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Muscle cramps in T1 after swim
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This is bugging me for some years and since it is hard for me to do an open water wetsuit swim with my bike still waiting for me when i'm done i cannot replicate it in training.
My problem is that in a race when i'm done with the swim i get cramps in my legs when removing the wetsuit, sometimes even before i remove the wetsuit. It can be in the quadriceps, it can be a calf, a hamstring and even tib. anterior. Sometimes on a few at the same time. Sometimes they can get really nasty like 2 weeks ago where you could visible see the muscle cramping so severe in my left quadriceps that it hurts a lot. It eventually made me dnf the race after the bike.

I only have it after a wetsuit swim, but not in training although the water exit is slower since there is no rush. I will try to some some speedy exits the next training in open water. But no cramps in the legs ever in training.
We have almost no wetsuit allowed water temps. so i cannot say how it is when i would do a 1.9 km swim without wetsuit and go to the transition.

Sometimes it is worse, sometimes i manage to go just around it with changing position while removing the wetsuit. Sometimes i think it is a tempature related issue since almost always on the bike in a race my glutes get locked up. To the level that i cannot produce my normal power output. Sometimes in the race after the first 25- 30 miles into a 56 mile course they loosen up and i can up the power, but the time is lost already then. But even more important the joy and fun.

I can do a 230 watt training ride for 3 hrs and in a HIM race with the locking glutes only doing 200 watts. Again, these issues are there only in a race after a wetsuit swim, never in isolated training runs / rides / bricks.

I am reasonable flexible, already lowered the saddle with 7 mm to put less strain on the glutes / hamstrings but that didn't help in the last race. Changed wetsuits 4 times, i have no issues in open water swimming like anxiety or something, but it happens more or less every time in a race.

Anyone a clue what causes these cramps ang locked glutes on the bike?

Thanks,

Jeroen

Owner at TRIPRO, The Netherlands
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [tri-run] [ In reply to ]
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Isolating the variable would be tough, but given this:

I am reasonable flexible, already lowered the saddle with 7 mm to put less strain on the glutes / hamstrings but that didn't help in the last race. Changed wetsuits 4 times, i have no issues in open water swimming like anxiety or something, but it happens more or less every time in a race.

you have positively ruled some things out...have you evaluated your morning pre-race nutrition yet? Perhaps a salt tab in the am or more salt in the week leading up to it will help and all it would take...more water too...
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [yrebetta] [ In reply to ]
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Sorry, forgot to add this. Yes, tried some salt ' loading' in the days before the race(s). Didn't do anything at all, but given the fact that i never experience any cramps at all in any workout / sport. Not even in hot weather conditions.

Thanks anyway for your input.

Owner at TRIPRO, The Netherlands
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [tri-run] [ In reply to ]
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I've had similar issues and also found it hard to replicate. Except with me it happens in both wetsuit and non-wetsuit situations (but has happened more times with wetsuit).
Although it's hard to narrow down, it seems to happen with me when I make dietary changes (eg suddenly eat much more carbohydrate than before, or vice versa), which may in turn lead to changes in muscular water content (since water is stored with the glycogen). The other theory I have is that it seems to happen more when I have more rest leading up to a race. So for me, it seems like a longer and more gradual carb load, plus not having any rest days leading up to the race (especially swimming a LOT during the taper), seems to help a bit. For me it only happens in T1, never later in the race, so I don't buy the theory of salt depletion or even dehydration, since I am a lot more dehydrated later in the race and I get zero cramps.

I'd be curious for you to try the following and see how it goes:
- eat normally during race week (still high carb but no drastic changes)
- swim every day in the 2 weeks before your race, maybe 2 light days before the race but still get in and swim

I've consulted so many people on this, to no avail, so it's up to people like you and me to figure this out for ourselves!

____________________________________

Are you ready to do an Ultraman? | How I calculate Ironman race fueling | Strength Training for Athletes |
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [tri-run] [ In reply to ]
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This is my theory.

Cramping in the calves, would largely be because the nerves feeding them (tibial nerve) is misfiring. The source of this is in the lumbar spine with the Sciatic nerve carrying the tibial and pereonal branches. The sciatic nerve exits the piriformis and moves down the hamstring, but in a wetsuit swim there is pressure from the suit on this area, and largely there is limited blood flowing to the glutes if you are using the wetsuit to hold up your legs (likely) vs actively lifting legs with glutes.

