Fighting Leg Cramps
07-27-10, 08:54 PM
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Do a good long warm-up for each ride. Drink recovery drinks like powerbar recovery after a long ride rides and do quad, calf and hamstring stretches after every ride.
Weigh yourself before and after each ride to see if you are taking in enough fluids. It may seem like you are but you may not be (a recent ride I thought I had taken in a lot of fluid but I dropped about 3.5 lbs)
Weigh yourself before and after each ride to see if you are taking in enough fluids. It may seem like you are but you may not be (a recent ride I thought I had taken in a lot of fluid but I dropped about 3.5 lbs)
Last edited by GeneO; 07-27-10 at 08:57 PM.
07-27-10, 09:54 PM
#27
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Med-tent studies show that none of these things have much to do with cramping: warmup, cooldown, electrolytes, or hydration. We know that most cramping is a result of insufficient training for what's being attempted. To have an easy, cramp-free 80 mile ride, just ride an average of 160 miles per week, including some effort level which you will see on the long ride, or a little above. After a couple of months, or even mush less, of that exercise volume and cramps during the ride will stop.
If you get cramps, eat a Tums immediately. I have no idea why that works, but it does. If they come back, eat another.
Standing is a good idea. I try to stand for 30 seconds or so every 10 minutes, by the clock.
Hydration and Endurolytes will make you feel much better on the bike, will make you faster and more comfortable. But they won't completely prevent cramps.
Night cramps are another story. No one knows where they come from or where they go. Walk around and take a Tums. That will let you go back to sleep.
If you get cramps, eat a Tums immediately. I have no idea why that works, but it does. If they come back, eat another.
Standing is a good idea. I try to stand for 30 seconds or so every 10 minutes, by the clock.
Hydration and Endurolytes will make you feel much better on the bike, will make you faster and more comfortable. But they won't completely prevent cramps.
Night cramps are another story. No one knows where they come from or where they go. Walk around and take a Tums. That will let you go back to sleep.
07-27-10, 10:21 PM
#28
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1) take a rolling pin to your legs both before and after your rides.
2) i mix my own sport drink (3/4 scoop gatorade powder, 1/2 scoop (12g) protein powder, 1/4 tsp lite salt) protein helps with endurance, and the lite salt / potassium helps with cramping.
3) i change to water or gatorade or whatever is available once my first bottles are empty. drink plenty. when you feel a twinge of a cramp, drink a full bottle as fast as you reasonably can.
4a) ride a steady pace if possible... surge at 300w and coast at 0w all day will take a lot more out of your legs than a steady 200w will.
4b) stay out of zone 5 if possible. you'll pay later. of course your mates might enjoy making you pay ;-)
5) sometimes gels miraculously seem to help once cramps start.
2) i mix my own sport drink (3/4 scoop gatorade powder, 1/2 scoop (12g) protein powder, 1/4 tsp lite salt) protein helps with endurance, and the lite salt / potassium helps with cramping.
3) i change to water or gatorade or whatever is available once my first bottles are empty. drink plenty. when you feel a twinge of a cramp, drink a full bottle as fast as you reasonably can.
4a) ride a steady pace if possible... surge at 300w and coast at 0w all day will take a lot more out of your legs than a steady 200w will.
4b) stay out of zone 5 if possible. you'll pay later. of course your mates might enjoy making you pay ;-)
5) sometimes gels miraculously seem to help once cramps start.
07-28-10, 09:06 PM
#29
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Med-tent studies show that none of these things have much to do with cramping: warmup, cooldown, electrolytes, or hydration. We know that most cramping is a result of insufficient training for what's being attempted. To have an easy, cramp-free 80 mile ride, just ride an average of 160 miles per week, including some effort level which you will see on the long ride, or a little above. After a couple of months, or even mush less, of that exercise volume and cramps during the ride will stop.
If you get cramps, eat a Tums immediately. I have no idea why that works, but it does. If they come back, eat another.
Standing is a good idea. I try to stand for 30 seconds or so every 10 minutes, by the clock.
Hydration and Endurolytes will make you feel much better on the bike, will make you faster and more comfortable. But they won't completely prevent cramps.
Night cramps are another story. No one knows where they come from or where they go. Walk around and take a Tums. That will let you go back to sleep.
If you get cramps, eat a Tums immediately. I have no idea why that works, but it does. If they come back, eat another.
Standing is a good idea. I try to stand for 30 seconds or so every 10 minutes, by the clock.
Hydration and Endurolytes will make you feel much better on the bike, will make you faster and more comfortable. But they won't completely prevent cramps.
Night cramps are another story. No one knows where they come from or where they go. Walk around and take a Tums. That will let you go back to sleep.
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