Cramping: How do I make it stop? I share my secret to ending cramps!

Cramping:  How to stop it, why it happens

(Consider adding Magnesium to your electrolyte mix) 

This week was the IMAZ race.  IMAZ tends to have very cold water swims and I read several reports of DNF due to cramping on the swim this weekend.  The science is unclear about why they happen but not unclear about what they are. 

 It got me to thinking about cramps and prevention.  I used to have a lot of cramping on the swims in particular.  If anyone touched my foot, my leg would immediately begin to cramp...not a good thing!  On longer races, at about the last 400 yards when I wanted to amp up my finish speed, my legs would often cramp.  I struggled my whole life with calf and hamstring (Charlie Horse) cramps.  I'd wake up in the middle of the night with them, my leg and foot stuck in a permanently flexed position.  Afterwards my leg would be sore for hours.  I was a gymnast, a bodybuilder, and a martial artist in my teens and 20s.  Cramps were a regular frustrating issue.  

At 52, when I began doing triathlons, the cramps became a regular issue again.  For 8 years I struggled with cramps.  I tried all the "remedies" of salt, hydration, etc.  Here's a couple of articles that are from the popular press ACTIVE and TRAINING PEAKS 

Most people believe that Sodium depletion and fatigue combine to create the problem.  Thus stretching and consuming extra sodium are suggested remedies. I tried these things and never found them to be all that helpful.  So I started doing research on sweating and biochemistry of human exercise.  What I found helped convince me that other electrolytes were more important for this issue than sodium.   Even medical research appears to be stumped by this problem. 

Before I go on, I'm not suggesting anyone consume less sodium.  Sodium is highly important to human exercise and body chemistry.  It has the highest concentration in our electrolyte mix and loss of sodium can cause serious health issues.  So keep using your sodium protocol.  What I'm suggesting is that you need other electrolytes to keep a balance.  Below I walk you through my logical process.  You can decide if I'm right.  

What's in Sweat? 

Perspiration consists of water, minerals, lactate, and urea. On average, the mineral composition is:

• Sodium (0.9 gram/liter)
• Potassium (0.2 g/l)
• Calcium (0.015 g/l)
• Magnesium (0.0013 g/l)

Trace metals that the body excretes in sweat include:

• Zinc (0.4 milligrams/liter)
• Copper (0.3–0.8 mg/l)
• Iron (1 mg/l)
• Chromium (0.1 mg/l)
• Nickel (0.05 mg/l)
• Lead (0.05 mg/l)

Note that Sodium is the largest component of sweat and therefore a high priority for replacement.  Gatorade contains a great deal of sodium, as do most nutrition products for athletic competition.  

But somehow, athletes are often unable to completely reduce cramps, even when they are consuming appropriate levels of salt.  My conclusion was that something else was happening.  

Pickle Juice 

One clue came when people starting claiming that pickle juice was effective against cramps.  Check out the components of pickle juice compared to electrolyte drinks and water:

Source: Electrolyte and Plasma Changes After Ingestion of Pickle Juice, Water, and a Common Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Solution

Notice that pickle juice has Magnesium (Mg) and other electrolytes that electrolyte drinks do not contain.  It also contains some carbohydrates which provide immediate energy and probiotics which could help with gastric issues.

Why is Magnesium Important? 

Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps to maintain normal nerve and muscle function, supports a healthy immune system, keeps the heartbeat steady, and helps bones remain strong. It also helps adjust blood glucose levels. It aids in the production of energy and protein.

Well, that sounded pretty dang important to me! 

Age-Related Issues
In addition, magnesium absorption from the gut decreases and renal magnesium excretion increases with age. Older adults are also more likely to have chronic diseases or take medications that alter magnesium status, which can increase their risk of magnesium depletion.  

So how do we get Mg normally?  Diet is one way (this link tells you what foods are high in Mg) but Mg is not readily absorbed through digestion. 

