leg cramps....

Jan 31, 18 5:10

Post #1 of 21 (1927 views)

Here's the deal. I've been having issues with leg cramps on the swim, but only if I ride or run prior to swimming. It can hit any part of the leg and is most likely related to fatigue, but unfortunately my swim time is pretty much limited to 7:30-8:30pm on Tues and Thursday evenings with masters. I'm trying to get in most of my runs and rides at lunchtime at the gym across the street from my office, which generally means sacrificing a bit of volume in favour of intensity.

Anyone find any effective "tricks" to recover from a short hard session in under 5 hours? Or do just I have to make sure that those days are "easy" and do the harder efforts on Monday Wednesday Friday?

I can ride at home as well, but it really means that I don't get on the bike until after 9pm. I've tried getting up early to train before the wife and toddler wake up, but that just wakes up the dog, who wakes up the toddler, which pisses off the wife, no matter how early it is (the other day I tried 4:30, didn't work....)

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Re: leg cramps.... [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]

Jan 31, 18 6:50

Post #2 of 21 (1886 views)

Usually for me, it happens with introduction of new stress to my legs. I just ignore it or use the pull buoy when I cramp in the pool and in a few weeks the muscles adapt and the cramps become rarer.
Make sure that you’re replacing electrolytes and some glycogen after your run or bike rides.

Re: leg cramps.... [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]

Jan 31, 18 10:26

Post #3 of 21 (1843 views)

I'm going to vote electrolyte replacement as well.

I have a ton of cramping issues, and they best thing I can do for myself is keep around a bottle of Salt Stick capsules. They are huge for me.

Re: leg cramps.... [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]

Jan 31, 18 11:30

Post #4 of 21 (1823 views)

I have similar issues after a hard bike or run in the AM and a swim over lunch. Inner quad LOCKS UP and I have to curl up in a ball and wait for it to pass.
Solutions I have found = swim on days with no running before hand... from what you posted, probably not feasible.
HOT SHOT = http://www.teamhotshot.com/ - takes some getting used to taste wise, but taken before my swim and I have no issues.
Work sets in with the swim buoy so you don't have to kick as much.
Work in sets with flippers where you don't kick, but rather drag your legs kind of like with the swim buoy.

Good luck!

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Re: leg cramps.... [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]

Jan 31, 18 12:53

Post #5 of 21 (1800 views)

I get that too. Magnesium supplements seemed to help quite a bit.

Re: leg cramps.... [kanman] [ In reply to ]

Jan 31, 18 13:25

Post #6 of 21 (1785 views)

kanman wrote:

I get that too. Magnesium supplements seemed to help quite a bit.

Magnesium supps haven't been the cure-all, but I have less frequent and less intense calf/foot cramping in the pool when I take them regularly.

"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

Re: leg cramps.... [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]

Jan 31, 18 16:10

Post #7 of 21 (1747 views)

Stop kicking like a swimmer & do more buoy heavy workouts when your legs are beat up. Trained as a distance swimmer, I never had a 6-beat kick to begin with, so cramping in the pool is only a problem for me immediately after really hard run. Thankfully those swims are usually prescribed as long pull sets & this is only a minor problem for me.

Re: leg cramps.... [turningscrews] [ In reply to ]

Jan 31, 18 16:15

Post #8 of 21 (1743 views)

turningscrews wrote:

Stop kicking like a swimmer & do more buoy heavy workouts when your legs are beat up. Trained as a distance swimmer, I never had a 6-beat kick to begin with, so cramping in the pool is only a problem for me immediately after really hard run. Thankfully those swims are usually prescribed as long pull sets & this is only a minor problem for me.

Well, I'm still a swimmer first and foremost, so that's not changing. Anything to do with changing swim practice is a non-starter. It's the other crappy sports that will have to adapt. ;-)

Thanks for the suggestions. We might even have some magnesium in the house, I'll try that tomorrow.

