Legs cramping during HIM swim
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2015-09-29 6:27 PM |
Expert 1644 Oklahoma | Subject: Legs cramping during HIM swim I've done a 70.3 the last 4 years and every year my legs cramp up pretty badly during the swim. I know this is a common problem because I've read a lot of different threads on this but still have not found the solution. I've tried swimming more, adding in kick sets, more ow swimming, flexing my feet every 10-15minutes during ows, upping hydration, and taking in more electrolytes. Nothing seems to work! Last weekend I had my worst swim ever. Half way through the 1.2mi swim both legs completely locked up and I thought I was going to have to throw in the towel. I actually had to roll over onto my back for about 10min to work out the cramps in both legs before I could start swimming again. I love racing 70.3's but if I can't figure out my cramping issue I may be forced to stick to short course. Any ideas on how to stop the cramping? |
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2015-09-29 6:30 PM in reply to: EKH |
Extreme Veteran 5722 | Subject: RE: Legs cramping during HIM swim Originally posted by EKH I've done a 70.3 the last 4 years and every year my legs cramp up pretty badly during the swim. I know this is a common problem because I've read a lot of different threads on this but still have not found the solution. I've tried swimming more, adding in kick sets, more ow swimming, flexing my feet every 10-15minutes during ows, upping hydration, and taking in more electrolytes. Nothing seems to work! Last weekend I had my worst swim ever. Half way through the 1.2mi swim both legs completely locked up and I thought I was going to have to throw in the towel. I actually had to roll over onto my back for about 10min to work out the cramps in both legs before I could start swimming again. I love racing 70.3's but if I can't figure out my cramping issue I may be forced to stick to short course. Any ideas on how to stop the cramping? Does this happen in wetsuit and non wetsuit swims ? |
2015-09-29 8:17 PM in reply to: marcag |
Expert 1644 Oklahoma | Subject: RE: Legs cramping during HIM swim Wetsuit swims |
2015-09-29 10:25 PM in reply to: EKH |
1509 Cypress, Texas | Subject: RE: Legs cramping during HIM swim I cramped up during the HITS Marble Falls 70.3 about 1500 meters into the swim and had to roll over on my back for a minute. The embaracing thing was when i started going again I some how and turned my self around and was swimming the wrong direction for a while. I had to stop kicking for a while them changed to dying a cycle motion with my legs like riding a bike to make it to the end of the swim. I still made my goal of 35 minutes so I was happy. I checked around on cramps and determined that my problem was most likely from pointing my toes while swimming. Cramping is the result of fatigue or dehydration. I was NOT dehydrates so that means that my cramps were from fatigue. I had never done any continuous training swims over about 1200-1400 meters so I may not have been swim fit. I also didn't focus on pointing very much during training until the last 2-3 weeks before the race so I was I was using a muscle group in a way it wasn't used to anyways. In the pool the wall lets me rest every 25 meters at my turn around. With no stops or turn around in the OWS I was flexing that calf muscle with out any rest period ( I will have to try the periodic leg flex like you do). Most the people I talked to said that cramps were common for a couple years into their swimming but they kept at it and over time they stopped getting cramps. I too will have to be working on strategies to avoid the leg cramps on the swim. Congrats on the race and good luck at future events. |
2015-09-30 7:24 AM in reply to: EKH |
Extreme Veteran 5722 | Subject: RE: Legs cramping during HIM swim Originally posted by EKH Wetsuit swims This is only a theory based on some personal experience, but I suspect the wetsuit does make a change in position and mechanics that you are not used to. I experienced this a few times this summer OWSing in a wetsuit. I never cramp in the pool doing sessions 3x longer. It wasn't race nerves or anything like that. It only happens with a wetsuit. |
2015-09-30 8:01 AM in reply to: EKH |
Champion 7036 Sarasota, FL | Subject: RE: Legs cramping during HIM swim Its' something I've had to deal with over the years. More frequently when I've done a lot of kick or sprint sets at master swimming workouts. The most effective thing I've done to minimize them is to is to stretch my calves on a regular basis. Mark |
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2015-09-30 8:08 AM in reply to: EKH |
Extreme Veteran 856 Detroit, Michigan | Subject: RE: Legs cramping during HIM swim This happened to me too, only during my two HIM swims (which were both wetsuit). I don't get leg cramps in the lake where I practice OWS (wetsuit early in the season, non-wetsuit later), not in shorter races, not in the pool. (I do occasionally get a rogue calf cramp in the pool from pushing off but those are rare.) I figure it's just something I'm doing differently on race day -- maybe I flex weird when I lift my head to sight and don't realize it? Maybe I am moving my leg oddly when I try to swim around breaststrokers? I just have to flex my toes and swim with my arms for a while and the cramps go away. Sorry I don't have any advice but you are not alone! |
2015-09-30 11:45 AM in reply to: marcag |
1509 Cypress, Texas | Subject: RE: Legs cramping during HIM swim Originally posted by marcag Originally posted by EKH Wetsuit swims This is only a theory based on some personal experience, but I suspect the wetsuit does make a change in position and mechanics that you are not used to. I experienced this a few times this summer OWSing in a wetsuit. I never cramp in the pool doing sessions 3x longer. It wasn't race nerves or anything like that. It only happens with a wetsuit.
I like this theory. I only swam in my wet suit 2-3 times before my 70.3 race. It is a really tight fit and I know that it changed some of what I was doing vs. no wet suit. I was considering swimming at my local pool in the wet suit to get a better feel for it. I am sure that I would get a lot of second looks at the pool swimming in a wet suit. Of course at My pool all you need is googles and a swim cap to get 2nd looks. Most people there are not swimming laps. :-)
I still think the pointing toe thing was my biggest problem though. In practice I was usually working on my body position and arm stoke. Kicking wasn't something I worked on until I after I had already started my bike and run taper. |
2015-09-30 11:55 AM in reply to: BlueBoy26 |
Pro 15655 | Subject: RE: Legs cramping during HIM swim I once convinced a buddy to drink an entire jar of pickle juice to help him with his cramps. Of course it doesn't work, but it was pretty funny. |
2015-09-30 5:50 PM in reply to: Left Brain |
538 Brooklyn, New York | Subject: RE: Legs cramping during HIM swim Having large legs, the wetsuits I swam in were tight on my quads and hammies, and usually anything over 500m or so would start a tight hamstring that would eventually result in cramping, either in the water, or the moment I got to land and then had to use them to run and/or bike. A BETTER fitting wetsuit has made a life of difference for me. I've done repeated 1-2mile ocean swims this summer with pleasure and little to no worry about the hammies acting up. Every so often I kick like a frog (breaststroke style more or less) to engage the hamstrings in a knee flexion movement. I realized a virtual straight leg with hip action for kicks for extended time could potentially cause that hamstring issue. The wetsuit correction and occasional knee flexions have changed the whole long swim dynamic for me |
2015-10-01 6:52 PM in reply to: marcag |
Expert 1644 Oklahoma | Subject: RE: Legs cramping during HIM swim Originally posted by marcag Originally posted by EKH Wetsuit swims This is only a theory based on some personal experience, but I suspect the wetsuit does make a change in position and mechanics that you are not used to. I experienced this a few times this summer OWSing in a wetsuit. I never cramp in the pool doing sessions 3x longer. It wasn't race nerves or anything like that. It only happens with a wetsuit. I kind of think this may have to be it. My plan for my next 70.3 is to try and do one ows every week with wetsuit for about 6-7 weeks leading up to event. I've also thought about trying to keep my feet in plantar flexion for 20-30minutes a night while I'm sitting in my chair. |
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