities and your sport performance in general raises to higher levels - also when it comes to aerobic exercises. 

4. Efficient

Apart from being very effective, HIIT workouts are the best regimen for a busy schedule that most of us have. The workouts are short - they take between 4 - 30 minutes -  and you can perform them anywhere you want - in the gym, in the park, at home. This means you can do it Anytime and Anywhere! 

4. Cheap - No gym equipment needed

To do HIIT you do not really need any equipment. Many variations of HIIT use only the weight of the body. So, you basically need to get some comfortable shoes and sweaty pants and you are ready for an awesome workout. If you do want to add some weight, you can equip yourself with a set of dumbbells or a bar at home, which is still quite cheaper than a regular visitation at the gym. 

Example of a HIIT workout

An example of an awesome HIIT workout that uses the Tabata regimen will show you the super cardio effect of interval trainings. 

Now enjoy sweating and getting lean! 

 Sweat is fat crying :)

Resources:

http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/8-benefits-high-intensity-interval-training-hiit

Interval build-up running

Hello All,

A few days ago a friend of mine( Thank you Darin!) remind me of a great workout which I must share with you. It's a workout that everybody has to do from time to time.As many of you probably have already heard, there is a more efficient way to increase your aerobic capacity without the need to run for hours. It's called Interval Running\Training.

Today I'm going to introduce an interval running workout, which helps increasing aerobic capacity and has a huge fat burning effect. I can also say that this is one of the best alternatives of the aerobic training.
You can do it 3 times per weeks and soon you will notice the results.

As you can see it will take you about 25-30mins including warm-up before and stretching once you are done.

Take a chronometer with you or just use your mobile. Nowadays every mobile has one built-in.

In short, start jogging for 30 seconds. Increase the duration of the jogging with 30 seconds after every time you do a sprint.
After the first jogging, start with the sprint for 20 seconds and increase with 10 seconds after every jogging.

In a similar way I used to prepare myself for a competition in mixed martial arts. But I will show you how in the next article ;)





Source: Black Book of training secrets by Christian Thibaudeau

SuperFoods: Goji Berries

General Info

Goji berries are bright orange-red, oval fruits of between 1-2 cm size of the seeds. The number of seeds of each fruit may vary by variety or size between 10-60 tiny yellow seeds. The fruits ripen from July to October in the northern hemisphere.

Latin name of the goji berry (Lycium) comes from the ancient southern Anatolian region Lycia, and in pharmacology is marked as Lycii fructus. In the English-speaking world the name "goji berries" is used from the beginning of the XXI century.

Advertised as a superfood, fruits of Lycium barbarum are also known as the wolfberry and grapes wolf. You will meet goji berries in any organic shop and anywhere you will read how useful these fruits are, also known as the "Miracle of the Himalayas", the secret of longevity and magic fruit of youth

Health Benefits of Goji Berries

They are high in antioxidants, specifically the carotenoids (like beta-carotene) and zeaxanthin (compound that absorbs blue light and helps protect the eyes).

The antioxidants in the berries are thought to help fight off free radicals in the body.

Goji Berries have about 20 different vitamins and minerals, making it one of the most nutritionally beneficial foods available.

They have 18 different amino acids (the building blocks to protein).

They have been used for many years in teas, juices and tinctures to treat ailments (although these are just assumptions and not based on clinical trials - at least not yet!)  The FDA has NOT approved the consumption of these berries to treat any disease or ailment.

Goji Berries have been used in Tibet for at least 1,700 years. Tibetan Medicine includes these berries in the treatment of kidney problems, liver problems, to lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, cleanse the blood, eye problems, skin rashes, psoriasis, depression, allergies, insomnia, chronic liver disease, diabetes and tuberculosis. Goji Berries are also used by the people of Tibet to increase longevity and as a general health strengthening tonic. Many people that now eat Goji berries on a daily basis notice improved eyesight, restoration of hair color, mood enhancement, noticeable improvement in energy levels, better sleeping habits, stronger immune function, and more zest for life.

The Goji Berry is also being called the world's most powerful anti-aging food.

Nutritional properties and content of nutrients in goji berries

It is believed that goji berries contain the following nutrients :

• 6 essential vitamins ;

• 11 basic elements ;

• 22 minerals ;

• 18 amino acids ;

• 8 polysaccharides ;

• 6 monosaccharides ;

• 5 unsaturated fatty acids ( alpha -linolenic acid , beta -sitosterol and other phytosterols ) ;

• 5 carotenoids , including beta carotene , lutein and more. ;

• many phenolic pigments ( antioxidants ) .

Has also been found that fruits contain :

• Calcium - 112 mg/100 g ;

• Potassium - 1130 mg/100 g ;

• Iron - 9 mg/100 g ;

• Zn 2 mg/100 g ;

• Selenium - 50 mkg/100 g;

• Riboflavin - 1.3 mg/100 g ;

• Vitamin C - Between 29 and 148 mg/100 on

In goji berries contain many phytochemicals , such as:

• Beta Carotene 7 mg per 100 g dried fruit ;

• zeaxanthin - up to 200 mg per 100 g of dried fruit ;

• polysaccharides : up to 31% by weight of the pulp.

