whats wrong with me, how come i keep getting cramps?

[LongCoolMother]

i go swim with the swimming team every day at 5:00. seems to me, i get these huge cramps in both my legs (mostly calves) and my feet (toes, arch) while doing sets. it really really sucks, and it happens the most when im using fins (flippers). but it also happens normally like everyday and it hurts like heck. i stretch a lot before going so im pretty sure thats not the problem. when i stretch, i stretch each muscle about 20 seconds each. i eat like more then 2 hours earlier, so i dont think thats the problem. or should i eat even earlier?

whats causing this? it seems to me most of the other people on the team dont have many problems with cramps like i do. is it something im eating or drinking? or is there too much protein in my system? I remember seeing somewhere, where having too much protein can cause cramps.... i think im pretty well balanced though... any suggestions?

 

[LoqT]

Are you a woman? Cuz my girlfriend gets cramps and she's real cranky with me about 5 days out of every month.... man I don't have the cramps myself I just get the consequences of them.

 

[spanky]

maybe u're over-working ur calves?

 

[Amused]

Try getting more Potassium in your diet.

 

[LongCoolMother]

im a guy.

i dont think im overworking... i dont get cramps when running the 1500 or anything.... actually, i dont get cramps doing anything except kicking flutter kicks in swimming. its so weird.... but thanks, ill try to find out if im overworking... it really doesnt seem like it though

 

[LongCoolMother]

Originally posted by: AmusedOne
Try getting more Potassium in your diet.

will that help? you might be right, cuz i HATE bananas, almost never eat them. and i dont think ive been having any potassium foods lately. thanks, ill go grab a bananie right now.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: LongCoolMother
im a guy.

i dont think im overworking... i dont get cramps when running the 1500 or anything.... actually, i dont get cramps doing anything except kicking flutter kicks in swimming. its so weird.... but thanks, ill try to find out if im overworking... it really doesnt seem like it though

Cramps like you're talking about are often due to a combination of dehydration or a lack of calcium and potassium.

Drink a good sports drink and eat some bananas every day a few hours before you work out.

BTW, do you take a multivitamin? Preferably one with minerals?

 

[LongCoolMother]

thanks for the advice, ill do that. im sure i dont have enough potassium, i get my calcium in calcium fortified orange juice and yogurt. and i get enough water everyday. ill start changing my diet

oh and i occasionally take a super vitamin B complex

 

[Spagina]

Try to get some more potassium in your system. For the heavy duty travel hockey practices where we skated for 2 hours, we all usually took some type of potassium whether in pills or banana's. If you didn't, you would usually cramp up severely towards the end. It's not fun feeling both legs charlie horse up as your in mid-stride. It feels like a cramp in every leg muscle everytime you move. It's killer.

 

[Aquaman]

keep yourself well hydrated and drink some gatorade ot powerade well before you swim. I used to get those damn calve cramps when you sleep and then get woken up by them............. frigging hurts like hell.......... I took in more electolytes & I was fine.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Nefrodite]

Originally posted by: AmusedOne
Try getting more Potassium in your diet.

its banana time!!


no more cramps and you can practice supressing your gag reflex to boot

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Actually, if you work on toning the muscles in the legs, you'll build more capillaries through the muscles to better drain the lactic acid byproduct build-up as you work out. The lactic acid abundance could be what's causing the cramps. Atleast, that's what my sports doctor told me.

nik

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: Nefrodite

Originally posted by: AmusedOne Try getting more Potassium in your diet.

its banana time!! no more cramps and you can practice supressing your gag reflex to boot

1) He's a guy and not gay. Gag reflex shouldn't be something he's worried about.
2) It's not banana time, it's peanutbutterjellytime

nik

 

[LongCoolMother]

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt

Originally posted by: Nefrodite

Originally posted by: AmusedOne Try getting more Potassium in your diet.

its banana time!! no more cramps and you can practice supressing your gag reflex to boot

1) He's a guy and not gay. Gag reflex shouldn't be something he's worried about.
2) It's not banana time, it's <a class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.ffmcobalt.com/misc/banana.swf" target=blank>peanutbutterjellytime</A>

nik

lol, ive seen that dancing banana be4

 

[Nefrodite]

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt

Originally posted by: Nefrodite

Originally posted by: AmusedOne Try getting more Potassium in your diet.

its banana time!! no more cramps and you can practice supressing your gag reflex to boot

1) He's a guy and not gay. Gag reflex shouldn't be something he's worried about.
2) It's not banana time, it's <a class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.ffmcobalt.com/misc/banana.swf" target=blank>peanutbutterjellytime</A>

nik

really? with a nick like that i figured it was a she or something guess not

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: LongCoolMother

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt

Originally posted by: Nefrodite

Originally posted by: AmusedOne Try getting more Potassium in your diet.

its banana time!! no more cramps and you can practice supressing your gag reflex to boot

1) He's a guy and not gay. Gag reflex shouldn't be something he's worried about. 2) It's not banana time, it's peanutbutterjellytime nik

lol, ive seen that dancing banana be4

Well now you can see it again

nik

 

[Rookie]

another vote for more Potassium

One supplement a day. Or follow the instructions, don't over do it, it won't work better, it will irritate your stomach lining.

 

[Bryophyte]

Originally posted by: LongCoolMother

Originally posted by: AmusedOne
Try getting more Potassium in your diet.

will that help? you might be right, cuz i HATE bananas, almost never eat them. and i dont think ive been having any potassium foods lately. thanks, ill go grab a bananie right now.

Have you tried to eat the ones that are just a little bit green? They don't have that cloying too sweet banana flavor. I can't stand to eat a fully ripe banana.

I agree that you need to be eating them. Try throwing one in a blender with frozen berries and some yogurt, thin it with fruit juice.