Magnesium is absorbed principally in the small intestine, through a saturable transport system and via passive diffusion through bulk flow of water. Absorption of magnesium depends on the amount ingested. When the dietary content of magnesium is typical, approximately 30-40% is absorbed. Under conditions of low magnesium intake (ie, 1 mmol/d), approximately 80% is absorbed, while only 25% is absorbed when the intake is high (25 mmol/d).


The exact mechanism by which alterations in fractional magnesium absorption occur has yet to be determined. Presumably, only ionized magnesium is absorbed. But transdermal absorption is better.  The molecular structure of Magnesium Chloride is much more easily absorbed into the body than that of Epsom Salt. ... Transdermal magnesium (also called topical magnesium) has—through a growing number of trials and studies—proven to be more effective than oral supplements such as tablets and capsules in delivering magnesium to the body.

So clearly Mg is a very important electrolyte that we lose in our sweat but is not replenished by most electrolyte drinks on competitive racing courses.  In addition, if you are an older athlete, you are far more likely to be normally rather depleted, even with a good diet, because your ability to absorb declines with age.  But, the good news is that absorption through the skin is very effective and using Epsom salts (which are great for recovery) and Mg infused lotions can help improve Mg levels in our body.  Finally, the form of Mg is important.  We don't just digest Mg, it's normally in a compound with other molecules.  Some forms are more "bioavailable" (the body can use them) than others.  

Magnesium oxideWith lower levels of bioavailability than its other iterations—that is, it scores only 4 percent, while magnesium citrate has a bioavailability of 90 percent—magnesium oxide is found in Milk of Magnesia and similar products, and, as such, organically encourages improved digestion.Conclusion:  Look for Magnesium Citrate in ingestible products. 

Products that contain MagnesiumBelow are a few of the products I have used, but the link in the header above lists a lot more options.  Ingestible, Race Day Products

Base Performance Salt VialsSodium regulates fluid balance, blood pressure and acid-base balance in the body. It also facilitates the transmission nerve impulses in skeletal muscle, brain and heart tissue. Since it is lost in sweat, it must be replenished during strenuous or prolonged exercise to prevent potentially life-threatening hyponatremia.
Potassium also plays an important role in fluid and acid-base balance, and it is particularly important for cardiac muscle contraction. It is also lost in sweat. Low potassium causes muscle weakness and severe depletion can induce heart arrhythmias.
Magnesium actives the enzymes required for energy production. It also plays a role in skeletal muscle contraction and bone structure. Even small deficits impair performance and increase damage from exercise. Magnesium facilitates potassium absorption from the gastrointestinal tract and helps balance electrolytes.
Chloride helps regulate fluid and acid-base balance in the body. Combined with hydrogen, it comprises the primary digestive acid in the stomach required to break down and absorb nutrients, and it may help the liver clear toxins. As the prominent negative ion in the body, it is commonly coupled with sodium and lost in sweat.
Calcium in addition to promoting bone structure and repair, calcium enables heart muscle contraction, nerve transmission and regulates certain hormones. When depleted, the body usurps calcium from the bone, so supplementing helps protect bone health and integrity.

Pickle Juice 

Salt Sticks INGREDIENTS FOR SALTSTICK (CAPS): VITAMIN D3 (CHOLECALCIFEROL), CALCIUM (AS CALCIUM CITRATE AND CALCIUM GLUCONATE), MAGNESIUM (AS MAGNESIUM CITRATE AND MAGNESIUM GLUCONATE), CHLORIDE (AS SODIUM CHLORIDE AND POTASSIUM CHLORIDE), SODIUM (AS 550 MG SODIUM CHLORIDE), POTASSIUM (AS POTASSIUM CITRATE AND POTASSIUM CHLORIDE), HYPROMELLOSE (VEGGIE CAPS), MAGNESIUM STEARATE AND STEARIC ACID.*Magnesium stearate does not provide Mg to the body. 

