Think I've managed to get back in the water once again this summer, open water only. I've run into the same problem again this year that I had a couple years back. Cramping, only when I kick.
Normally for me most of the time my feet are 'flailing' in the water. Not doing anything real useful unless I think about it and really try to keep them spread apart so I can kick. Once I do this and start kicking about 10 seconds later my calves start cramping up. I stop kicking and get the cramping to go away and I can continue on swimming like normal, flailing. If I try to kick again, the cramping comes right back once again.
I normally eat 2 bananas each day for lunch and drink a gallon or more of water a day so I know dehydration shouldn't be an issue and lack of potassuim(sp?) shouldn't really be much of an issue either.
I can get the cramping at the beginning of a swim or after doing a couple of miles. The only trigger that always seems to hold consistent is I will start cramping once I start kicking.
Any suggestions on how I might get rid of the cramping but still be able to kick?
Parents
Former Member
Actually the one thing that I have started changing in the past several days is the upper body. I stumbled in the Total Immersion videos and have started changing my stroke and stretching the upper body less than what I had been in the past. It has made the swimming much easier and it seems like I'm not wasting as much energy by swimming wrong anymore.
Now to your comment, I haven't really ever paid that much attention to how I kick when I kick. I'm going to have to pay closer attention the next time I'm swimming and see what the process is that I use. It does seem like right before I cramp up(when kicking) that I'm making the leg stiffer rather than more relaxed. Like I said though I'm going to have pay more attention before I can say for sure how I'm kicking.
Seeing everything I'm seeing happen the past few days I'm think I'm going to start rethinking it not being nutritionally related. I wasn't even swimming today, just standing in the water when I was very easily able to move the wrong way and have the calf start to cramp on me. That was a first time experience. I was cooling down quite a bit as 10 minutes or so later I hopped out and sit on one of the swim docks in the lake and was practically shivering for the 10-15 minutes...it was in the low to mid 90's for outside air temp at the time. The water temp has to be 75-80 right now. It was a very unique experience. I have to fess I had stood pretty much still in water up to my neck for 30-45 minutes straight just trying to cool down/stay cool.
Actually the one thing that I have started changing in the past several days is the upper body. I stumbled in the Total Immersion videos and have started changing my stroke and stretching the upper body less than what I had been in the past. It has made the swimming much easier and it seems like I'm not wasting as much energy by swimming wrong anymore.
Now to your comment, I haven't really ever paid that much attention to how I kick when I kick. I'm going to have to pay closer attention the next time I'm swimming and see what the process is that I use. It does seem like right before I cramp up(when kicking) that I'm making the leg stiffer rather than more relaxed. Like I said though I'm going to have pay more attention before I can say for sure how I'm kicking.
Seeing everything I'm seeing happen the past few days I'm think I'm going to start rethinking it not being nutritionally related. I wasn't even swimming today, just standing in the water when I was very easily able to move the wrong way and have the calf start to cramp on me. That was a first time experience. I was cooling down quite a bit as 10 minutes or so later I hopped out and sit on one of the swim docks in the lake and was practically shivering for the 10-15 minutes...it was in the low to mid 90's for outside air temp at the time. The water temp has to be 75-80 right now. It was a very unique experience. I have to fess I had stood pretty much still in water up to my neck for 30-45 minutes straight just trying to cool down/stay cool.
