https://community.usms.org/swimming/f/general/11423/foot-toe-cramps---open-waterI&#39;ve been swimming 6k-8k per week for two years primarily pool but some open water. Recently completed a 5k open water race in 1:43 in choppy conditions. I feel like I could have pushed harder but was constrained by toe/foot/calf cramps which I coninuoslyen-USTelligent Community 12https://community.usms.org/thread/186759?ContentTypeID=1Sat, 06 Jul 2013 01:03:50 GMT3187ac58-ba85-4314-b79a-c45cd885e09a:1ae9b073-788e-471b-af6c-995c761268a9orca1946Was the water cold?? Longer swims &amp; maybe add fins to over work the muscles.<div style="clear:both;"></div>https://community.usms.org/thread/186713?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 05 Jul 2013 05:22:41 GMT3187ac58-ba85-4314-b79a-c45cd885e09a:d9a441e4-97f6-48d2-a600-e4c46b62372fFormer MemberI think swimming further in your practices would help a lot since that 5km race is almost as far as all your weekly training swims combined. Your cramps could also be caused by dehydration or low levels of minerals. Eating bananas, almonds, whole grains, etc. could help.<div style="clear:both;"></div>https://community.usms.org/thread/186743?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 05 Jul 2013 01:52:11 GMT3187ac58-ba85-4314-b79a-c45cd885e09a:94c56d88-533a-4bf9-8af5-beb7affd57c1Rob CopelandDid you get in a good warm-up and stretch before the swim? Did you adjust your stroke of sighting to account for the chop? Some people will swim with their head higher in chop, which will drop the hips and change the kick. I train people to keep their head lower and breathe down and back more in chop. Also shorten their stroke and fight the chop, instead of finding a rhythm to keep the stroke long.<div style="clear:both;"></div>