Cramping

[roostafish]

Thought I'd start a new thread spun off of the race prep for the rider.

My demon: Cramps. Seemingly after 4-5 hours depending on exertion level. I use Nuun sports drink, it's much healthier than Gatorade, and has better mineral mix without all the sugar. I use Cliff Shot gel packs, once per hour if possible, or at checkpoints. I'm adding in the canned oxygen because it seems to work, and it provides mental clarity if nothing else.

Stainlesscycle mentioned a product called out Salt Stick. I looked at the website. Looks like I need to get that dispenser if nothing else. I'm not above buying their tab either, though it doesn't seem any different than the Enduralytes by Hammer. I'm willing to try anything.

My issue is not any specific muscle either. It's not usually the major muscles. I work those frequently at the gym anyway, and ride my bicycle 18miles round trip to work every day. The cramps will come in the bottom of my foot, a finger, the top of my forearm occasionally.

 

[noobi]

Have you ever tried magnesium tablets?
They have a high does of the magnesium that your sports drink probably has, but much more concentrated, I take them at pit stops, taste like chalk but go down easily with some drink. Haven't had cramp since I started using them, neither has a mate who used to get cramp chronically after a few hours of riding.

 

[roostafish]

Magnesium tablets sound like a good idea. I'll check them out. (along with pickle juice, more salt tablets, and breathing)

 

[wence]

Yeh , sorry that is what I take Mag phos tablets , not salt tablets.
Magnesium phosphate.
They do taste like chalk don't they?
Cheers Mark

 

[noobi]

Yeh , sorry that is what I take Mag phos tablets , not salt tablets.
Magnesium phosphate.
They do taste like chalk don't they?
Cheers Mark

Well, what I imagine chalk would taste like

 

[stainlesscycle]

Stainlesscycle mentioned a product called out Salt Stick. I looked at the website. Looks like I need to get that dispenser if nothing else. I'm not above buying their tab either, though it doesn't seem any different than the Enduralytes by Hammer. I'm willing to try anything.

someone else mentioned it. i've never used salt stick...

cramping hasn't been an issue for me, but then again i'm only running 2 hr events...

 

[Silver]

Cramping is a big issue for me last yr I started taking potassium and Mag. Worked well for me.Also drinking lots of fulids .

 

[Skidad]

Here is a great article on muscle cramping. Not sure it will apply to your case but it's good. Get flexable!!!

http://www.mxconditioning.com/2009/05/muscle-cramping/

It was me who recommended the Salt Stick Caps. I have used the Hammer Endurolytes and for me anyway the Salt Stick Caps work better. I only use Hammer Heed energy drink in my Camelbak because it works and causes no stomach issues for me. If you sweat allot water alone wont cut it. BTW, each Salt Stick Cap has 11mg of magnesium. Take 1-2 max per hour of activity.

http://www.saltstick.com/

I'm no expert but at 4-5 hours you need to be fueling your body very different from 1-3 hours. Crazy stuff starts happening to your body. Might want to try the Hammer Perpeteum Extreme Endurance Fuel. Stuff is for prolonged endurance type events. Must be kept cold or it will go bad (some freeze it to last longer) but you can carry it as a powder and just mix it with some water during a break.

http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/perpetuem.pp.html?navcat=fuels-energy-drinks

 

[roostafish]

Very good article on cramping from mxconditioning.com. Thank you. I think in my case it's a matter of "all of the above." Since my cramp onset is usually 4-5 hours into my activity (mountain biking, half ironman triathlon, enduro, etc...) then I surely need glycogen, which I take care of with a single cliff shot once per hour. Electrolytes, covered, I use Nuun in my camelback. I drink lots of fluid as well. Too much at times, since I end up peeing!

The stretching is a fascinating theory. I buy it for sure, it was my first inclination. My brother in law is a chiropractor and he encouraged me to get flexible for these events. I began a stretching routine back then. I'm still quite flexible today. I will now dedicate more time to stretching.

Thank you very much for posting those links skidad!

