cramps while swimming

[checkit...@carolina.rr.com]

A couple of times now I've gotten cramps in my leg while
swimming. Thank goodness it hasn't happened in a race yet but I worry
that it may. I'd like to ask therefore for you guys input on two
questions.
1. What is the best way to handle leg cramps while swimming?
Can you stretch, massage, or compress them out? Is it best to keep
swimming or stop temporarily?
2. What should I do before the swim to avoid cramps? What
foods or liquids should I avoid or stock up on?

Thanks
Dale

[Jason O'Rourke]

<checkit...@carolina.rr.com> wrote:
> A couple of times now I've gotten cramps in my leg while
>swimming. Thank goodness it hasn't happened in a race yet but I worry
>that it may. I'd like to ask therefore for you guys input on two
>questions.
> 1. What is the best way to handle leg cramps while swimming?
>Can you stretch, massage, or compress them out? Is it best to keep
>swimming or stop temporarily?

If you're wearing a wetsuit, continue on without kicking for a bit. For
me, I'm not sure it's worth kicking at all. Energy spent, cramps risks,
and for only marginal gain in speed. You can probably stretch it out,
but I think once it hits, you'll not be able to go full blast again
during the swim. Certainly the case for me while diving with fins. All
I can do is lighten the load.

> 2. What should I do before the swim to avoid cramps? What
>foods or liquids should I avoid or stock up on?

Cramps suggest dehydraition, undertraining, or lack of potassium.
Oj/bananas are good for the last part. If you're at a race where your
wave isn't until an hour later, think about whether you need a little (or
lot) of water while you wait.
--
Jason O'Rourke j...@best.com www.jor.com
Rec.scuba strokes pics page: www.jor.com/strokes
Aquashot page: www.jor.com/dive/aquashot

[Timote]

I posted this same question some tiome ago- and quickly realized that it was a
dehydration issue-
I was probably drinking as much coffee as water- esp. in the morning, and I
would always have problems w/ cramps in my feet, calves and toes after about
30-40 min in the water-

you can try to calmly kick the cramp out, but it generally will come back just
as bad-

focus on your hydratiion throughout the entire day- not just an hour before
your workouts- if that doesn't do it maybe think about minerals or fitness/
endurance issues-

[StoryMan]

As a scuba diver, we were taught to grab the fin tip and streach it out.
I've gotten foot cramps while training, thank goodness never in a race, and
grabbing my toe and pulling it back to streach out the calf and instep
seemed to work for me. I think relaxing as much as possible when it happens
is important. Just chill for a few seconds and see if it will go away.

Regards,

Sam

<checkit...@carolina.rr.com> wrote in message
news:3bb53806....@news-server.carolina.rr.com...

[Bob Williams]

I have tried just about everything to avoid getting cramps in the feet
and legs during swimming workouts including drinking Gatorade and/or
water before and during workouts, eating bananas before workouts, etc.
I have found that taking one Succeed (salt) capsule before a swim
workout or a race is quite effective in totally preventing even a hint
of a cramp. Your experience may be different.

Before I started taking Succeed and did feel a cramp coming on, I had
to reduce the intensity of my swimming efforts until the cramp went
away (15-30 seconds). When I didn't immediately reduce the intensity,
the cramp worsened until I was forced to stop. Then, stretching was
the only thing that made the cramp go away, and even then I would
often have it recur.

Regards,
Bob Williams

[Jsoul]

I got horrendous leg cramps during an Ironman swim this summer on the second
half. I thought I was well hydrated and trained, but obviously something was
not quite right. I am not a fast swimmer so maybe being in the same position
for so long helped contribute. I also have had had problems with tight calves
throughout my training.I was able to swim to shallow water and walk them
out...I got hit by them several times during the swim. Nonetheless I was able
to complete the IMswim, though I was about 7 minutes of my swim finish goal as
a result.
Johanna "forever young" Young

[gordo byrn]

Dale --

There is an article about this point over on XTri.Com. Have a look at the
swimming column. I think the article was written about 2-4 months ago.

g

[Big Pete]

I'm a good swimmer, and the only cramps I ever get while swimming are
basically from undertraining, so that may be the issue. If you practice
kicking in the pool with just a kickboard (no fins) then that should help
some. Also, if you are doing all distance work that may cause your legs to
freak out when you try and put the speed on during a race, so try and do
intervals like 50, 100, and 200's pretty fast during practice. I personally
just swim interval training of varying distances, and I think they are
better because it morae accurately simulates race pace and the stresses that
come along. Or it could be dehydration, in which case beats me.

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