I have noticed that swimming after my hard run morning workouts that I tend to have horrible calf cramps during my noon masters swim. This particularly occurs after a few kick sets. My coach tells me that I am not in good enough shape. I am training for IMFL, so I tend to think it is overload. I am riding 200-225 miles a week and running 30-35 miles a week. He seems to think I need the kick sets. How do some of you handle this; hold back on the kick sets, do you cramp bad, or am I out of shape? Thanks
I find it hard to believe that you’re out of shape. I used to cramp like that but in the arch of my feet. I grab the side of the pool and put my feet flat up by my hands and touch my nose to the water and stretch everything out - kind of like you do on land when you sit and grab the toes. That seemed to help. Are you drinking during your swim workouts? Would sipping Gatorade during your swims help? I’m no expert, but with those training numbers, maybe you need to hydrate just a little more.
My guess would be that it’s more of a flexibility issue than a strength/endurance issue. Work on ankle flexibility, and you won’t be tensing up your calf muscles in a way that leads to cramping while kicking.
Be careful about pushing off the wall on the turns. After a lot of biking/running; those pushes will cause foot cramps (especially as you try to spring off the wall by pushing with your toes). Saying you aren’t in shape seems kind of silly…
Perhaps you are dehydrated and/or electrolyte depleted from your run. This is more likely if you are a heavy sweater.
I have the same amount of training miles as you. When I bike in the morning and then go swimming I can get bad cramps in my upper inner legs when I push off of the wall to hard. I hydrate well and take electrolytes. I have just learned to be care full about using my legs to much when swimming after biking, because once I cramp swimming is over.
I’ve been dealing with major cramps lately in the pool. I’m in great shape, eat VERY well, take in fluids before-during-after workout and still cramp. Started taking Cal-Mag-Zinc supps to see if it helps, along with a couple extra bananas a day. The flexibility comment might be something I need to look at though.
I had the same problem last year. My old training regiment was to run and then swim. During the summer the cramping in the pool was noticeably worse. Keeping a water bottle on the side of the pool helped, but eventually I changed my regiment to avoid swimming until I was completely hydrated and/or somewhat recovered. I now will swim first and then run OR run in the morning and swim in the evening. For me, hydration/electrolytes was the issue. I now have it under control.
Thanks for the advice, I have thought about changing my workout times around. I feel like I am hydrating enough, but maybe using more water and not enough electrolyte replacement. I need to do something, it is effecting my swim workouts and I am not able to get in the distances I need.
I have had this same problem; for me it was tight muscles, not enough flexibility in the ankles. I am confident it wasn’t dehydration/ electrolyte depletion. Stretching profusely before the swim, not pushing off too hard and during kickboard sets, concentrate on kicking from the hips rather than the calves - all helped.
I got a calf cramp second loop of IMLP last year. Was in good shape (or so I thought).
Remember reading an article either in Triathlete, Mens Health or Inside Triathlon that talked about this following the fact.
Basically the argument was that during swimming, the forces working on the muscle are not the same as other exercises; you tense the muscle but there’s little resistance. Something weird happens in the brain that sends a signal to the muscle and it cramps. Some people are more susceptible to this than others…I can cramp my calf at will just by pointing my toes and contracting the muscle for 90s or so. I think the solution was to try and stay relaxed…whatever that means.
Though I’ve not given the solution, hopefully you might be able to find the article. IF so, post the link back since I’m interested in reading it again.
Yeah, as FLA Jill said, it’s a lack of flexibility that is forcing you to point your toes.
Some regular stretching along the ankles - the limiting part where your point your toes - will resolve this.
Avoid using your calves to point your toes when doing kick sets, learn to relax the muscles.