• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Click here to download the  free ebook of Alberto Juantorena’s  detailed training workouts leading up to the 1976 Montreal Olympics

SpeedEndurance.com

Success in Track & Field ... and Life

  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Track & Field
    • 400 meters
    • 800m & Mile
    • 1/2 & Full Marathons
    • Long & Triple Jump
    • Hurdles
  • Training
    • Weight Training
    • Abs & Core
    • Injury Prevention
    • Shoes & Spikes
    • Masters
  • Coaching
    • Freelap Friday Five
    • Interviews
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Sport Psychology
  • Archives
  • Shop
    • My account
    • Checkout
    • Basket

Tips on Preventing Leg Cramps while Racing (or Training)

You are here: Home / Coaching / Tips on Preventing Leg Cramps while Racing (or Training)
11
SHARES
FacebookTwitter

July 20, 2011 by Jimson Lee Leave a Comment

Last Updated on March 24, 2013 by Jimson Lee

Last year, I wrote about Tips on Preventing Leg Cramps while Sleeping.  I also covered this topic briefly in Sports and Energy Drinks: The Complete Guide (start with Part 4 and go backwards from the links). 

But what about leg cramps while racing?

First, what is a leg cramp?

It’s a muscle cramp with an involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax.

The recent number of leg cramps at the 2011 WMA in the broiler oven of Sacramento was not alarming. (See videos of Willie Gault cramping just 20 meters from the 200 meters finish line on Ken Stone’s MastersTrack Blog).

Extensive heat, or exertion, or both, will lead to fluid loss and cramps which will result from an electrolyte disturbances and/or dehydration.

But is this the only cause?

Possibly not. 

Muscle Excitation and Relaxation

Cramps can be caused by muscle fatigue from sports.  Moreover, exercise related cramps can also stem from a malfunction in control of the muscle by the nerve, or an abnormality of neuromuscular control due to fatigue, which results in disruption of muscle coordination. 

Thus, overworking will result in the nerves to fire impulses, resulting in a spasm and tighter and tighter muscles.

And runners are not alone in this category.  The recent boxing fight last May between Manny Pacquiao and past-his-prime Shane Mosley was also a subject of leg cramps.

From USAToday:

After the fight, [Manny] Pacquiao revealed he was struggling with leg cramps during the fight. "I couldn’t move because my left leg got tight. It’s a problem I have been having," he said. Added trainer Freddie Roach: "He came back in the fourth round with muscle cramps in his left leg. … It was a very gutty performance in my mind because of his leg."

Decades ago, it was all about potassium preventing leg cramps. Marathon runners and Tour de France cyclers were known to munch down bananas during their race, for the extra caloric energy as well as for the potassium.

See also  Usain Bolt 100m 10 meter Splits and Speed Endurance

Why?  When was the last time you saw a monkey get a leg cramp running a marathon or cycling?  Ahh, so it must work!

Not Potassium, but Magnesium is Key

But we’ve come a long way with research.  Victor Conte of SNAC has been studying muscle tightness and cramping of elite athletes for over 25 years.  Conte quotes, “The training of explosive strength and speed athletes, such as boxers, causes retention of sodium and calcium.  Both of these minerals are competitive with the absorption and utilization of magnesium.  This leads to a depletion in magnesium stores.

Conte continues, “It’s my opinion that many elite boxers are depleted in magnesium and that this can promote tightness and cramping.  In the late 1990s, I tested the serum and red blood cell magnesium levels of over 250 NFL players.  More than 70% of the players were found to be depleted in magnesium”

The end result?  ZMA was born in 1988, which not only helps restore magnesium levels, but also promote a better sleep and increase in natural testosterone while sleeping.  The exact formulation of ZMA is now sold through over 40 supplement companies.

Conclusion

So until you figure what is causing your leg cramps, start with proper hydration (and not only just plain water, see my Pedialyte article), proper electrolyte balance, and look into ZMA for better sleep and extra magnesium.

A couple of bananas won’t hurt either, unless you are allergic to bananas.  And that would be bad.

Category iconCoaching,  Health & Wellness,  Injury Prevention,  Supplements,  Track & Field Tag icontestosterone

About Jimson Lee

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Recommended

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xbs-aWxyLk

Shop Our Store

  • Bud Winter (9)
  • Championship Productions (6)
  • Clyde Hart (2)
  • Derek Hansen (1)
  • Electrical Muscle Stimulation (2)
  • Jim Hiserman (6)
  • Jimson Lee (4)
  • Uncategorised (0)

Articles by Category

Products

  • Jim Hiserman - Developing 800m Runners: Identifying, Categorizing and Developing 400m-800m Type Athletes $42.99 $39.99
  • Private Coaching - Monthly Plan $600.00 $525.00
  • Jim Hiserman-Developing-Distance-Runnersv2 Jim Hiserman - Developing Distance Runners Volume 2: A Systematic Approach to Developing Individual Success within a Dynamic Team Culture $34.95 $29.95
  • Feed-the-Cats-Clinic-3-Pack-701 'Feed the Cats' Clinic 3-Pack $64.99
  • Tony Holler's Feed the Cats": A Complete Sprint Training Program Tony Holler's "Feed the Cats" Complete Sprint Training Program $49.99
  • Bud Winter and Speed City presents Arthur Lydiard 509x716 Bud Winter & Arthur Lydiard MP3 [Download only] $9.99

RECENT POSTS

  • Oregon22 Coaches Club now Online
  • IFAC 2022: The Return of In-Person Conferences (with Virtual option)
  • Here is our 400m Discussion Recording… over 2 Hours Long
  • The Best Free Coaching Book – post Beijing 2022 Olympics
  • The Ultimate 400m Track Webinar for Coaches & Athletes
  • NACAC Athletics Coaching Science Series 2022
  • Top Six 400m Predictor Workouts (Number 4 is my Favourite)
  • Best 6 Podcasts for 2021 (and Beyond)
  • Why Karsten Warholm’s 45.94 400mH WR is my Highlight of 2021
  • Sprinting: 10 Research Articles for Effective Sprint Training [Part 23]

Copyright © 2023. SpeedEndurance.com is owned and operated by Aryta Ltd. Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}