I remember seeing a post by kokua(I think?) talking about some supplement or vitamin he took to prevent cramping, becuase the last few days Ive been out on the south side here Ive had to get pummeled and get out becuase my calf cramped up one day and my foot the day after…
drink alot of tonic water
it has quinine(sp?)
which helps reduce cramping
Search google with something like " calf cramps swim fins " and maybe within a page of guesses you’ll find something. Bananas seem to help me.
I’ll try both, I eat alot of banannas anyway for there … nutrional values. So ill make sure I get some before a surf. Think theres some tonic water around here somewhere
Magnesium and Potassium supplement, DO NOT TAKE SALT… that dehydrates you and causes cramping…plenty of fluids.
Cramps can be very inconvenient during passsionate embraces of all kinds…think about it…
Take calcium lactate (i.e yoghurt) and dark green veges for magnesium.
…try a sports drink…
…and s-t-r-e-t-c-h. Every day!
when i ride a mat, used to be that when i’d get cramps (udt fins) it was time to come in. DrLev’s got it - do stretches every day. i recently picked up yoga - saw some californians here doin it before go outs, and got to asking them about it. used to think it was sissy stuff – bs, GOOD workout, and keeps you stretched.
just bust a few yoga moves before a go out and get warm - been doing this stuff since end of may - no probls crmps.
BONUS- the woman/women in yr life will appreciate some of the side benefits too. (and for female surfers - vice versa!)
I always eat bananas before long paddles and climbing (the forearms kill) and actually have a potassium supplement that I throw in a sports bttle for any paddle ove 6 miles. But it makes you pee like a race horse…
I had the same problem for a while. I walk for exercise everyday on a treadmill that is inclined to fifteen degrees. I started having leg cramps at night and while I was surfing. Once, I got one while swimming in after a broken leash incident. I started drinking Gatorade Performance Hydration formula. It’s different the regular Gatorade. One of the places I’ve found to buy it reasonably is www.Trisports.com. The link to Gatorade will explain the difference between regular and endurance formula. It seems to have worked for me, although I still get the occasional night leg cramp. http://www.gatorade.com/products/gatorade_performance_series/
I had problems with calf muscle cramping many years ago but found a way to avoid the problem. Cramping occurs from full-on tonic muscle exertion, continuous or constant contraction of muscles not prepared for it. As an ocean lifeguard in the '60’s I once nearly drowned from calf cramp while bodysurfing large storm surf and had to be rescued by my cohorts…embarrassing but necessary because the pain was so intense I’d chosen muscle massage over getting to the surface to breathe.
Prior to entering water to surf, bodysurf, ski, wakeboard, I perform an intense stretch and calisthenic routine sufficient to break a sweat–'bout 20 minutes worth. And I constantly stretch while activity-engaged. It’s easy to do while paddling or sitting and waiting…just repeatedly try to touch your shins with your toes, use a hand assist as necessary. Potassium’s said to help with cramping…bananas are my favorite fruit and I’d consider fighting a mountain gorilla for a light green bunch. There’s so much info on the flexibility benefits of yoga that one would be wise to consider it. Personally, I’m just too lazy to engage in the formality of yoga training.
Like the man said…stretch.
Me, once I went running with my brother in law, who has been a lifelong marathon guy. He never stretched…and I followed his example. Result? I was walking on tiptoes until my calves uncramped…three cursed days … and stretching, especially calf stretches, became a big part of my routine.
Bananas are good, yes, but in the words of Covert Bailey (www.covertbailey.com and read his books, they are worthwhile, starting with ‘Fit or Fat’ ) - I eat food. Watch your general food intake, if you have cravings for, say, oranges, the old carcass is trying to tell you something. Eat a real, full diet, work, do things. You’ll be fine.
hope that’s of some use
doc…tonight, grilled ribs, some fish and a huge salad
Seems to me that cramps result from lactic acid buildup in muscles as they go from aerobic to anaerobic. Thus yogurt or other milk-based products would seem to be a no-no. But then again, what you ingest isn’t necessarily what’s in you body for it has to be broken down to be absorbed through the digestive system.
The other item to avoid cramping is to have sufficient circulation. Thus a good stretching will get the blood moving to the muscles as well as it can. Getting cold in the water, of course, also slows circulation.
And in the end, if you’re starting to cramp, don’t be a dumbass - go in. I pulled a guy at Pupukea one morning that had severe stomach cramps. He’d have died if I hadn’t, the pain was so intense he was just curled up about to drown. As it was, he was no help getting both of us in, and we took a set down the throat and I nearly lost him.
I remember many long bodysurf days at Makapuu, where after a couple hours with Duck Feet I’d start to get calf cramps. Heck just go in for a half or full hour, warm up on the sand, spok the babes, you’ll be re-energized.
Thank you all, I want out today for a solid 3 hours with no problems until I got out on to the rockwall getting out of the harbor :P, foot started cramping. I was underhydrated and underfed though… I went out the other day for a long time and ate properly and drank lots of water and had no issues at all.
I eat banannas, and once took some vitamins with lots of potassium in them, that helped alot. This was when we were on a school waterski/wakeboard/tubing trip up to lake shasta, base camp at houseboats, boats go out from there. We went out numerous times tubing, and our drivers really work us, double ups, rollers, hard swinging, so you’re really working to stay on that tube (I was sore everywhere by the end of the week, not to mention my arms from Slalom skiing), and on a couple of occassions I just had to let go because my quad would just cramp up and hurt like crazy, but after taking that vitamin it didn’t happen again.
i’ll go with hicksey, potassium helps . … also0 (type ) when I get dehydrated I start cramping up … .
Talk about timely. The last month or 2 I’ve had problems cramping at night & while surfing. Have been taking a potasium suplement for a while with no change. Did a search on Google last week for “leg cramps” after my session was cut short with a calf cramp & subsequent pitch over the falls [ouch!]. Up came a TON of info! Apparently no one knows why it happens but it’s fairly common in us middle age folks. Potasium doesn’t seem to be the answer as much as magnesium, Calcium & Vit D. I promptly got a mag/cal/D [all in 1 pill] suplement from the market and noticed immediate relief. Haven’t had a cramp since I got these.
Additonally, the stretching suggestion should be on everyone’s agenda. Just be sure to stretch after the muscles are warmed up not before as this will be counter productive. That is, stretch after surfing not before. If you really want to stretch before, do some sort of warm up first.
Lance
why do you say stretch after? I would think that doin the stretch actually warms up yr muscles - loosens you up. i’ve been doin stretches before a surf.
why counter productive?
Don’t use bananas. Bananas attract Sea Monkeys, then you have a school of those little fellas following you all session long.