How much water should you drink during a workout?

During a workout, a general guideline is to drink about 7 to 10 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes of exercise. Before you start, it helps to drink around 17 to 20 ounces about two hours beforehand, and another 8 ounces right before beginning. Your actual needs depend on factors like exercise intensity, duration, body size, and how much you sweat. In hot or humid conditions you will need more. A practical way to gauge hydration is to check your urine color, aiming for pale yellow. For workouts lasting longer than an hour, an electrolyte drink may be more beneficial than plain water to replace sodium and other minerals lost through sweat.