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Re: leg cramps.... [turningscrews] [ In reply to ]

Jan 31, 18 16:37

Post #9 of 21 (1735 views)

turningscrews wrote:

Stop kicking like a swimmer & do more buoy heavy workouts when your legs are beat up. Trained as a distance swimmer, I never had a 6-beat kick to begin with, so cramping in the pool is only a problem for me immediately after really hard run. Thankfully those swims are usually prescribed as long pull sets & this is only a minor problem for me.

I've cramped with a pull buoy plenty of times before. Often in reaction to pushing off the wall, but sometimes just from trying to hold those feet in flexion.

"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

Last edited by: gary p: Jan 31, 18 16:37

Re: leg cramps.... [gary p] [ In reply to ]

Jan 31, 18 16:42

Post #10 of 21 (1730 views)

Yeah, the cramp doesn't usually come from flutter kick. I typically feel it either on push offs or dolphin kick / breast kick, which have a larger range of motion and more force than flutter kick.

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Re: leg cramps.... [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]

Jan 31, 18 16:52

Post #11 of 21 (1724 views)

I was getting some cramps from the push-off in my hamstrings and sometimes in my lower left calf.

The calf thing almost always happened after kick-sets with fins, I seem to have a problem with that. My fix was to stop kicking with fins, I haven't fixed the root problem yet.

The hamstring problem comes during periods of heavy running. Now I'm not one for strength training but I did do some eccentric hamstring strengthening last spring and summer twice a week. I can go into detail if you would like.

Re: leg cramps.... [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]

Jan 31, 18 18:26

Post #12 of 21 (1692 views)

JasoninHalifax wrote:

turningscrews wrote:

Stop kicking like a swimmer & do more buoy heavy workouts when your legs are beat up. Trained as a distance swimmer, I never had a 6-beat kick to begin with, so cramping in the pool is only a problem for me immediately after really hard run. Thankfully those swims are usually prescribed as long pull sets & this is only a minor problem for me.

Well, I'm still a swimmer first and foremost, so that's not changing. Anything to do with changing swim practice is a non-starter. It's the other crappy sports that will have to adapt. ;-)

Thanks for the suggestions. We might even have some magnesium in the house, I'll try that tomorrow.

I was a D1 swimmer, I too appreciate the swimmer first mentality, & I was trying to communicate how I deal with the same problem as a long course triathlete. But as usual, you have the answer to the question you post in the threads you start before you even post them, because you think you are the only one that knows how to swim fast here. So I will stop responding, & you can keep flailing.

Re: leg cramps.... [turningscrews] [ In reply to ]

Jan 31, 18 18:58

Post #13 of 21 (1662 views)

turningscrews wrote:

JasoninHalifax wrote:

turningscrews wrote:

Stop kicking like a swimmer & do more buoy heavy workouts when your legs are beat up. Trained as a distance swimmer, I never had a 6-beat kick to begin with, so cramping in the pool is only a problem for me immediately after really hard run. Thankfully those swims are usually prescribed as long pull sets & this is only a minor problem for me.

Well, I'm still a swimmer first and foremost, so that's not changing. Anything to do with changing swim practice is a non-starter. It's the other crappy sports that will have to adapt. ;-)

Thanks for the suggestions. We might even have some magnesium in the house, I'll try that tomorrow.

I was a D1 swimmer, I too appreciate the swimmer first mentality, & I was trying to communicate how I deal with the same problem as a long course triathlete. But as usual, you have the answer to the question you post in the threads you start before you even post them, because you think you are the only one that knows how to swim fast here. So I will stop responding, & you can keep flailing.

Really dude? really?

I was simply stating what will remain sacrosanct, vs what I'm willing to change at this time, and by knowing the parameters, people might be able to offer suggestions that might work with my particular scenario. There were several suggestions already that I don't know about and I'm willing to try.

Besides that, when the hell have I ever said that I'm the only one here who knows how to swim fast? (I've repeatedly given props to guys here who are actually fast, unlike me...)