Gatorade Endurance GatorlytesINGREDIENTS SALT, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, CALCIUM LACTATE, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, CALCIUM SILICATE*Magnesium oxide


UCan Hydrate UCAN Hydrate is a great-tasting way to stay hydrated with no sugar and zero calories! Our clean, natural electrolyte replacement has 5 essential electrolytes to prevent cramping and dehydration. Formulated by an Olympic dietitian to replenish the mix of nutrients lost in sweat.2x more magnesium per serving compared to other popular electrolyte products; magnesium aids energy production.  No artificial ingredients like acesulfame potassium or sodium benzoate.

Skin Absorption ProductsFor skin absorption, you can buy Epsom salts at any pharmacy for very low prices.  However, I also like Mg products from Ancient Minerals. You can also buy magnesium lotion or oil for topical application.  Recently a new spray product has been sold at Race expos that appears to work well. 

ConclusionSo perhaps I've convinced you to pay more attention to the Mg in your diet and your training nutrition.  I hope it helps you reduce your cramping.  It has significantly reduced the cramping I deal with but not 100%  I'm still hunting for answers, as are researchers and athletes around the world!  Good luck and Happy Racing! 

Is your "catch" correct? Putting Power into your swim

Is Your Catch working as hard as it could for you? 

It can be difficult to diagnose your own swim catch, but in order to really get power and speed, you must perfect the high elbow catch on your stroke.  Take a look at the photos above that illustrate a high, early elbow bend in the Freestyle stroke.  (this works for all strokes but we focus on FS here.) 

It's very important to understand what is happening in the FS swim to know where you are getting the motive force.  During your stroke, you are pulling your body over the slippery surface with your strong back and core muscles, but digging deep into the slower heavier layer of the water and pulling and pushing against the nearly immobile water.

Typical issues with strokes   
1. Hand and arm floating parallel to bottom of pool.     
2. Straight arm stroking
3. Short Stroke, coming out of the water too early
4. Crossing Over
5. S stroking

Ways to Correct your stroke
1. Hand and arm floating parallel is a typical issue.  When swimmers first learn to swim they often let the hand float for a bit then begin the pull.  This means you are losing momentum as your hand floats.  Unless you are doing a catch up drill where you want the hand out front to protect your face in OWS or you are doing this drill in the pool, you really don't want the hand to float at all.  As soon as it gets into the water, you want to begin the pull.
Drill: Using the pull buoy, focus on your stroke by swimming an easy pace but trying to keep the hand moving and not letting it ever float.  Try putting your thumb in first as you enter the water.  This tends to turn the arm in a way that uses more of the correct muscles.


2. Straight arm stroking is another common issue.  This will stress the shoulder and forces your arm through the water using shoulder muscles rather than back, chest and core muscles.  Eventually, you may end up with rotator cuff issues, sore shoulders and you'll never go very fast.  True you are digging deep into the more immobile water but you are pulling and pushing with your weakest muscles.  The improvement is to focus on early high elbow bends to get the back and shoulder muscles working for the pull and push.
Drill:  Check out this dry land but exercise to focus on high elbow bending with 4 X Olympian Sheila Taormina

3. Short Stroke means you are lifting your arm up before your hand reaches your thighs.  You may be doing this to get a high cadence or feel that last few inches doesn't provide much forward force.  In that case you probably not using your core muscles to get that last bit of push against the water.  If you don't engage your core, you won't get much from that part of the stroke.
Drill: Try imagining that you have a quarter the keep between your glutes and squeeze them together.  When you pull back imagine you have to get another quarter back there as fast as you can.  Put some cash in your pull this way!  Optional, use the pull bouy. If you've never tried to fix your stroke, this will feel odd to you.  Check out this video by Chloe Sutton, 2 X Olympian for some good instructions: Chloe Sutton

4. Crossing over is a common issue which can be quite difficult to correct.  It requires an odd feeling of almost swimming with a wide Y position.  When you cross over you cause your arm to have to move through the water before the catch begins.  Those few inches of moving across in front of your head add drag, but also are similar to floating hands where you are losing momentum as you drag your hand into a position where you can then pull back.
Drill: Using the kick board positioned sideways, Swim one handed  with one hand on the board.  Try to avoid touching the kick board as you stroke.  Focus on how it feels to swim with the arm entering in that wide position.


