Sport / CrossFit

Electrolytes For CrossFit

A 60-minute class in a warm, un-air-conditioned box can put a trained CrossFit athlete's sweat rate above 2 litres an hour, and none of that sodium comes back with plain water. LYTES stocks electrolyte sticks, capsules, tablets, chews and tubs from $1.00 AUD a serve, including Redmond Re-Lyte and LMNT, with free metro shipping on orders over $149 AUD and dispatch from Wollongong in 12-48 hours.

Shop CrossFit electrolytes

What goes wrong on WOD day

  • Grip goes before the wheels do

    Forearms cramping up mid-metcon is usually a sign of hours of sodium loss stacking up over a training block, not just today's WOD. Plain water and a post-workout shake do not put it back.

  • The box doesn't have air-con

    Most boxes are converted warehouses — high ceilings, roller doors, no climate control. Sweat rate is driven far more by effort than by duration, so a hard 20-minute AMRAP can cost you more sodium than an hour of steady cardio.

  • Two sessions, one bottle of water

    Competitors and coaches training or coaching twice a day are running a sodium deficit that compounds session to session, not just within one class. Topping up with water alone dilutes what sodium you have left.

  • Recovery shakes with a sugar problem

    Many "recovery" mixes bundle a full day's added sugar in with the electrolytes. Separating the two lets you replace sodium after every class without the sugar hit, and still fuel with real food or carbs on your own terms.

Sweat and sodium in a 60-minute class

Typical ranges for a trained CrossFit athlete across a full class — warm-up, WOD and accessory work. Pick the session type to see what you're losing and what it takes to replace it.

Sweat rate1.3 litres per hour
Sodium in sweat1250 mg per litre
Fluid lost over 1 hour1.3 litres

2 × 750 ml bidons

Sweat rate and sweat sodium concentration vary widely between athletes and rise with effort more than with time on the clock — a hard metcon can cost more sodium than an easy hour. Use these figures as a starting point, not a prescription.

Sodium lost in the class 1,625 milligrams

Roughly 1.6 serves of a 1000 mg sodium electrolyte serve, or about 1,625 mg per hour for the class.

Plain water replaces none of it.

Sweat rate ranges are drawn from a 2016 International Journal of Exercise Science study of 50 well-trained CrossFit athletes measured across natural 30–47 minute training sessions — Cronin et al., "Natural Training Hydration Status, Sweat Rates, and Perception of Sweat Losses During CrossFit Training", Int J Exerc Sci 9(5):576–586 (mean sweat rate 1.663±0.478 L/h in men, 0.886±0.274 L/h in women). CrossFit-specific sweat sodium concentration data does not exist in the published literature, so this page uses the closest well-studied proxy — a 2026 Physiological Reports study measuring sweat sodium concentration across exercise intensities in trained athletes: Harris et al., "Comparison of pilocarpine- versus exercise-induced sweat sodium concentration across exercise intensities in trained athletes" (44.5–61.3 mmol/L, roughly 1,020–1,410 mg/L, rising with intensity). Hourly sodium guidance falls back on the American College of Sports Medicine's position stand on exercise and fluid replacement (300–600 mg sodium per hour for exercise over an hour). Use this as a starting point, not a prescription — see a sports dietitian for individual advice.

Brand in focus

Redmond Re-Lyte

810mg sodium. Real salt from an ancient seabed. Zero sugar.

The best-value tub in our range, and the one to reach for if you're training most days of the week.

  • 810-1000 mg sodium per serve, from Redmond Real Salt
  • Zero sugar, naturally sweetened with stevia
  • $1.00-$1.25 a serve in the tub - our best-value tub format
  • Free metro shipping over $149
  • Dispatched same day before 12pm AEST
Shop all Re-Lyte

Brand in focus

LMNT

Zero sugar. 1000 mg sodium. Built for people who sweat.

The highest sodium dose we stock, for the hottest boxes and the heaviest sweaters.

  • 1000 mg sodium per stick
  • Zero sugar, fasting friendly
  • Free metro shipping over $149
Shop all LMNT

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Don't forget the other half of fuelling

Electrolytes replace what you sweat out. Carbs replace what you burn.

Past about 90 minutes of hard training, sodium alone will not stop you fading. Gels and chews top up the carbohydrate your legs and lungs are burning, so you can dose salt and fuel separately instead of relying on a single mix to do both jobs.

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Answer three questions about how you train and we'll point you at a brand to start with. Prefer the full version? Take the complete quiz.

How salty do you sweat?

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Anne · Verified buyerAncient Sea Salt Crystals - 226g

Great value and product

Love the ability to set up the auto ordering functionality with Lytes, it’s one less thing to remember! The product is great value for money and delivery was quick. The variety pack is a great way to try all the flavours and never get bored.

Kerri · Verified buyerRe-Lyte Hydration - Variety - Stick Packs x 30

CrossFit and electrolytes, answered

How much sodium do I need after a WOD?

It depends on the session. A standard 60-minute class in a typical box costs a trained athlete in the order of 1,500-1,650 mg of sodium, based on published CrossFit sweat-rate data - roughly one and a half serves of a 1000 mg sodium electrolyte like LMNT or Redmond Re-Lyte Unflavoured. A hot, un-air-conditioned box or a hard competition metcon pushes that higher.

Do I need electrolytes for a short WOD?

Not always. A 10-15 minute skill piece or a light strength day in a cool box is usually covered by normal food and water. Effort drives sweat rate more than the clock does, so a short but maximal metcon can still cost more sodium than an easy hour of steady cardio.

Re-Lyte or LMNT - which suits CrossFit better?

Both are zero sugar and both replace real sodium. Redmond Re-Lyte carries 810 mg sodium (flavoured) to 1000 mg (Unflavoured) per 5 g serve, made with real salt from an ancient seabed, and its tub is the best value per serve for athletes training most days. LMNT carries 1000 mg sodium per stick - the highest dose LYTES stocks - and suits the heaviest sweaters or the hottest boxes. Many athletes keep a tub of Re-Lyte at home and LMNT sticks in the gym bag for competition days.

I train twice a day - does that change what I need?

Yes. Two sessions means two rounds of sodium loss, not one. Replacing electrolytes after each session rather than only at the end of the day keeps you from starting the second class already behind.

Is an electrolyte drink the same as a recovery shake?

No. A recovery shake is built around protein and carbohydrate, with electrolytes as an afterthought if included at all. An electrolyte mix is built around sodium, potassium and magnesium with little or no sugar, so you can dose it independently of however you choose to refuel.

How fast will my order arrive, and what if I don't like it?

We dispatch from Wollongong within 12 to 48 hours, and unopened, unused items in original packaging can be returned within 30 days.

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