Cramps

[old] HardcoreRower6260 · Post by **[old] HardcoreRower6260** » October 26th, 2004, 5:38 pm

Hey, I've been rowing for quite some time now and this is my first season of experience with bad cramps. About 10-15 mins into an intense piece (about 6k) my abs and back muscles cramp up and I can barely maintain my average split anymore. I end up rowing hunched over because when I sit up to try to fix the problem, it gets worse. If anyone knows why this might be happening or what I can do to fix it, please let me know. Thanks a lot.

[old] DIESEL · Post by **[old] DIESEL** » October 26th, 2004, 6:04 pm

dehydration, most likely. When you cramp, stop rowing, stretch it out - Swiss Balls are awesome for stretching out abdominal cramps - and get some fluids in you!

[old] KMurphy · Post by **[old] KMurphy** » October 26th, 2004, 6:50 pm

Low potassium is also a cause of cramps and can occur in combination with the afore mentioned dehydration. Eating things like banana's are good for this or a good vitamin. KMurphy

[old] Byron Drachman · Post by **[old] Byron Drachman** » October 27th, 2004, 8:45 am

Maybe something here will help: Are you using sports drinks such as Gatorade or gel bars that are supposed to help the electrolytic balance? Some people get good results, but it’s possible to overdo it and mess up your electrolytic balance. You could try having some chicken bullion the evening before and don’t use any sports drinks or gels and see if that helps. My suggestion is also to drink a lot of water (again it’s possible to overdo this) or water with some pure fruit juice and go with bananas, raisins soaked in water (messy but it won’t make your saliva thick like dry raisins might), orange slices, and other traditional cycling foods. Years ago six day bike racers used to take a little Milk of Magnesia is they started to cramp. So if sufficient water and bananas and other foods don’t solve the problem, you could try a small amount of Milk of Magnesia. I know this sounds crazy, but some classical Coca Cola might help. You might have noticed some Tour de France riders drinking Coke. Sometimes it’s like a miracle drug. We’re all different and what works for one person might not work for another. Keep experimenting until you find what works for you. Byron

[old] Byron Drachman · Post by **[old] Byron Drachman** » October 27th, 2004, 1:43 pm

I should add that I am not an expert rower nor expert cyclist, and I am not a coach. I’m just passing along some facts, opinions, and misconceptions, your choice, that I’ve picked up over the years. And yes, I realize that trying Coca Cola for cramps makes absolutely no sense. Why should a liquid comprised mostly of water and sugar or corn syrup have anything to do with cramps? It would make sense if you want a quick, temporary pick up from low blood sugar. Anyway, I’ve seen cyclists who were starting to cramp and were forcing water and did not appear to be dehydrated get some relief from Coke. So maybe some Coke before your hard workout might help. Maybe not. I know this is obvious, but you might need more recovery time between hard workouts. If you want to speed up the recovery time between hard workouts, you could try a nice walk after the hard workout, munching on food, including possibly an ice cream cone and some nuts, and drinks that you think will help. That might be a pleasant alternative to a recovery row. Anyway, that’s my two cents. Byron

[old] Roland Baltutis · Post by **[old] Roland Baltutis** » October 31st, 2004, 10:18 pm

Cramps are often caused by a lack of Magnesium in the body. Unfortunately taking a hydration sports drink such as Gatorade is not your answer. It doesn't contain any Magnesium, hence you need to find a sports drink that does. Keep it smooth, keep it relaxed Roland Baltutis

[old] Birdi · Post by **[old] Birdi** » October 31st, 2004, 11:55 pm

My husband's Dr. has him taking a magnesium supplement for muscle cramps, he seems to see results, hasn't had intense 'charliehorse' cramping up since.

[old] macro · Post by **[old] macro** » November 1st, 2004, 11:31 am

Although the exact cause of muscle cramps is unknown, some researchers believe inadequate stretching and muscle fatigue leads to abnormalities in mechanisms that control muscle contraction. Other factors may also be involved, including exercising or working in intense heat, dehydration and depletion of salt and minerals (electrolytes). Part of the problem is that with intense exercise there is a gradual build up of lactate within muscle cells. Poorly conditioned muscle experiences this at an earlier stage. This can lead to an alteration in spinal neural reflex activity - this results in a signal from the spinal cord causing ongoing contraction in a cramping muscle. Good warm-up and warm-down with plenty of stretching can help with muscle conditioning and reduce problems with cramping. Other factors definitely relate to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. For muscles to undergo repeated contraction and relaxation, adequate levels of potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium are required in combination with adequate levels of tissue fluid. Sweat contains a surprisingly high concentration of electrolytes as well as fluid volume, and so long or intense sessions in warm weather can contribute to the problem. Most sports replacement fluids will contain various combinations of electrolytes in an attempt to replace them. Of note, it is difficult to replace potassium if magnesium levels are low - a reason that some people are being advised to use magnesium supplements. Bananas are often quoted as a good source of potassium, but the list below shows the content of several other foods/drinks is higher per "average serve" - so there is choice for those who don't like bananas! Good sources of potassium Food Serving Amount of potassium Sweet potato 1 cup, baked - 950 milligrams (mg) Acorn squash 1 cup, cubed - 896 mg Papaya 1 medium - 781 mg Dried apricots 1/3 cup - 734 mg Baked potato 1 medium - 610 mg Pinto beans 1 cup - 583 mg Spinach 1 cup, cooked - 574 mg Tomato juice 8 ounces (oz.) - 556 mg Blackstrap molasses 1 tablespoon - 498 mg Orange juice, fresh squeezed 8 oz. - 496 mg Cantaloupe 1 cup, balls - 473 mg Chocolate milk, low fat 1 cup - 425 mg Banana 1 medium - 422 mg Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, 2004 Hopefully this is of some use. The area is complex with lots of conflicting advice available - unfortunately some of it influenced by commercial interests. Good luck. macro

