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Cramp in swim!!

Being fairly new to this sport having completed only 2 triahtlons, I was looking for some advice from some of you more experienced lunatics.

When swimming I find that my calves start to feel as if they will cramp and if I continue then they often do. This happens in both the pool and in open water, usually around 1500m plus, what was more worrying was that my hamstring decided to cramp on my first step out of Wimbleball lake last weekend. Does anyone have any tips for avoiding me looking like an idiot standing at the exit of the lake not being able to move whilst my leg muscles stop spasming? (other than not standing around for an hour and quarter waiting for the race to start that is?)

cheers

Comments

  • PC_67PC_67 Posts: 196
    I suffer from the same, especially in pool swims when I push off hard from the end wall, my calves seize up on me later in the session. I know this happens a few of my fellow swimmers during our weekly "boot camp" in the Hampstead Lido.

    I suspect this is largely because I'm swimming in the middle of tough-ish training weeks. With both my main races penned in for July this season, I'm still putting in some punishing sessions. My legs have already been working hard running or cycling the previous days and I'm probably borderline dehydrated.

    It's never been a problem in a race for me simply because I ease off trainging a week beforehand so my legs are fresh and I'm properly hydrated.

    I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think swim cramp is probably fairly common during training, maybe a bit less common in actual races if you've tapered & hydrated (incl salts) properly. A good stretching regime is probably a help too.
  • shadowone1shadowone1 Posts: 1,408
    I used to suffer from this and I read an article in 220 about and basicallly it recommended eating more bananas, as they are high is zinc, sodium and potassium all of which help against cramp.

    You can also ask the docs for quinine which helps also.

    I still get it though if I go for run before the swim, although I'm starting to incorp a lot of leg/ankle stretching into my routine after the run.
  • PC_67PC_67 Posts: 196
    I just noticed that there's another thread on this topic at the bottom of this page. A good point made is that you may be using your legs too hard in the swim.
  • thanks for the advice.

    I am often able to counteract my calf cramps in the pool by having electrolyte drinks midway through the session and also by not kicking off from the wall as hard, if at all, but I am unable to take on the correct fluids when swimming in a race for obvious reasons.

    I tapered for a week before the IMUK 70.3 (couldn't really taper much longer due to it effectively being a training race for the full IMUK), and my legs felt fresh the morning of the swim, maybe it was the waiting for the start, possible got de-hydrated a little!!

    I also barely use my legs when swimming, maybe it is the constant toes pointing backwards that cramps my calves and now hamstring?
  • BlinkybazBlinkybaz Posts: 1,144
    I suffer from this but know the secret cure!....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... So a nice pause there while youy sit back get ready for the answer of the month!

    Its all due to 2 things one of which the Shadowone has explained. Bananas
    2. Stiff ankles, You may be thinking what my ankles are fine. The way in which you hold your ankles whilst swimming puts strain on your solees of your feet. a simple exercise to counter act this helps to make your ankles more supple. This of course will not help your running.
    So the exercise is simple. You need to write the alphet in lower and upper case in the air with your big toes. Now how easy is that. I never seem to get around to this as part of my strength training or stretching so i still get cramp.

    Any questions?
  • I will give it a go!!

    thanks everyone for the advice, all I need to do now is learn to like bananas and remember the alphabet. Its C after B isn't it?

    cheers again
  • durhamvamdurhamvam Posts: 246
    Ok - now my login finally seems to be working!

    I agree with what has been said above - ie try to "involve" your feet less and relax - hard to do when also trying to point your toes to get that TI streamlined shape

    Also stretching should help.

    I have had success (and so have lots of other people I know) with magnesium supplements. I take a complete B vitamin supplement which has added magnesium and if I stop taking it I suffer from cramp. Certainly when I was in NZ you could get an anti-cramp supplement which I think was Magnesium and calcium - I haven't checked since I got back as I just kept on taking the vits.

