WizardOfBoz

Well, as the husband of a physical therapist, I have to commend your excellent thinking. However....

I was swimming a lot a few years ago, and was getting bad cramps in my calves. Got a blood test, was low in vitamin D and consequently Ca++. 2000 units of vitamin D3, once per day, helped a lot.

CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR, THOUGH! Excessive vitamin D can cause very serious problems, and taking it recklessly, without a blood test, and without medical advice, is unwise. Also, vitamin D is affected by other medications (e.g. thiazide diuretics like HCTZ). The blood test is easy. The doc should know about potential dangers and interactions. I am not a medical doctor, and the only medical advice I give here is: check with a real doctor.

trail_monkey

I actually learned the pickle thing because my son, who's an athlete, had issues with cramps in the past and we were told to have him drink some pickle juice during a track meet. Anyways I rode RAGBRAI last year for the first time and all across the state there were booths selling pickles. I started carrying one with juice in a zip loc bag inside my Tangle bag. They worked wonders.

1Coopgt

This and water .

Red90

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I guess I'll start with one adjustment at a time to see if it will affect my cramping. I'll try to consult my doctor as well... if he's still around... lol I haven't seen my doc in over 10 yrs...

seypat

Are you a slow twitch or fast twitch type athlete? If you are fast twitch, those muscles are not going to do well in endurance sports. You can still do them, but nothing you do is going to eliminate the cramps. You name the sport, I'll tell you which muscles will cramp. I've been on structured training teams with coaches/nutritionists and it doesn't help much. When the heat goes up, the cramps will come faster, a lot faster. I went to some nutritional clinics during Marathon training. The amount of electrolytes, potassium, etc a person loses during physical exertion is based on the person's weight. It goes up as the weight goes up. Salt sticks supplements seem to help some. I take one an hour. As the temperature goes up the frequency increases. If it is a scorcher, I take one every 30 minutes. Mustard and pickle juice help also. You just have to learn to live with the cramping. The key is to recognize when they are coming on then dial it back a little or a lot. Once they hit you might have to get off the bike and walk the cramp out. It happens to me frequently. Don't keep going and think you will "ride through it." Once the muscle cramps hard, you are through for the day. Time to call the SAG wagon. The worst is where one quad cramps while the hamstring on the other leg cramps also. You can't get off the bike or walk because one leg is locked straight while the other is locked bent. Rough!

BKE

You can toss the pickles, just drink the juice.

DrIsotope

My sister-in-law is a serious calf cramper-- she was getting them every ride of any intensity in the humid Texas heat. Pickle juice stopped her cramping completely.

Red90

I guess I'm a fast twitch type of athlete. Throughout my years, I've always tended to be more of the sprinter pace than an endurance. I've always avoided endurance sports, it never appealed to me except now with with cycling. The cramping is happening more frequently on the indoor trainer. I heat up quite quickly, I really need more fans.

I can relate to your level of cramping as well. I had both my quads cramp once. I couldn't get off the bike either, I just had to sit on my top tube and not move or both my legs will lock up. Looked like an idiot. One other time I was pushing pretty hard, but didn't see a pot hole and went over the handlebar. As soon as I landed, both my calves cramped to the point that I couldn't get up and had to have my buddies pull me off the street. That was not pleasant.

I'll give the pickle juice a try on my next training session.

Red90

Just an update. I've tried several seat adjustments without any luck.

Yesterday I was on a 90 minute training session with 3 -20 minute sub threshold sets. On the second set I started feeling that twitch. I held on for a bit and about midway through the set I felt it start to cramp. I stopped and took a gulp of pickle juice, approximately 1/3 of a cup or so. I slow pedaled for about half a minute and then ramped it back up to my interval intensity. I was back on to full interval power in about a minutes time from when I stopped. The cramp didn't come back, although at times it did feel like it wanted to twitch, but never to the point that it wanted to fully cramp.

Of course this is only one instance so I can't say for certain this is a solution or that the pickle juice directly stopped the cramping. It might have been the momentary pause... although I doubt it.

This was the first time I tried pickle juice... eekkk.. it was a bit of a shocker...to think people drink this cause they like it??

BKE

I'm not so sure that the juice would have such an immediate effect but maybe. Hopefully someone with knowledge about those things will show up. I don't take it on the ride, I drink it throughout to day because I do in fact enjoy the taste. Who knows, it might just be an old wives tale.