Now when you get onto land and run over to bike suddenly the glutes are working but they are not as 'warmed up' as the rest of the body and the lumbar spine is flexed and hunched over shortly after that in the aero position. All of this means the entire chain along the sciatic nerve is more stretched out than it was during the swim and maybe not working yet optimally. In a pool swim, you can keep turning at the wall and get into the flexed position that you would in the aero so it's not like during a straight open water swim with wetsuit and suddenly firing the glutes on the bike. Also note that the entire chain from sciatic to tibial nerve to big toe is in a shortened state in a lying plantar flexed position. Then you go to sitting on the bike dorsiflexed and both at the lumbar end and the foot end, the nerve is in muscle that is in an elongated state after 30+ minutes with the muscles more "short path". So my theory is that this sudden change in position is the culprit.

To get around this, when I get off the swim, I immediately stand in place and remove my wetsuit. Typically exiting the water, there is a ramp/uphill, so I can get my feet doriflexed for starters. Then jog to the bike. Once on the bike, I don't immediately sit down. I ride away in a standing position for several pedal strokes and then gradually move down into aero to get the lumbar area gradually into the "long path" position (if you know what I mean.

Finally one more thing I would suggest trying which is something that I got out of an interview in Triathlete magazine with Brad Bevan (top ITU guy in the early to mid 90's)....final 50m of the swim, soft stroke with your arms and kick like a maniac and drive blood flow to the legs. I would take it a step further and make sure you kick is an active lift of the leg with glutes and hamstrings since they may be under utilized during the wetsuit swim (you know that entire "save my legs for the bike" that everyone tries for).
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [robgray] [ In reply to ]
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Same issues

Only in races with wetsuits,
change a wetsuit a size up I was free cramp after the swim
I think for me it is a problem of blood flow in the legs, because the wetsuit was too tight.
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [Nicotriman] [ In reply to ]
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Nicotriman wrote:
Same issues

Only in races with wetsuits,
change a wetsuit a size up I was free cramp after the swim
I think for me it is a problem of blood flow in the legs, because the wetsuit was too tight.

A too tight wetsuit would have a compression affect and enhance veinous return to your heart and I would not thing it would have any impact on arterial distribution of blood to extremities. I would think the tightness of the wetsuit would affect other things mechanically in terms of muscle movements (see my post above) and nothing to do with blood circulation. What do you think?
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [tri-run] [ In reply to ]
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Same here.

Calf cramps in T1 after taking off the wetsuit, usually while putting on the bike gear. Goes away by the time I'm on the bike. Doesn't happen in every race. No apparent rhyme or reason. Only commonality so far is long swims half iron and up. Shorter races do not cause cramps. Doesn't seem to be cold vs warm water. I'm on a 4th different wetsuit, so it isn't the choice of wetsuit.

I swim 4x per week going on 9 years now, and have NEVER had this happen in the pool. But it has happened at 3 different races out of about 30. Hmmm?
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
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Maybe
I only have cramps in the quad, psoas and hamstring. Alwaws right after I put my feet on land. I was up to 8 minutes before I can get out of the wetsuit.
No issues in races with no wetsuit
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
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Again Dev is telling me I'm too fat! Even for my swimskin

____________________________________

Are you ready to do an Ultraman? | How I calculate Ironman race fueling | Strength Training for Athletes |
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [tri-run] [ In reply to ]
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I'm also a victim of cramping during the OWS wetsuit swim. Similar to other theories on this thread, I've speculated that pressure by the wetsuit is a factor. I also suspect body position is a contributor. I'll attempt to explain my theory.

I tend to lift my head when following feet in open water, which has the affect of sinking the feet. However, that is counterbalanced by flotation from the wetsuit. The body ends up in a shallow u position as a result, with the head and feet "elevated". This puts pressure on the lower back, which somehow affects the kinetic chain below in a way that triggers legs cramps.

Anyway, I've found relief by staying relaxed and keeping my head down.

Rob's comments above regarding an adverse reaction to taper also have my attention. I may experiment with keeping some tension in the legs to combat the phantom cramps on race day.

Last but not least, I plan to give Hot Shot a try.

Scott
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [tri-run] [ In reply to ]
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This happens to me as well but oddly it did not happen at IMMT this weekend. Usually I get a cramp in my hamstring or calf around the 3 km mark and i have to stop swimming until it subsides (that happened) but when I come out of the water and lie down on the ground, as the they take off my wet suit, I usually get a massive cramp in the hamstring or calf. This weekend it did not happen.

The only thing I did different was the night before the race, I used a friend's Normatec boots on my legs.