    Good luck!
  • ga02clrga02clr Posts: 11
    The slightly dubious answer is quinine – it opens up blood vessels therefore increasing blood flow and reducing cramp. You do not have to go to the Dr to get its readily available as its in Indian Tonic Water. Now obviously you can take this with Gin or you can just leave the lid off and drink it flat neat or with squash added for flavour.
    The slight issue is last time I checked it was on the UCI banned drugs list above certain levels so I am guessing it is also limited in triathlon. I am sure the vast majority would never consume enough to get to this level or be drugs tested for that matter. It’s quite common to be tested at national level cycling events.
  • jibby26jibby26 Posts: 261
    ga02clr wrote:
    The slightly dubious answer is quinine – it opens up blood vessels therefore increasing blood flow and reducing cramp. You do not have to go to the Dr to get its readily available as its in Indian Tonic Water. Now obviously you can take this with Gin or you can just leave the lid off and drink it flat neat or with squash added for flavour.
    The slight issue is last time I checked it was on the UCI banned drugs list above certain levels so I am guessing it is also limited in triathlon. I am sure the vast majority would never consume enough to get to this level or be drugs tested for that matter. It’s quite common to be tested at national level cycling events.
    I did the maths on this one and schwepps now put so little quinine in there tonic water over here that you would need to drink 500 litres! yes I really said 500 litres, a day to get the minimum medicinal dose.
  • jibby26 wrote:
    [quote="ga02clr":6y983zxn]The slightly dubious answer is quinine – it opens up blood vessels therefore increasing blood flow and reducing cramp. You do not have to go to the Dr to get its readily available as its in Indian Tonic Water. Now obviously you can take this with Gin or you can just leave the lid off and drink it flat neat or with squash added for flavour.
    The slight issue is last time I checked it was on the UCI banned drugs list above certain levels so I am guessing it is also limited in triathlon. I am sure the vast majority would never consume enough to get to this level or be drugs tested for that matter. It’s quite common to be tested at national level cycling events.
    I did the maths on this one and schwepps now put so little quinine in there tonic water over here that you would need to drink 500 litres! yes I really said 500 litres, a day to get the minimum medicinal dose.[/quote:6y983zxn]

    500 litres per day, that would be an achievment in itself!! I would have to tow a barrell of tonic water with me on my 2.4mile swim just so I could keep with my daiily demands.

    Thanks for the advice but I think I will stick to the magnesium and potassium but thanks for the advice.
  • BlinkybazBlinkybaz Posts: 1,144
    Look this unlike me but I need to mention


    The answer is not due to musle or lactic acid issue from your food or supplement issues!

    It due to the fact that you are holding your ankles stiffle to enable your foot movement throught the stroke. Exerciseing the ankles to make them more supple is the answer. You can of course drink as much tonic or even swim the stuff if you want but it won t help with this!

    I would normally not object to tonic if gin is inviolved but get those ankles supple and reap the rewards.

    Again I apologies if I afend anyone with this but belive me its true! I wouldnt lie to you!
  • BlinkyBaz, thanks for the advice. I have already been trying your alpahabet writing with the toes and although it is only early days I can see the theory behind it, plus very easy to do at work. Still have to try and teach myself to like bananas tho!!

    Thanks to everyone for all the advice!!
  • BlinkybazBlinkybaz Posts: 1,144
    Banana's can be difficult to force down sometimes.
    I am opted for a banana smoothie after exercise. " banana's and half a pint od od skimmed milk. The banan's dont taste so bad!

    Cow power to the rescue!
  • PC_67PC_67 Posts: 196
    Are you sure it's not about diet / hydration / sufficient electrolytes and more about foot flexion?

    I've been doing yoga and other stretching for a while now and have never been more flexible. My stretching includes that quad stretch where you kneel down, top of your foot is on the floor with toes behind you and then you lower yourself backwards until your quads yell to stop.

    I can go nearly all the way back quite comfortably now and this means full foot extension, not sure if it's dorsi or plantar flexion. I do this stretch almost daily and nearly always pre-swim.

    I still get swim cramp though, especially if I'm still feeling the effect of a recent run or bike.
  • Well, I am pretty much attempting to cover as many angles as possible. I have a god diet that consists of a lots of sources of magnesium, potassium, zinc etc, all of which are linked to cramping (according to a website I read anyways) however I thought, what harm can a multivitamen be, so I started taking them. I am also doing the ankle stretches and movement that was suggested and I can feel that my ankles are fairly inflexible, so I will work on that before IMUK.

    I am also going to concentrate on fully hydrating myself before my next race with electrolyte drink and stretching considerable more. If all of this fail, I will be the one in the middle of Rivington Reservoir doing stretchers underwater whilst trying not to swear too loudly.
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