Leg Cramp

[FasterThanFast]

What causes a leg cramp? at +70km into a race?

is it what one drinks? or what you eat?

Some have told me Creatine draws water out of the muscle,hence the cramp.  How true is this.  Some have said FastFuel Lactic Buffer, will cause serious cramps. for two years i had no problem, now im cramping on every race, even the club rides. im adding Creatine monohydrate to my drink, surley this cannot be the cause.   

[DRIVETRAIN]

NO-ONE HAS THE ANSWERS-WHAT WAS SUGGESTED - I TRIED IT - I CRAMPED.

DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING U HEAR -

 

I also used to cramp at around that time in races - recently 94.7 as in 2 other races I did I used Fithealth Zero Cramp tablets -- never cramped once. Not saying that is the answer or the solution - but I'm sure putting it to the test !!!!

 

P/M me after this Sunday's 200k event & I'll tell U if I cramped or not !!!!

 

DT"

 

 

[FasterThanFast]

Hi. where can i get Fithealth Zero Cramp tablets

[CaptainDura]

Being the crampmeister here are things to try that have worked for me and many others.

 

try and determine if you cramp from lack of salt or of salt excess.

 

1. lack of salt

take in more salt a day or 2 before a race. drink a solution with a lot of salt.  some suggested eating bullybeef rolls.  it contains a lot of salt (none of this worked for me)

 

2. lack of calcium/magnesium (thus too much salt). I tried slowmag but this did not work for me. then i tried calcium/magnesium supplement(2:1 ratio) and this to date have worked very well. 

 

3. drink enos before the race and eat rennies during the race. this also contains calcium magnesium as well as buffers lactic acid. (works well for me.

 

4. train more and stretch alot. (this works for me and most people the best)

 

 

 

 

[hyper7]

Anybody know of a good resource on the 'net that show how to properly stretch (cyclist specific stretches)?

 

 

 

[Zoo Cookie]

was told that loss of electrolyte - through sweat -  could cause cramps. so these days i drink rehidrate to replace the electrolyte and that works for me.

[turtlek]

your bulidup to any event determines if you cramp or not

 

 

 

For example if you change your routine in your eating there is a likelihood that you dont have the correct amount of something in your body for it to perform at the right levels

 

 

 

also your supplement intake (not energy drinks) your vitamin C your B12 (examples) and other important vitamins could also be lacking

 

 

 

it will take some time but do some tests and see what you eat before a race and then document it and then see if you change some habits in your eating if it helps or makes it worse

 

 

 

another thing is that your energy drink could not be agreeing with your system it has taken me a few years but i have found a range of supplements that dont give me stomach cramps and help with my recovery in most situation

 

 

 

if all else fails put extra miles into your legs by getting time in the saddle

[FasterThanFast]

Interesting thing about the salt...

Funny though, from the 1st of Nov i cut salt out of my diet.

HAd that salty drink about lunch time, and added just a bit to my drink

just got back home from a 96km. no isues, no cramp..

That could be it, it could not....

[CaptainDura]

Interesting thing about the salt...

Funny though' date=' from the 1st of Nov i cut salt out of my diet.

HAd that salty drink about lunch time, and added just a bit to my drink

just got back home from a 96km. no isues, no cramp..

That could be it, it could not....

[/quote']

 

There you go.  everyone is different. you might have found your solution.