Calf cramps in my sleep
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christri25 posted 3 years ago.
are you getting enough potassium ?? Drink some more OJ and eat some banana's ...
Chris
``It's not as if I'm going to sit around and be a fat slob,''
Lance Armstrong 2005
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jmcglos posted 3 years ago.
chris - I've thought of that too - I try to get enough potassium - I eat bananas almost every day and drink OJ every day too. Maybe I'm still not getting enough. I also take vitamins and drink soy milk every day (both which have some potassium in them too). Maybe I should start eating more than 1 banana a day - I just can't stomach too many bananas though - I get sick of them easily.
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rob6118 posted 3 years ago.
Potassium is what did it for me. I haven't ever trained for such a long distance as half ironman but I ran into the same problem but by taking multi vitamins with the 100% dv of potassium along with the oj and bananas it went away. You can also ease it by streching more and using alternating hot and cold packs. The cramps are a result of built up lactic acid in your muscles which your body doesn't have the vitamins to dispose of properly. More potassium equals better ability to remove the lactic acid, and proper stretching along with stimulation of the muscles like alternating heat or massage can aid in getting the waste products out before it wakes u up in the middle of the night.
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JoseM posted 3 years ago.
My old high school football coach told me to eat more salt....if you had fries, put extra salt on it. Don't know if it helps or not....That and potassium....I think raisons are a decent source if you're tired of bananas (this is from memory though from a guy in the military with me...I never checked it out though).
So....what you're saying is....benching 1.5 times your body weight 10+ times is NOT good for triathletes?! OOOOOH! :eek: :D
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jmcglos posted 3 years ago.
thanks for the advice - I'll have to increase my potassium intake! i'm going to check what other fruits have potassium (figs, blueberries?). thanks!!
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toni posted 3 years ago.
interestingly enough it could also be calcium. So, make sure you're getting your electrolytes. :) Good luck
-Toni
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. - FDR
Ok, so I've been experiencing severe calf muscle cramps in my sleep at night. They started a few weeks before my half ironman (FL 1/2 IM). I hadn't had any since, until last night. It wakes me up and it feels like somebody is taking my calf muscle and ripping it out of my leg. And I've experienced this in both of my calves. I'm not sure why it happened again last night as I haven't done anything (bike, swim, or run) since Wednesday. I'm trying to rest some before my training starts up again for the rest of the summer. Does anybody have any experience or advice?
Thanks!!