I swim once a week in the pool. Last week, after pushing off the wall at the end of my set I had a crippling calf cramp. Extremely painful death grip in my calf. 10 seconds of gripping pain. Limp out of the pool. Still tender for a couple of days. This happened to me once last year with the same scenario of pushing off the wall. I was probably dehydrated so that didn’t help. I will focus on drinking more water. What else can I do or why did this happen. Next time I go I will be wary of pushing off the wall and kicking too much.
I dunno but swimming is the only thing that ever makes me cramp. Seems random too. The only pattern that I notice, is that when I swim every day, I don’t cramp. So my theory is that it’s due to using muscles that are underused.
I swim once a week in the pool. Last week, after pushing off the wall at the end of my set I had a crippling calf cramp. Extremely painful death grip in my calf. 10 seconds of gripping pain. Limp out of the pool. Still tender for a couple of days. This happened to me once last year with the same scenario of pushing off the wall. I was probably dehydrated so that didn’t help. I will focus on drinking more water. What else can I do or why did this happen. Next time I go I will be wary of pushing off the wall and kicking too much.
I get calf cramps fairly regularly if I swim on sore running legs. I limit my kicking and do more moderate wall push-offs if my legs are sore (which is a lot of days).
I was a competitive swimmer as a kid, through high school. Took it up again a few years ago in my mid 40’s. I swim 3-5 times a week now and compete in Masters meets and open water races. I never used to cramp back then, but I had a lot of foot/toe/calf cramp issues when I first came back, and still do sometimes now. A hard push off the wall is often the precipitating action, but I don’t think it’s the cause because I’ve encountered the issue in the middle of an open water race more than once. I really haven’t found anything to counter the problem, other than to take a magnesium supplement daily. That doesn’t stop them, but last time I ran out of Mg pills and didn’t replace them, the frequency of occurrence increased. After restarting the daily Mg supplement, the frequency subsided again.
I swim once a week in the pool. Last week, after pushing off the wall at the end of my set I had a crippling calf cramp. Extremely painful death grip in my calf. 10 seconds of gripping pain. Limp out of the pool. Still tender for a couple of days. This happened to me once last year with the same scenario of pushing off the wall. I was probably dehydrated so that didn’t help. I will focus on drinking more water. What else can I do or why did this happen. Next time I go I will be wary of pushing off the wall and kicking too much.
I have these off and on depending on how much I’m swimming, i.e. much more likely at end of a long workout than short. I really feel my calf cramps are entirely related to all the hard pushing off the wall, but the worst cramps I get are when pushing off the bottom to jump out of the pool. Sometimes I have to sit on the deck for a minute or so and massage the calf before I can get up and walk off the pool deck.
I have never tried those magnesium supplements that gary p mentioned though, may have to try some of those. 
Funny this is the topic today as this is the precise reason I had to end my swim workout last night. Blue stack your remember me complaining to you about it on the phone. It’s a fairly common occurrence for me. And are you making any ganes only swimming once a week as that’s what I have been doing and cannot seem to gain s***
I used to get these immediately after pushing off.
Not had any since pushing off much gentler/slower: I guess it’s the sudden push off/muscle contraction that can cause this?
I saw this article last summer which helped me with this:
http://triathlonmagazine.ca/training/swim/tips-to-prevent-swim-cramps/
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http://www.slowtwitch.com/Training/Running/Mad_calf_disease_926.html
Enjoy Dan’s seminal article on the topic! MAD CALF!!
I swim once a week in the pool. Last week, after pushing off the wall at the end of my set I had a crippling calf cramp. Extremely painful death grip in my calf. 10 seconds of gripping pain. Limp out of the pool. Still tender for a couple of days. This happened to me once last year with the same scenario of pushing off the wall. I was probably dehydrated so that didn’t help. I will focus on drinking more water. What else can I do or why did this happen. Next time I go I will be wary of pushing off the wall and kicking too much.
I get calf cramps fairly regularly if I swim on sore running legs. I limit my kicking and do more moderate wall push-offs if my legs are sore (which is a lot of days).
Similarly I found that I get them less if I just do my swim in the AM and run in the PM rather than vice versa. Even when my legs aren’t sore at all, swimming after running is a recipe for cramps.
I find that it’s a conditioning thing and I’m more prone to get calf cramps in the early season when I’m ramping up running at the same time as swimming. If I start my running base building earlier in the season, I’m usually good to go.
It’s not so mad, just a side effect from TripAdvisor training. When we swim the calf is contracted, so that the ankle and and foot can be extended to be in a position the provide some propulsion and keep the body streamlined (reduce drag). Being contracted is nothe a place the calf really wants to be when it’s fatigued, which happens from cycling and more so running.
So swimming with tired calves is going to increase the likely hood of cramping.
This might mean you have to figure out when you program you training to avoid swimming with tired calves or if you run the risk.
This is one reason I prefer to have swimming as my first session of the day, which I know isn’t possible for everyone or to avoid a hard bike or run session prior to swimming on the same day.
I hope this helps understand some of the problems folks have been having.
Cramping calves, insteps, and toes are usually caused by over flexing the ankle - a runner trying to kick like a swimmer. If you are forcing your toes to point back like a real swimmer but you lack the flexibility the force of the kick will tire and over stretch the muscles and you will cramp.
Once a week of swimming for anyone but an accomplished life long swimmer that is simply maintaining skills and technique is pretty much a waste of time, BTW.
I really don’t have anything to add to the thread other then the fact that I read the title in Jerry Seinfeld’s voice without hesitation.
I am always amazed at the toe cramps I get when I swim. My electrolytes are within normal limits.
I guess I am at least in good company.
For me it ranges from a minor annoyance to pretty intense pain.
I am always amazed at the toe cramps I get when I swim. My electrolytes are within normal limits.
I guess I am at least in good company.
For me it ranges from a minor annoyance to pretty intense pain.
I have thought about this and my feeling the cramps are caused by “electro-mechanical” reasons.
Water either absorbs into the leg (freshwater) or is pulled from the leg (saltwater) changing the chemistry in the fluid balance near the surface of the leg, resulting in misfires.
For example:
I cramp up like clockwork in saltwater. Takes about 45 mins of exposure. Certainly cramp more intensely after say cycling - so salinity is increasing in the area and perhaps acidity (less dilute)? Same for surfing, takes about >1hr.
Freshwater ie lakes I never cramp.
Warm water, pool after an hour I have cramped up when using fins.
This is an interesting concept. I never quite thought of it like that.
For me it was diet and fluid. Used to get exactly what you described then started eating a banana before a swim and take an electrolyte drink in with me and take a swig between sets although I don’t do that anymore and still no issues. I’m guessing it’s a dehydration issue and always fight this if I drink too much gotta piss but that’s better than cramping.
Today in practice I had cramps in my feet. I’m blaming this thread.
It’s not so mad, just a side effect from TripAdvisor training. When we swim the calf is contracted, so that the ankle and and foot can be extended to be in a position the provide some propulsion and keep the body streamlined (reduce drag). Being contracted is nothe a place the calf really wants to be when it’s fatigued, which happens from cycling and more so running.
I’ve had these cramps from using Expedia, as well.