My doctor suggested drinking tonic water the night before. i forgot
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [ptakeda] [ In reply to ]
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It's a common issue.
I -thought- I had read many times in the past that it is likely due to how some of us, without realizing it, are tensing those muscles during the swim to help keep the legs from sinking. For preventing calf cramps, try flexing your feet every so often during the swim to relieve tension.
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [tri-run] [ In reply to ]
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Happens to me from time to time but I've kind of solved it.

Usually it happens during colder swims around 65'F. I've done full IM in warmer water and don't cramp and in past 3 years at Oceanside 70.3, I've cramped badly in t1.

I just finished IMMTbthus weekend with a 67'F but all went fine.

For me I've realized it has to do with blood flow, temperature of water and how cold the air temperature is after the swim.
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [SBRcanuck] [ In reply to ]
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SBRcanuck wrote:
It's a common issue.
I -thought- I had read many times in the past that it is likely due to how some of us, without realizing it, are tensing those muscles during the swim to help keep the legs from sinking. For preventing calf cramps, try flexing your feet every so often during the swim to relieve tension.

Same thing was happening to me but only for longer swims. At 70.3 Boulder this year I made a conscious effort to flex my feet a few times. It would take me out my rhythm and I'm sure I lost a few seconds but I was cramp free in T1. Gotta race a few more times to see if it was a fluke or not.
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [tri-run] [ In reply to ]
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Happens to me as well. Does anybody do dedicated core work? I thought maybe that could be my problem. I'm terrible with doing consistent core work. One of those things I know I should do but just the last thing I want to do after a long day of training, work and family commitments. I know it's a poor excuse. Someday I'll really focus on core for a season and see if it helps.
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [Burhed] [ In reply to ]
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cramping in the swim and at T1 is a commune issue with lots of athletes. And one element most of those athletes have in commune is....they rarely ever replicate swim race effort of the same duration in open water. Pool isn't always enough for this specific issue.


my local squad is in the water 3x/week for 3 months during race season and we do a lot of race simulations (same intensiy....and duration) and that cramping issue seems to resolve itself within a few swims. no change in nutrition or pacing or special exercises etc...

simply banking on specificity...if you do it in training and it works...it will work on race day.

Jonathan Caron / Professional Coach / ironman champions / age group world champions
Jonnyo Coaching
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks Dev, your theory is very interesting, also that from some others. I have my A-race coming in 2 weeks and it has a long transition run from the water exit to the change area and then to the bike.

I wil try some of the suggest methods and see how it goes.

Thanks all!!

Jeroen

Owner at TRIPRO, The Netherlands
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [jonnyo] [ In reply to ]
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jonnyo wrote:
cramping in the swim and at T1 is a commune issue with lots of athletes. And one element most of those athletes have in commune is....they rarely ever replicate swim race effort of the same duration in open water. Pool isn't always enough for this specific issue.


my local squad is in the water 3x/week for 3 months during race season and we do a lot of race simulations (same intensiy....and duration) and that cramping issue seems to resolve itself within a few swims. no change in nutrition or pacing or special exercises etc...

simply banking on specificity...if you do it in training and it works...it will work on race day.

^ this
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [jonnyo] [ In reply to ]
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I'm resurrecting this thread. Yesterday at IM70.3 Florida, my left hamstring cramped as I stood up to exit. I've had this many times in the past, wetsuit or no wetsuit, cold water, hot water, salt water, fresh water, whatever. The hamstring just locks up, I struggle a bit to get on shore, then its gone. Yes, I probably don't do enough race-like OWS efforts prior to a race, but why always the left hamstring, and always as I stand to exit the water?
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [TRIPRO] [ In reply to ]
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Almost identical problems as me.
Have had pretty much the same problems as you, with occasional crampings in T1, mostly on HIM and IM distance. But since I have had much other problems with hamstrings/glutes last year, I´m starting to think that the problems are related. Overstrained backsides would be much more prone to cramps, wouldn´t they?
And the cramps would in turn affect and decrease the power output on the bike?
So, all in all, a big problem that has to be carefully adressed in order to get the most out of future race performances. Feels a bit stupid to buy expensive aero-gear only to go out on the bike course and be able to push significantly lower wattage than on even long training rides.
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [brandt_mattias] [ In reply to ]
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I do extra magnesium (pills) the week before the race and a few Tonic drinks on the night before and so far this helped a lot.

Maybe give it a go.

Jeroen

Owner at TRIPRO, The Netherlands
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Re: Muscle cramps in T1 after swim [TRIPRO] [ In reply to ]
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Ok for Magnesium pills. You´re one of many to suggest that. So time to try.
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