 

[gg3]

Have you ever tried magnesium tablets?
They have a high does of the magnesium that your sports drink probably has, but much more concentrated, I take them at pit stops, taste like chalk but go down easily with some drink. Haven't had cramp since I started using them, neither has a mate who used to get cramp chronically after a few hours of riding.

Also get cramps on the inside thigh,the groin to knee muscle.When it happens it's really bad & bloody hard to stretch out.Do you take the mag. tablets pre-ride as well?

 

[noobi]

Also get cramps on the inside thigh,the groin to knee muscle.When it happens it's really bad & bloody hard to stretch out.Do you take the mag. tablets pre-ride as well?

Ooooooowwweee. I hate those cramps, there a bastard to get rid of.
I take the magnesium tabs normally at the first chance I get during a ride, normally the first pit at an enduro, but for a XC I take them right before the start of the race, and at each pitstop along with a leppin squeezy gel shot. And drink lots and lots of this endurance drink which has amounts of magnesium phosphate in it, but the pills work much better.
Like I said, never had them while riding, normally I tire after about 4 hours of riding, and by that time the race is finished anyway. But I have gotten those nasty thigh cramps before on the way home, and had to do the mad dance stretches on the side of the motorway before

 

[gg3]

Thats the dance!I'll get some tomorrow,thanks.

 

[roostafish]

You absolutely take the tabs before a ride.

Revisiting stretching... My cramps are usually in my foot, or my hand, or finger. Occasionally in a big muscle, but mostly in muscles that are not really ones that you think of stretching. My favorite muscle cramp is in my chin/neck/jaw. I don't know what it's called, but it's that part under your tongue between your jawbones. It's awful. Fortunately, it'll hit my foot, or radial muscle before that one.

 

[Todd5774]

Ohh i get that one when i'm yawning sometimes, man that hurts! have to drop everything and massage under my chin to make it go away, dont know how i would cope if that happened whislt riding!!

 

[roostafish]

After some reaserch, and talking to a nutritionist I have some info. Apparently the human body likes to be slightly alkaline in it's PH balance, preferring 7.3-7.4. I took a reading and am at 7.1. The nutritionist works with several long distance athletes and says that there are several ways to keep your PH where it should be, most of which involved eating lots of green vegetables, especially spinach and broccoli, and cutting back on meat. I'm not keen on cutting back too much on meat, but I digress.

She suggested a product called Acid Zapper acidzapper.com. Using this product apparently helps get your body to that ideal, and they claim you can't overdo it, which is good, because I'm overdo it boy.

I ordered some of their tablets and granules for the camelback. I'll report back when I can test it.

 

[stainlesscycle]

, most of which involved eating lots of green vegetables, especially spinach and broccoli, and cutting back on meat.

that may explain why cramping is never an issue with me. vegetarian for 22 years. no cramps, but a plethora of other issues

 

[roostafish]

Initial report.
I used the Acid Zapper this weekend on a ride that should have certainly made me cramp. I did not cramp. Didn't even come close. Pretty excited about that. I'll post updates as I get more experience with it.

 

[lankydoug]

I have heard that magnesium helps you absorb other minerals that you need. I do know that you must start frequently drinking water a day and a half before your event. If you wait until your thirsty you will never catch up.

 

[roostafish]

Follow up to all this. After several months of using Acid Zapper, I have found that I can still cramp if I let myself dehydrate. I have also discovered Clif Shot blocks. They are much easier to choke down than gels. They also seem to help with electrolyte replacement.
Alas, nothing seems to be the "silver bullet." Stretching is crucial, as is hydration. Good thing for me, the combination of all of this has resulted in much less cramping. The last cramps I had were at the Idaho Qualifier after being sorely dehydrated and overworked!

 

[bchatt]

I have read that when muscles are simply pushed beyond their "normal operating range" they will cramp. The theory being that training and conditioning can extend the "normal operating range". Assuming hydration and mineral replacement is kept up, the performance of the various muscles we use when riding will improve hugely the more we ride.
Roost, have you noticed if you are cramping less as the season progresses?
For myself anyway, I know at the start of the season, even though I drink heaps, I get lots of cramps - but after more regular riding through the summer, the cramps "barrier" is usually pushed out to say 4 hours.