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Re: leg cramps.... [gary p] [ In reply to ]

Feb 1, 18 6:14

Post #14 of 21 (1582 views)

I'm still surprised that folks still think electrolytes are the cause of targeted muscle cramps..
It's been dis-proven several times over via several studies, no??

Re: leg cramps.... [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]

Feb 1, 18 6:48

Post #15 of 21 (1564 views)

I would say you need to make sure you cool-down from your earlier session, and stretch. If you're doing a hard sessions then sitting at a desk for several hours without this, your legs aren't going to recover properly.

I never really been a subscriber to the whole electrolyte thing with cramps; mainly because I've pretty much only ever got cramps in long or very hilly races, where the neuromuscular fatigue is greater than anything I've done in training. The only other time co-incidentally, is not cooling down/stretching and then cramping at my desk!

29 years and counting

Re: leg cramps.... [SBRcanuck] [ In reply to ]

Feb 1, 18 9:26

Post #16 of 21 (1533 views)

The electrolyte marketing was that good.

Re: leg cramps.... [jaretj] [ In reply to ]

Feb 1, 18 9:27

Post #17 of 21 (1530 views)

jaretj wrote:

The electrolyte marketing was that good.

Still is, apparently. :)

Almost as good as the cytomax lactic acid buffers!!

Re: leg cramps.... [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]

Feb 1, 18 9:50

Post #18 of 21 (1518 views)

JasoninHalifax wrote:

turningscrews wrote:

Stop kicking like a swimmer & do more buoy heavy workouts when your legs are beat up. Trained as a distance swimmer, I never had a 6-beat kick to begin with, so cramping in the pool is only a problem for me immediately after really hard run. Thankfully those swims are usually prescribed as long pull sets & this is only a minor problem for me.

Well, I'm still a swimmer first and foremost, so that's not changing. Anything to do with changing swim practice is a non-starter. It's the other crappy sports that will have to adapt. ;-)

Thanks for the suggestions. We might even have some magnesium in the house, I'll try that tomorrow.

If you try the magnesium it should not hurt, but obviously it may not help. I know some people it has significantly helped with the muscle cramp, but I think they said it took a few days of taking it before they stopped having re-occurring issues, so taking it 1 time may not keep you from cramping that day. When they stopped taking it the cramps came back, so for them it did help, but I know for me (mind you I only seem to cramp in the pool and that is not common) it didn't appear to do much.

Re: leg cramps.... [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]

Feb 1, 18 9:53

Post #19 of 21 (1517 views)

Maybe pop a timed release potassium supplement. Also I just got a vibrating foam roller... worth a shot...

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Re: leg cramps.... [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]

Feb 1, 18 10:05

Post #20 of 21 (1502 views)

If you’re a swimmer first then why are you running and biking before swimming? It’s SBR for a reason. There is no way that your legs won’t feel the impact and fatigue from running and biking first. A lot of times I’m still feeling a hard trainer ride or run from the night before then next morning in the pool.

I make a point of not swimming after running or biking. Don’t get me wrong, it can be done, but performance in the pool will not be at your normal standard.

Re: leg cramps.... [mwanner13] [ In reply to ]

Feb 1, 18 10:56

Post #21 of 21 (1482 views)

mwanner13 wrote:

If you’re a swimmer first then why are you running and biking before swimming? It’s SBR for a reason. There is no way that your legs won’t feel the impact and fatigue from running and biking first. A lot of times I’m still feeling a hard trainer ride or run from the night before then next morning in the pool.

I make a point of not swimming after running or biking. Don’t get me wrong, it can be done, but performance in the pool will not be at your normal standard.

Because that's the schedule I have available to me. It's not really in my control, if I want to swim (and I do) that's when I get to do it.

I have slightly more flexibility with the bike and run, but as I said in the op the only time that I can consistently get is at lunch or after 9 pm. And I don't really like training that late at night.

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