Well, it has been a long time since I have did any swimming. I swam competitively as a kid, many(20+) years back. I still swam/played in the water until the early to mid 90s and then I didn't touch the water again until around 2005. 2005 was my first time ever open water swimming. I spent several weeks doing some swimming in the nearby rivers/ lakes/ponds since their isn't any swimming pools close by but there is a ton of publicly accessible water close by, within 1.5 miles of my house.
2006 I saw the water once, maybe twice all summer. Nothing until late 2007 and that was all freediving versus any swimming. Last summer I spent late May-mid July freediving, no real swimming.
I finally said the heck with it last Thursday on a nice unusual warm/humid summer day last week and decided to cool off and get in the water for the first time all year. I quickly thought about open water swimming.
Tuesday night this week I decided the heck with it and took off and did my first bit of open water swimming in several years. I was surprised how quickly I covered the distance I was planning on doing. I was expecting it to take twice as long.
Wednesday night I headed out again and decided to about double the distance. Once again I was surprised to see how quick the pace was. Actually the pace to the first bouy(Tuesday's turn around point) was about three minutes faster than Tuesday night. On the way back I decided to put a bit more into the swim and actually do some 'structured' kicking versus just letting the feet hang in the water and do their own thing. As a kid swimming competitively I normally never kicked and did the same thing I'm doing right now. As I started kicking I quickly cramped up in my left calf. It was one of the worst cramps I have ever gotten in my life. The only way I was able to break the cramp was to switch over to *** stroke.
The cramp stopped and I decided to go do the same thing again. I didn't figure I would end up cramping again but I did and it did very quickly.
I was thinking the problem was the colder water compared to normal. I would say the water temp right now is probable 3-4 degrees below where it would normally be this time of the year, maybe even 5 degrees. It's probably in the low 70s. The strange thing I remember back in 2005 I was hitting cold pockets of water all the time...I haven't hit a one yet this year. I am on a different lake but I wouldn't think that would make a difference.
Wednesday night I thought about putting on the sleeveless wetsuit and swimming with it. I figured since I was planning on going further it would be both a safety item and it would also keep more of the cold off of me. I didn't put it on though. I was staying comfortably warm so not having on the wetsuit didn't really make any difference. I was just thinking it might be making a difference.
Thursday/tonight I decided to go for the point. Checking on Topo USA it would be roughly 1.75-1.9 miles round trip depending on the exact route I would swim. I figured it would take me 30 minutes each way more than likely, given the times I had the previous two nights. I also decided I was definitely putting on the wetsuit. Tonight I wasn't going to give it the option.
I started the swim out and passed the first bouy one minute quicker than the night before much to my surprise. I continued on out to the point doing both *** stroke and freestyle. I definitely don't have the endurance/experience to open water to maintain freestyle all the way just yet but it does seem to be growing quite nicely, very quickly. I swap back and forth between *** stroke and freestyle and keep moving forward the whole time I'm in the water. Distance wise between the two is probably a 50/50 split.
I turned around and started heading back. I decided once again to do some structured kicking, kicking like you would if you were using a kickboard to practice your kicking. Once again I found myself getting the left calf cramp. It wasn't quite as bad as last night but it was there nonetheless. I think the only reason it didn't get as bad was because I caught it sooner and switched over to *** stroke and managed to keep it from getting any worse.
After getting it to release the cramp I decided I wasn't going to try any more structured kicking and just let the feet float like I normally do. Since I was still only 1/4 of the way back to the beach I decided to take it a step further and for a 100 yards, if that much, I decided to lock the legs together so they wouldn't kick at all. That ended up bringing on a right calf cramp. I got it released and then just continued on making sure to not try anything fancy at all whatsoever. Returning back to normal I didn't have much of anymore trouble with the cramping all the way back to the beach.
I realize after tonight the problem isn't the water temp but something else, I'm not sure what the something else is though. I don't understand why when I start kicking I start cramping. Any thoughts on the cause and on a solution.
By the way I wasn't too far from what I expected, 32 minutes to make it out and 34 minutes to make it back to shore. I think it is the furthest I've ever swam...but the distance will be eclipsed maybe as soon as tomorrow.
Parents
Former Member
Unfortunately I have learned way too much about this.
First, disregard the hydration and electrolyte myth. See this website for why: www.sportsscientists.com/.../featured-series-on-science-of-sport.html. They have a lot more to do with fatigue and a lack of flexibility than with anything dietary. I think water temperature also has very little to do with them, though I think colder temps definitely make for more severe cramps when cramping occurs.
I am a chronic cramper. In my experience the most effective prevention techniques are:
1. Training. The more you train, and train through them, the less you cramp.
2. Training your legs. Kick, kick, kick.
3. Stretching. 2 - 3 times a day of rigorous stretching goes a long way in reducing the cramps. It also makes it much easier to work them out when they happen if you are more flexible.
4. Reducing tension when you swim. Consciously relaxing your legs while putting out the same effort will help.
5. Avoiding sudden exertion or changes in your leg muscle use. Cramps usually come at the moment you do something different with your legs. When you take a break, for instance, ease slowly back into your stroke rather than sprinting out. Lifting your head to sight is another time when this often happens; to avoid this, learn to sight without expending alot of energy in your legs.
David Barra reports that switching to a two beat kick and acupuncture worked for him. I haven't tried acunpuncture yet, but I plan to sometime.
Unfortunately I have learned way too much about this.
First, disregard the hydration and electrolyte myth. See this website for why: www.sportsscientists.com/.../featured-series-on-science-of-sport.html. They have a lot more to do with fatigue and a lack of flexibility than with anything dietary. I think water temperature also has very little to do with them, though I think colder temps definitely make for more severe cramps when cramping occurs.
I am a chronic cramper. In my experience the most effective prevention techniques are:
1. Training. The more you train, and train through them, the less you cramp.
2. Training your legs. Kick, kick, kick.
3. Stretching. 2 - 3 times a day of rigorous stretching goes a long way in reducing the cramps. It also makes it much easier to work them out when they happen if you are more flexible.
4. Reducing tension when you swim. Consciously relaxing your legs while putting out the same effort will help.
5. Avoiding sudden exertion or changes in your leg muscle use. Cramps usually come at the moment you do something different with your legs. When you take a break, for instance, ease slowly back into your stroke rather than sprinting out. Lifting your head to sight is another time when this often happens; to avoid this, learn to sight without expending alot of energy in your legs.
David Barra reports that switching to a two beat kick and acupuncture worked for him. I haven't tried acunpuncture yet, but I plan to sometime.
