Team sports

Team sports involve high-intensity intermittent activities such as soccer, basketball and rugby. Players perform repeated bursts of activity separated by brief rest, requiring careful management of fluid and carbohydrate to sustain performance and decision-making.

Explanation

Team sports are characterised by stop-and-go efforts where energy demand fluctuates quickly. Research from a study of elite female soccer players found that for high‑intensity intermittent exercise lasting more than an hour, athletes should ingest 30‑60 g of carbohydrate per hour. However, players often consume far less; in the same study, average intake was only 0.9‑2.0 g/h, and failing to meet carbohydrate targets can impair performance. Pre‑match hydration is also important. Many athletes begin training in a hypohydrated state. Sweat rates and sodium losses vary widely across players, so drinking plans should be individualised. In cool conditions (<25 °C) team‑sport athletes typically lose about 1‑1.5 % of pre‑exercise body mass and can maintain their weight by drinking appropriately. Over‑drinking can disturb electrolyte balance, so athletes should avoid drinking in excess of their needs. Practitioners are advised to align drinking opportunities with match play and consider environmental demands, intensity of the session and baseline hydration status.

Match‑day fueling examples

A soccer player preparing for a 90‑minute match might eat a pre‑match meal containing 1‑3 g per kilogram body weight of carbohydrate and drink water to arrive in a euhydrated state. During the match they can sip small amounts of sports drink or use carbohydrate gels and chews to deliver roughly 30‑60 g of carbohydrate per hour, while monitoring fluid intake to replace most of their sweat losses (about 0.5‑1 L/h depending on conditions). Weighing before and after play helps gauge whether intake prevented >2 % body mass loss and avoided weight gain. In a cool‑weather rugby training session, players consumed about 0.88 L of fluid and lost only 0.17 % of body mass. This illustrates how ad libitum drinking can meet hydration needs, but it also shows that athletes who start highly hydrated tend to drink more, reinforcing the need for personalised hydration plans.

Team sports combine repeated sprints and technical skills, and performance is sensitive to hydration and carbohydrate availability. Ensuring players begin in a well‑hydrated state, consuming 30‑60 g/h carbohydrate during play, and tailoring fluid intake to sweat losses can help maintain endurance, decision‑making and recovery. Monitoring body mass change and adjusting strategies for temperature and playing time keeps athletes ready for every half and overtime period.

Related Terms: Short‑duration high‑intensity, Endurance event, Recovery window, Hot‑humid conditions, Per‑serving carbohydrate