5. S Stroke is something that used to be taught long ago.  For older swimmers who were taught this way, it may be difficult to stop.  But if you consider what happens as you make the S shape, you will want to quit.  The S means you are slipping sideways off your pull.  In otherwords, you are losing the catch for a moment which means you aren't getting the full stroke of pull from your stroke.
Drill:  Fist swim.  Using you hands in fists, get the feel of swimming using your whole arm for the pull.  If you do an S stroke with fists, you'll see that you are not moving well.  Try to pull back in one continuous stroke to get your power and speed.


Using paddles:
Paddles can help or cause more problems if your stroke isn't in the correct form.  After you believe you have made the corrections, try using the paddles to emphasize the power pull you can get.  This and reinforce good behavior.   However, if you try to use paddles too soon, you'll stress your shoulders and simply reinforce the wrong stroke process.  Make sure you are getting a good, strong, continuous pull with high elbows from the point of entry to the thigh regularly before using the paddles!

                                                                                                         

Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon Race Report

I ran the Indy Monumental 13.1 this weekend.  The weather was chilly and sunny (28-45 F) throughout the day.  There was some cloud cover but the weather was comfortable for running although it was a cold start. 

Parking downtown is limited due to road closures so I had to park north of the downtown area but it was about .5 mile walk and $5 for all day.  I found some folks stranded by the bus system that morning so I took them down to the race with me.  It was clear they were racing because of their bibs and running gear to I felt comfortable offering a ride.

I was in wave 4 and the race began at 7:30 so my race began about 8:15.  I got my Garmin set up and started out a bit fast for me at 11:49 mile on the first mile.  I actually didn't think I was going that fast so I was surprised when the Mile 1 marker came up.  I slowed down and started my run/walk cycle at that point.  I knew my shoes were aging before the race so I wanted to pound my legs a bit less and use the walk for rest breaks.  The aid stations were staffed by some cool groups.  The first one was a group of Chinese in costumes; dragons, Panda etc which was fun.  They were all smiles and made that first aid station fun.  Another group was dressed for Christmas in Santa costumes.  For the most part the race didn't have a lot of spectators.  I think the weather was a bit of a deterrent.  Standing around was much colder than running. 

About mile 3 I was stripping off my jacket and gloves to get cooler.  I was holding onto a 13 min pace the first half but by mile 8 I had to stop at a portapotty and that was a long delay.  There were only 2 there and a long line but I couldn't put off a stop any longer so I was destined to wait.  It was at least a 5 min wait and maybe longer so that added to my reported pace.  However, I was holding onto the 13 min pace for most of the race until the older shoes began to be a factor.  I felt my legs and feet getting sore and I decided I'd walk most of the last mile to reduce the pain I would feel after the race.  I wasn't running to get a PR that day and wasn't worried about the delays.  I just wanted an off-season run to keep my fitness. 

This turned out to be a nice run. It's a flat fast course.  Apparently, some were able to complete the course in a little over an hour and the marathoners were doing it in 2 hours and change along with about 34 Olympic qualifiers in the race. 

 I enjoyed visiting with my daughter and son-in-law in Indy, ran a nice race and met some of my teammates from Chicago for dinner the night before.

It wasn't an expensive race $45 and the support was good.  The food afterward was bananas, pizza, chocolate milk and chips.  You get a medal and a hat at the end and a nice nylon Tshirt in the goodie bag.   I felt the price was reasonable and the route was good. 

One note:  although Indy has a lot of monuments, the only one you see on this course is the Soldier and Sailor Monument in the photo above. I found that a bit odd and despite living in Indy for 8 years, I don't think I really know where those other monuments are.  Possibly in the Cemetary where quite a few famous authors are buried. 

Breathing better and correctly Freestyle

SWIMMER BREATHING ISSUES

I see lots of issues with breathing for swimmers.  Some of them are just breathing but others are due to technique of the swimmer.   Bottom line, your goal is to streamline your swimming so that you stay almost parallel with the water surface with your whole body, only using your stroke to pull you forward, not to push down to lift the head. 