How to consume Goji Berries

You can eat a small handful of them plain.

Add them to yogurt or Greek yogurt for an added boost of nutrition.

Add them as a nutritional boost in your smoothies.

Mix them with your homemade granola and/or trailmix.

Sprinkle on your oatmeal for breakfast.

Add to muffins, baked goods, pancake batter, waffle batter, cookies or anything that would have the addition of something like a raisin.

Try not to consume an awful lot of these.  Just because something is thought to be "good" for you doesn't mean you want to eat a ton of it.  Just like any food, moderation is key.

Possible Side Effects

Reactions are possible with the use of goji berries along with certain herbs or substances designed to thin the blood. It is also likely that goji berries can affect the action of drugs for diabetes and blood pressure. Avoid them also for diarrhea, gas and bloating.

 Sources

http://www.bb-team.org/

http://www.chefcathythenutritionist.com

http://www.purehealingfoods.com

Strong Legs workout

For the last year I’ve been working on my legs real hard.

Previously, as many people I hated when it was a leg day. It’s not secret that we often skip to train our legs.

However, many people doesn’t realize that legs are probably half of our body. We all stand on our legs and they have to be strong enough to keep us standing on the ground. In all sports, e.g. basketball, boxing, karate, MMA, running, long jump, football and etc…. power, speed & explosiveness comes from the legs. If you are not training them regularly you will not reach your best results. Not to mention that it looks funny when we see a strong muscular guy in his shoulders and with skinny legs. I feel like if I push him with my thumb he will smash on the ground because he is not stable enough and his upper body is too heavy.

So, for this reason I want to share with you my latest leg workout. I really enjoy it before I start it and hate it after J

The routine 

Warm up, espacially your legs and do 50-100 reps squats (no weight), then do

4 circles of
- *Hack squats – 6 slow reps.
- Barbell jump squats – 10-12 reps 40kgs

*it’s important when performing the exercise to go down really slow for about 6 seconds and to stand up as fast as possible

Rest 3-5mins

4 circles of
- One legged half squat (pistol squat) – 12-15 reps, put a bench behind you and sit on it. So you do half squat. Do again all reps slowly.
do both legs and then switch to the next exercise.
- Leg step ups on a bench 12-15 reps - when you step with one of your legs on the bench and raise yourself, raise your other leg like your are hitting someone with your knee.

Then I do calves
4 sets of Farmer's Walk on Toes with dumbbells
4 sets of 15 reps calf raises on a machine like leg press or smith machine or just step with your toes on a step and do standing calf raises.

Except of performing the exercises correctly it's really important to find out the best weight to use.

The Jump Workout

Recently I have found I do not perform well on jumps so this became my knew goal - learn jump techniques and jump higher. I realised we do not have much the need to jump in our daily life and when we have to, we do not feel comfortable doing it (at least us ladies ! ). And one of the many reasons why we workout is to feel comfortable with ourselves at all times and advance, right?! 

The Workout

10 x Tuck jump & Push up Burpees

20 x Go-unders & Leg raise

15 x Jumps 

Beginners - 3 rounds

Advanced - 5 rounds

Important elements

Warm up well your knees, ankles and muscles! With jumps, it is more likely to get injuries if you do not prepare well. 

During all jumps, try to jump softly with bent knees, relying more on your muscles than on your joints. It might be a good idea to jump a few times before the workout to practice it. 

For the burpees - if you are a beginner, instead of the tuck jump, just jump up with straight legs, clapping your hands over your head. 

For the push ups  - keep your body line straight. You can also do the push ups on your knees. 

For the go-unders - keep your back straight, do not bent over to prevent back pain. 

For the jumps at the end - swing yourself using your hands and land properly with bent knees. Try to jump as far as possible BUT so that you do not fall. The exercise is only finished when you get up ! If you fall, do an extra rep ! You should learn how to do it properly. 

Now  go and keep it strong !

CrossFit WOD: Barbara

Again, today I'm going to show you a CrossFit workout using only your body weight and doing basic exercises. The WOD (Workout Of the Day) is called Barbara


The routine: Barbara

20 Pullups
30 Pushups
40 Situps
50 Squats

3 min rest between each of 5 rounds


Always keep straight form when performing the exercices. If you can't do the all 20 Pullups or some of the others, do a really short, few seconds break and continue.

Feel free to comment guys.
Keep it Strong!

Sweating in the Summer Cardio Workout (Video)

Vacation is the time to rest and take off your mind all worries from your daily life that have been piling up throughout the whole year. It has proven that exercising is one of the best way to rest your mind so I hope you do not forget to workout during your holiday!

This workout is designed so that it effectively burns those calories you want to get rid of it, and it also shapes your body. It basically trains the whole body.

