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Scary thing in the pool today
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 2009-08-03 9:18 PM |
Veteran 381  |  Subject: Scary thing in the pool todayI was doing intervals and during one 50 yrd burnout I kicked off the wall on my way back and my right leg locked up. My toe muscles locked, my quads locked, my calfs locked I was lucky I was in 4 feet of water because I would have drowned. 45 seconds of absolute PAIN/ This never happened to me before and it was very scary. Also It was the most pain I have ever experienced in my life. Anybody else ever have every muscle in their leg lock up before? Edited by benc84 2009-08-03 9:19 PM |
| 2009-08-03 9:22 PM in reply to: #2325630 |
Master 1472 | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today It was the kick off the wall that probably did it. Although, when I am pushing the limit of my fitness in the water I have a tendency to get bad cramps like those you had. Not a fun experience. I would guess you were right at the edge of what your body is ready for AND the hard kick off the wall compounded it. |
| 2009-08-03 9:45 PM in reply to: #2325630 |
Extreme Veteran 787  The Woodlands/Magnolia, TX. | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today dehydrated? just guessing? i only get craps in the pool when i don't drink a little something before. but then again, 2000 is no-mans land for me. |
| 2009-08-03 9:47 PM in reply to: #2325630 |
| 154 | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today Ive had that happen before...it usually happens near the end of a workout and ALWAYS after a hard push off the wall. |
| 2009-08-03 9:53 PM in reply to: #2325630 |
Elite 3395 Raleigh | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today I had this last week. It was not hydration for me. My MG is telling me it is most likely nutrition. They say to eat a banana before hand and take some electrolyte supplements. I was in 7 ft of water! Flipped onto my back and floated to the wall. It is still a little sore to touch. Good luck. Doug |
| 2009-08-03 9:56 PM in reply to: #2325630 |
| Master 1728 portland, or | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today >>p.s How would you go about preventing this from happening? Stretching A LOT i assume? Dehydration could have a role, but it's most likely muscle fatigue. Swim more. scott |
| 2009-08-03 10:15 PM in reply to: #2325676 |
Champion 5376 PA | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today antlimon166 - 2009-08-03 10:45 PM dehydrated? just guessing? i only get craps in the pool when i don't drink a little something before. but then again, 2000 is no-mans land for me. Remind me to buy you some Gatorade or give you my Cytomax if we ever have to swim in the same event. LOL |
| 2009-08-03 10:32 PM in reply to: #2325630 |
Master 2665 The Whites, New Hampshire | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today I'd go with the banana and drink more - potassium keeps the cramps at bay. Also, don't kick off the wall - no walls in OWS. You'll get a LOT more "real" yardage in if you start pulling from a standstill. Finally, don't know if this helps, but most seasoned lifeguards look for this pretty regularly. Swimmers often fall into general categories, and the solid I-mean-business athlete-types often cramp up, especially when they are pushing their workouts. Just know that any good LG has got your back! (in that vein, never be afraid to call for help if you are out in the middle. They would MUCH rather go for a nice gentle assist than an all-out active drowning!) |
| 2009-08-03 10:34 PM in reply to: #2325729 |
Veteran 274 outskirts of town | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today Pector55 - 2009-08-03 9:15 PM antlimon166 - 2009-08-03 10:45 PM dehydrated? just guessing? i only get craps in the pool when i don't drink a little something before. but then again, 2000 is no-mans land for me. Remind me to buy you some Gatorade or give you my Cytomax if we ever have to swim in the same event. LOL Haaaaa! Now that right there is funny! Edited by jellyman 2009-08-03 10:35 PM |
| 2009-08-03 10:47 PM in reply to: #2325678 |
Extreme Veteran 694 | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today patchadams - 2009-08-03 7:47 PM Ive had that happen before...it usually happens near the end of a workout and ALWAYS after a hard push off the wall. X2 |
| 2009-08-04 1:10 PM in reply to: #2325630 |
Veteran 190 Delaware, OH | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today Totally has happened to me also, yes I was in 4 ft of water too. Mine was because I was dehydrated! |
| 2009-08-04 1:37 PM in reply to: #2325630 |
Pro 4360 Baton Rouge area | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today gatorade/powerade and a banana before a swim (actually I like to have a drink at the pool). Also, I don't push off hard on the walls anymore due to this. Fatigue also will do this, doing a lot of kick drills does it to me also. |
| 2009-08-04 2:04 PM in reply to: #2325630 |
Extreme Veteran 682 Canton, MI. via Detroit | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today Cramps in the pool. I have been around a lot of them and have had a few of my own. It sounds like yours was a nasty one. I would suggest practicing (in the pool) what you would do if it happens in a lake. Usually it happens right after pushing off the wall so it's less likely to happen in the lake. Still you should be ready for anything. A smaller cramp in the toes, foot and calf can be fixed on the fly. 1. don't panic. 2. continue swimming one legged while opening (uncurling your toes. 3. do a few 360's with your ankle. 4. carry on. If it's a whole leg still don't panic and call for help. |
| 2009-08-04 2:14 PM in reply to: #2325630 |