Issues due to technique

Body Position effects are one of the reasons technique can cause a problem for proper breathing.  If your legs are sinking or you aren't rotating well, you may feel you need to lift your head up like the swimmer at right.  This will have several undesirable effects.  What causes you to feel you need to lift your head so high? 
A. If you lift your head, your momentum slows because for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  When you push down to lift yourself up, you will then sink down below the water into the heavy lower layer and slow down, losing buoyancy, making the next attempt to breathe even harder. 
Skill:  Practice floating on your stomach, turning your head gently to get a breath.  You can use the kickboards and buoys to help with body position to get the feeling of breathing in proper body position. 
B. You will feel like you're drowning because your head will be below the waterline as you get ready for the next breath, causing you to have to push down harder to get your head up to the surface. This will increase the amount of turbulence and the struggle you have to get air, further making you wallow in the water. 
Skill: Using the swim buoys, practice your stroke to get a forward pull and breath trying to keep your lower eye in the water. 
C. You end up swimming longer distances because you are swimming up and down as well as forward so you have increased your effort, increased the distance and likely will end up feeling rather breathless more quickly. 
Skill: Using the swim buoy, swim slowly with one arm.  Watch how much your body moves up and down and try to correct your stroke so it ONLY pulls forward and not down. 

Issues due to breathing timing 

A. Breathing out:  If your body position is good but you are still struggling with getting air, you may not be breathing out sufficiently underwater.  Holding your breath or not completely breathing out underwater, causes CO2 to build up in your lungs and this molecule triggers the body to feel as though you are suffocating.  This can increase the tendency to panic attacks and responses like lifting the head which is described above. 
Skill: Using the kickboard, put both hands on the board, extending your arms fully as you kick.  Practice breathing out with your head underwater, then stroke with one arm and breath in keeping your head level with the water surface. 

B. Breathing in can also be an issue.  Swimmers can find it difficult to get the mouth above the water surface if there is insufficient flexibility in the neck to turn the head.  Take a look at the two photos below to get an idea of how far the head really has to turn.  With a slight body rotation and turn of the neck, you should be able to get the mouth mostly above the water.  If you leave the bottom eye in the water and tilt the head down, you should be able to mimic this head position. 
Skill: Using the swim buoy, focus on even strokes and turning the head to try to keep one eye in the water as you breathe in. 


C. Timing is sometimes an issue for novice swimmers.  If you are waiting too long after you turn your head to breath or ending your breath in too early, you won't get enough air.  The rule of thumb to remember is to breath as the arm is coming forward, ending as the hand goes into the water.  This video has some nice visuals of the breathing cycle.  Breath Cycle
Skill: Using the poolside, hold on with both arms, head in the water, and practice breathing through a stroke.  Do this until you feel it's a habit rather than new.  This is to embed the muscle memory so you won't have to think about it during the swim.

STRETCHING: STATIC AND DYNAMIC

Hi Everybody!  

Last week I did Pilates, Weight lifting, Running (7 mi) and a Spin Class.  As you might imagine, I am feeling quite a bit of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) and needing some good stretches.  

WHEN TO STRETCH

There are many theories about when to stretch.  When I was in gymnastics, we did not do anything without a lot of static stretching.  Most of our dynamic activities were either gymnastics or a short run around the gym.  The idea that dynamic stretches could be better wasn't considered.  In fact, many of us had experienced a pulled muscle due to overextension of "cold" muscles so we were wary of doing dynamic stretches.  This link discusses scientific evidence about WHEN and WHY to stretch. 

However, recent athletic science seems to indicate that dynamic stretches BEFORE and static stretches AFTER are the best approach.  Of course, you need to consider what you'll be doing and stretch the appropriate muscles for that sport.  

If you regularly practice yoga with both series and static positions, you may be doing enough to keep your muscles limber and your joints flexible.  You may be asking, why do muscles and joints stiffen up?  Good question! 