[old] Birdi · Post by **[old] Birdi** » November 1st, 2004, 12:27 pm

Great advice, good food list, thanks, will share with some non forum members Birdi

[old] Birdi · Post by **[old] Birdi** » November 1st, 2004, 12:28 pm

PS I am interested to know a list of magnesium rich foods, can you help? Birdi

[old] macro · Post by **[old] macro** » November 1st, 2004, 1:00 pm

Green vegetables such as spinach provide magnesium because the center of the chlorophyll molecule contains magnesium. Nuts, seeds, and some whole grains are also good sources of magnesium. Although magnesium is present in many foods, it usually occurs in small amounts. As with most nutrients, daily needs for magnesium cannot be met from a single food. Eating a wide variety of foods, including five servings of fruits and vegetables daily and plenty of whole grains, helps to ensure an adequate intake of magnesium. The magnesium content of refined foods is usually low. Whole-wheat bread, for example, has twice as much magnesium as white bread because the magnesium-rich germ and bran are removed when white flour is processed. The table of food sources of magnesium suggests many dietary sources of magnesium. Water can provide magnesium, but the amount varies according to the water supply. "Hard" water contains more magnesium than "soft" water. Dietary surveys do not estimate magnesium intake from water, which may lead to underestimating total magnesium intake and its variability. The following table is from the NIH website, apologies for the poor formatting with the cut & paste function. The 1st number is the amout of magnesium in mg, the second the % of recommended daily value in the serving size. Food Milligrams %DV* 100 percent Bran, 2 Tbs 44 11 Avocado, Florida, 1/2 med 103 26 Wheat germ, toasted, 1 oz 90 22 Almonds, dry roasted, 1 oz 86 21 Cereal, shredded wheat, 2 rectangular biscuits 80 20 Seeds, pumpkin, 1/2 oz 75 19 Cashews, dry roasted, 1 oz 73 18 Nuts, mixed, dry roasted, 1 oz 66 17 Spinach, cooked, 1/2 c 65 16 Bran flakes, 1/2 c 60 15 Cereal, oats, instant/fortified, cooked w/ water, 1 c 56 14 Potato, baked w/ skin, 1 med 55 14 Soybeans, cooked, 1/2 c 54 14 Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 oz 50 13 Peanut butter, 2 Tbs. 50 13 Chocolate bar, 1.45 oz 45 11 Vegetarian baked beans, 1/2 c 40 10 Potato, baked w/out skin, 1 med 40 10 Avocado, California, 1/2 med 35 9 Lentils, cooked, 1/2 c 35 9 Banana, raw, 1 medium 34 9 Shrimp, mixed species, raw, 3 oz (12 large) 29 7 Tahini, 2 Tbs 28 7 Raisins, golden seedless, 1/2 c packed 28 7 Cocoa powder, unsweetened, 1 Tbs 27 7 Bread, whole wheat, 1 slice 24 6 Spinach, raw, 1 c 24 6 Kiwi fruit, raw, 1 med 23 6 Hummus, 2 Tbs 20 5 Broccoli, chopped, boiled, 1/2 c 19 5 *DV = Daily Value. DVs are reference numbers based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). They were developed to help consumers determine if a food contains very much of a specific nutrient. The DV for magnesium is 400 milligrams (mg). The percent DV (%DV) listed on the nutrition facts panel of food labels tells adults what percentage of the DV is provided by one serving. Even foods that provide lower percentages of the DV will contribute to a healthful diet. This Fact Sheet was developed by the Clinical Nutrition Service, Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, in conjunction with the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) in the Office of the Director of NIH. Hope this is of value macro

[old] Birdi · Post by **[old] Birdi** » November 1st, 2004, 1:54 pm

I am grateful for your excellent, most complete reply and fortunately love everything on the list! I first encountered magnesium in 'shock amounts' when having eclampsia during childbirth! Yipes! I do take multi vit/min supplement daily, try to eat right. Thank you again

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