The Workout:

3 rounds
4 exercises + Cardio section in between
NO rest

35 x Jumping jacks
20 x Crunches
35 x Jumping jacks
20 x Triceps dips
35 x Jumping jacks
10 x Jump squats
35 x Jumping jacks
10 x Push ups

WOD: Run and Squat

Today I will show you a very good workout, designed to increase endurance and oxygen capacity of the athlete.
Down the list, workout looks very easy, but for many of you I'm sure will prove to be quite intense. The catch lies in the fact that after you ran 400 meters you need to do 50 squats, which will greatly inflate your thights. Then you have to do this round 3 more times. Do this workout for time.
However, once you feel confident of doing it you can put some weight when doing squats, increase the speed of running and\or do some extra rounds.

4 rounds for time
Run 400m 
50x Squats 

Keep it Strong!

WATER – No one can live without it!

Many people doesn't realise how important water is to us. That's why I decided to extract and sum up in this article the most important information that you have to know about water and it's qualities.

Water – General Information

About 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, and the same amount in our body. Water is required for each of the metabolic processes, including the synthesis of proteins. If you exercise intensely, the simplest thing you can do to help your body is to drink more water. According to the common understanding 6-8 glasses of water is enough for one day. But people who are exercising regularly need more. Aim to drink at least 2-4 liters of water depending on your size and needs.

Water flushes toxins and residues from our body. It is especially important in high-protein diet as it helps to remove excess nitrogen, urea (a toxic compound) and ketone bodies.If you take a lot of food to gain muscle mass, then you need even more water to help the kidneys. Without enough water, the kidneys can not function fully. When this happens, part of the "load" is transferred to the liver. It processes the accumulated fat in the body for energy. If the liver is doing some of the work of the kidneys, your body burns less fat, ie instead of burning, your liver is occupied with other activities and begin to accumulate extra pounds. Contrary to popular belief, drinking water can actually help clear excess fluid. When water is taken infrequently or in small quantities, the body begins to think that there is a shortage and begins to store it to have a reserve in case of need. It is stored in extra cellular spaces and makes your skin look soft and fluffy

Water and Exercising

By drinking an adequate amount of water each day, you can ensure that your body has all it needs to maintain good health

Starting out hydrated is a good choice for morning exercisers. Drink water before your workout; you lose water while you exercise even without heavy perspiration. Ingesting at least a glass of pure water shortly after rising is a good way to hydrate your system. Adding a small squeeze of lemon for taste also helps stimulate the bowels to evacuate soon thereafter, which will help you feel more comfortable during your workout routine. 

Hydration is particularly important for the morning workout enthusiast. Remember, you’ve just awakened from a 8-to 10-hour fast. Because proper hydration improves the quality of your workout, reduces fatigue, reduces recovery time, and increases your level of satisfaction, it is especially important for you to hydrate yourself before as well as after your workout session. Keep in mind that thirst is not the best scale by which to measure whether or not you are well hydrated. If your urine is the color of lemonade, you’re doing well; if by chance it is leaning toward the color of apple juice, you need to reach for another glass of fluid. Also, some symptoms of dehydration are headache, poor concentration, tiredness, and constipation.  

Hydration during exercising 

If your workout is particularly long or your environment is hot and/or humid, just drinking plain water during your exercise may not be the best option.

Two hours of vigorous exercise can deplete the fuel supply (called glycogen) that your muscle cells use during vigorous activity. Drinking water alone won’t replenish that fuel. Assuming you can’t take a meal break in the middle of your marathon race, you may need something to drink that also contains carbohydrate for energy and to sustain performance. Commercial sports drinks containing 6% to 8% carbohydrate from various sugar sources are recommended for exercise events lasting longer than 1 hour

Likewise, when you sweat heavily for an extended period, you’re not losing just plain water. You’re also losing a significant amount of sodium, which needs to be maintained within a certain range to avoid potentially serious problems like exercise-induced hyponatremia (a serum sodium concentration <130 mEq/L), which can also occur if you drink too much plain water, in a short time period

For particularly long endurance workouts OR exercise sessions in hot and humid weather, one may need more than the Tolerable Upper Intake Level for sodium (2,300 milligrams daily). That's why commercial sports drinks are often recommended for athletes taking part in such endurance events

Avoid taking huge gulps of water, though, and avoid taking in too much water during a single break. For instance, you may feel full and hurt your workout if you chug 30 ounces of water during a break. Instead, gradually take in cold water throughout your exercise routine, because cold water is absorbed more quickly into your system than warm water or room temperature water. This is the most effective way to drink water during exercise.

Hydration after exercising

Once you finish working out, your body still needs water to replenish the levels that you lost during your exercise. In order to help your body regroup, you need to drink plenty afterward as well. In addition to water, you should try to drink a beverage that contains electrolytes, as you lose many of these during exercise. Regardless, you need to get fluids into your system to make sure that you help the muscle healing process and stay hydrated later on. And again, make sure you're drinking cold water in order to help it get into your system quickly.

Drinking plenty of water is the best thing that you can do for your body if you plan on exercising regularly. By staying hydrated, you'll be protecting your internal organs and preventing your muscles from getting damaged by dehydration. So if you plan on exercising effectively in the future, make sure that you drink water before, during and after your exercise.

Sources:

http://www.acefitness.org/

bb-team.org