WHY IS STRETCHING IMPORTANT?

Here is an article from Harvard Health on why stretching is important.
The simple answer is that when you exercise you are contracting the muscles and fatiguing them.  After the exercise, the muscles will continue to contract and eventually, without stretching to counterbalance the work of the exercise, the muscles become shorter.  Shorter muscles cannot contract as well and will be unable to exercise as effectively as well-stretched and flexible muscles.  

TALK TO YOUR MUSCLES

From my years of teaching Yoga, I can tell you that each time you stretch a muscle, that muscle "speaks" to you.  It says "I can't do that, here's some pain to convince you to stop."  However, like a parent, you should speak back to that muscle and say, "yes you can, I'll wait."  You'll find that the muscle "let's go" of the pain in small increments as you wait.  Push the muscle gently (not by rocking but by moving into the stretch gently and waiting).  You'll find that you can do about 10% more than the muscle will let you do initially.   

BREATHE TO YOUR MUSCLES AND JOINTS

While you are in the flexed position, remember to breathe.  Imagine you are breathing directly to that joint and the muscle where the pain is the worst.  Keeping holding and breathing, visualizing that muscle and the joint getting all that red blood filled with oxygen.  Imagine the oxygen going to that spot and see the cells rebuilding and expanding as they too breathe.  This visualization is an important part of the stretching process.  In fact, when you stretch, you open up the muscles and joints to new circulation which helps your cells rejuvenate and carry away any dead cell matter.  You are cleaning your body and rebuilding your cells with new stronger and more efficient cells.  

While the science of when, why and what is still developing, there do appear to be good reasons to suggest that dynamic stretching is a good way to warm up for your training.  You may want to experiment to see what works best for your body.  

For more on each type as well as some diagrams and videos that may help you add stretching to your exercise regimen, see below.  Happy stretching! 

DYNAMIC STRETCHING BENEFITS

• The increase of body heat and blood flow loosens muscles and tendons. This improves overall power and strength performance. Static stretching actually cools necessary muscle groups and so does not actually reduce the risk of injury, and it can weaken muscles.
• It prepares the muscles by practicing the movements that will be required of them. This means the muscles are well engaged and ready for a quick sport-specific response.  Basketball players who combined dynamic stretching with plyometric (jump) training show improved vertical height and agility. Static stretching usually has no relevance to the task at hand and may have a negative effect on balance and agility.
• It improves the flexibility needed for the specific sport by increasing the range of motion around the joints. Over time, this will maximize performance and reduce the risk of injury.
• While static stretching puts the body in a relaxed state, dynamic stretching offers mental preparation for athletes by putting their bodies and minds into motion so they are ready for the competition ahead.

STATIC STRETCHING BENEFITS

>Greater flexibility and range of motionTrusted Source in any joint you target. Range of motion is how far a joint, like your hip or knee, can comfortably move in a particular direction. 

>Less pain and stiffnessTrusted Source in tight muscles. This, in turn, can also lead to reduced pain, which may help you tackle your daily tasks more easily.
>Decreased stress Increased blood flowTrusted Source on animals found that daily stretching can also improve circulation. Increased blood flow may help your muscles recover more quickly after you’ve exercised.
>Improved performance Stretching at the end of your workout, once your muscles are warmed up, can help increase the range of motion Having greater flexibility and range of motion can help you move with more comfort and ease. This can make everyday tasks and exercises easier. 

>Having tense, tight, or overworked muscles can cause pain and discomfort. Research has shown that static stretching is an effective way to reduce stiffness 

>High levels of stress can cause your muscles to feel tense and tight. Stretching your muscles can help them relax and, when combined with mindful breathing exercises, it can also reduce mental tension and anxiety. 

>A 2018 study boosting the flexibility of your muscles can enhance your agility, speed, and muscle strength. This may help you perform at a higher level when you work out or play a sport.

Static Stretches

Static Stretches Video

Dynamic Stretches 

Dynamics Stretches Video