Cramping legs - particularly calfs
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gibbleking
Old School Grand Master
proper warm up stretching exercises and assesing your diet before riding may help....sounds like a proper masssage of the legs before ya ride isa good idea.....it should be noted im NOT offering to rub your legs unless you can do a passable impression of kate beckinsale..ha ha
I suffer similar problems, Last years real ale wobble was shear agony at times. Made it to the second beer/food stop and my legs siezed so tight that I was unable to walk for a beer...and I really wanted a beer!
Since then I have made sure to do stretches before longer rides, eaten plenty of bannanas for the potassium on the run up to the event and used a mix of water/gator ade in my camel back for its electrolyte content.
Touch wood, I have not had anything so bad since, however I also havn't seen the same conditions of last years wobble since.
Since then I have made sure to do stretches before longer rides, eaten plenty of bannanas for the potassium on the run up to the event and used a mix of water/gator ade in my camel back for its electrolyte content.
Touch wood, I have not had anything so bad since, however I also havn't seen the same conditions of last years wobble since.
BarneyRubble
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Bananas and electrolites. Plus avoid riding or climbing when hungover! 
Cheers all
Have always stuck with just water, but will try the suggested. Years ago I was told it was because of a lack of salt in my diet? Not sure how true this is but I dont add extra salt to anything as I dont like the taste. Maybe have to start living on bannanas.
Any ideas for stretches that may help?
Have always stuck with just water, but will try the suggested. Years ago I was told it was because of a lack of salt in my diet? Not sure how true this is but I dont add extra salt to anything as I dont like the taste. Maybe have to start living on bannanas.
Any ideas for stretches that may help?
Student Bob
Old School Hero
I agree, bananas and some sort of isotonic sports drink should see you right.
No-one has definitively identified what causes cramps yet, but as muscle contraction uses potassium and calcium it makes sense to start topping up with those.
Sorry GibbleKing, Warm-up stretching has been discredited now and can be more harmful than good!! Overstretching cold muscles can increase the risk of damage... I always hated warm-up stretches anyhow. The advice now is to take it easy for the first 20 minutes, or do a 20 min warm-up.
(btw Student Bob = student physio)
No-one has definitively identified what causes cramps yet, but as muscle contraction uses potassium and calcium it makes sense to start topping up with those.
Sorry GibbleKing, Warm-up stretching has been discredited now and can be more harmful than good!! Overstretching cold muscles can increase the risk of damage... I always hated warm-up stretches anyhow. The advice now is to take it easy for the first 20 minutes, or do a 20 min warm-up.
(btw Student Bob = student physio)
Student Bob":29fyvlr6 said:
I must have been ahead of my time then!
When I was TT-ing bitd I never used to do any warm up except for riding the bike around the car park before racing. Everyone used to tell me that it was bad for me, but they were the ones who always got cramps, and I never did. That used to really irritate some of them no end too.
Funnily enough I get cramps in my right calf, never my left, occaisionally and most of the time it's when I'm asleep. All I can think of is that I must be sleeping in an odd position. I've never yet had a cramp that I can trace back to exercise though. :?
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