Master 1547 | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today This reminds me of a time I had both hamstrings lock up on me during Search and Rescue training. We were doing water entry's from the helicopter and during the transition to night time the temps dropped. By the time I was going in it was over 2 hours since my initial jumps and warm ups. As soon as I hit the water and started to swim both hammys locked up hard core. It was training so I had to play it off and use all arms swimming to the "survivor". I told him (thankfully he was a friend) that both legs were locked up so he actually kicked rather than just play dead. now I'm having flashbacks of my old instructor saying "there is no bottom of the pool in the ocean gents...and don't even think about grabbing the side unless you are D.O.R.ing". BUt back to your post...probably a mix of dehydration and not a proper warm up. It's kinds like sprinting or immediatly climbing when you get on the bike. Cramps always seem to come from the push off which is an explosive movement. |
| 2009-08-04 7:42 PM in reply to: #2325630 |
Expert 1139 Austin | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today I've gotten a few leg cramps when swimming and everyone sounds like their in the same boat as it only happens after a pushoff. Usually it's in my calf so I try to keep swimming and stretch it out as I swim, it slows me down but it keeps my entire leg from locking up. |
| 2009-08-04 7:46 PM in reply to: #2325630 |
Expert 1170 Southern Pines, NC | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today Everyone knows it's from not waiting a half an hour after you eat... I loved growing up in the midwest.  |
 2009-08-04 8:07 PM in reply to: #2325676 |
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| 2009-08-04 9:09 PM in reply to: #2328384 |
| Regular 281 | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today bachorb - 2009-08-04 9:07 PM antlimon166 - 2009-08-03 9:45 PM dehydrated? just guessing? i only get craps in the pool when i don't drink a little something before. but then again, 2000 is no-mans land for me. Really? Is that what I need to start doing to off those lifeguards? :P You have to keep the rift raft out of the pool somehow. |
| 2009-08-04 9:16 PM in reply to: #2325630 |
| Champion 10154 Alabama | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today |
| 2009-08-05 8:20 AM in reply to: #2328511 |
| Extreme Veteran 787 The Woodlands/Magnolia, TX. | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today ATLsbr - 2009-08-04 9:09 PM bachorb - 2009-08-04 9:07 PM antlimon166 - 2009-08-03 9:45 PM dehydrated? just guessing? i only get craps in the pool when i don't drink a little something before. but then again, 2000 is no-mans land for me. Really? Is that what I need to start doing to off those lifeguards? :P You have to keep the rift raft out of the pool somehow. that's how i roll.... |
| 2009-08-05 8:34 AM in reply to: #2325630 |
| Elite 7783 PEI, Canada | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today Only time I ever got calf cramps in the pool was about the 3rd time back in the water after a 12 year layoff. After a masters practice, a few of us decided to do a couple swings on the tarzan rope for fun. It has a giant knot at the bottom that you can put your feet on and push off of. Well, I did just that and the second I pushed off, both my calf muscles locked up solid before I hit the water. I had to float my way over to the edge of the pool and drag myself out. I actually sat on the edge of the pool for 10 full minutes before the muscles released - it was one of the most painful things I have ever felt and I couldn't walk up or down stairs properly for 3 or 4 days!  |
| 2009-08-05 8:41 AM in reply to: #2325630 |
| Manhattan | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today i was doing my first tri this wknd, cayuga lake triathlon, olympic distance. i was pretty worried about the swim to begin with, and then 300 meters in i was kicking hard to get out to the side of the pack and separated, when my right calf locked up so bad, i had to grab a lifeguard kayak and punch at it for close to a minute before it unlocked. i then swam the remaining 1200 meters with one good leg. it was no fun. but i made it, and am officially hooked!! |
| 2009-08-05 8:46 AM in reply to: #2325630 |
| Extreme Veteran 1030 West Windsor, NJ | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today I am guessing muscle fatigue is probably the culprit. I have had this happen too, a few times...one very much the way you described it and it was about a week or so before a race. It was tough trying to massage it back into shape for race day. Since I have been training more and more, they seem to happen less. I also try to avoid a hard push off the wall, especially late into a workout. That has always triggered it. |
| 2009-08-05 9:21 AM in reply to: #2325630 |
| New user 327 | Subject: RE: Scary thing in the pool today I'm probably going to open up a huge can of worms with this but what the heck. If you're doing static stretching don't stretch before you swim, stretch after. Stretching can actually tire out the muscles a little, and could possibly be contributing to your cramp. If you want to do dynamic stretching before swimming that's fine, but I would probably just swim a few laps at a slow pace to warm up. I sometimes get calf cramps, but they are usually when I am dehydrated, and usually aren't so bad that I can't swim through them. Go ahead and push off the wall, just don't do it as hard as you can. I know in OWS there is no wall, but you also don't do 180 degree turns every 25 yards either. To simulate ows you probably should find a good middle ground of a little push but not the 23 yard patented phelps push-dolphin combo. |
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