How to stop cramping FOREVER

Ever go for a run… You’re breaking a sweat and feeling the burn but you’ve got another mile in you

And bang!

Your calf moves up your leg. The darn calf… Always the calf… Or the hamstring or quads.

But what if I told you it doesn’t ever have to be that way?

For context, I used to compete in swimming and basketball so I trained land and water. And got the WORST cramps both on land and water.

I’m talking about the cramps so bad that you’re swearing out loud and you can’t even walk to the wall to stretch - but now I run 5k’s no issue.

Here’s 4 tips to never cramp again (love #4) proper nutrition, read your body, proper rest

Proper rest

We’ve all had those 6 hour-night days

Ever have those days where the cramps keep happening? Odds are you didn’t get enough sleep.

Research studies have shown that your cramp risk increases by 60% if you sleep less than 6.5 hours the night before 

So put the phone away and get some real sleep.

But what if you still had 0 sleep the night before?

This might seem controversial but I would advise skipping the day or napping before. Yes, any workout is better than no workout, but not if it means putting your body at risk.

Or if you have a game or you really wanna train, you can train a little carefully (but remember your cramp risks are higher) by extending your warm-up, cooling down for longer and monitoring your body fatigue.

Speaking of body fatigue….

 

 

Read your body

Your body makes it very clear when the central nervous system is at risk aka cramp prone.

So if you’re feeling:

-Very tired

-Less explosive

-Much weaker than usual

-Dizzy

It’s a sign from your body telling you to take it easy. Luckily it’s nothing serious like 911, but you should tune down the intensity, weight and volume for that day

Or else you’ll end up like me who decided it was a good idea to hit a heavy set of 315 x 8 squats after a 4:00 AM fishing trip. Hint: hamstring cramped on the 7th rep.

Proper nutrition

You are what you eat.

I’m betting steak eaters cramp up less than McD’s fanatics.

But in all seriousness, if your diet consistently contains highly processed foods and especially sugary snacks you’re likely missing a ton of nutrients and macronutrients 

Which fuel your body correctly and are supposed to prevent you from injuring yourself.

That also probably means you’re not getting enough protein - which is what your muscles use to recover so they won’t be fully recovered for the next workout.

Consistently eat high amounts of carbs from fruits/natural sources and 1-2g of protein per lb of bodyweight.

However exceptions include the pre-workout Rice Krispie treats, that’s a must.

Serious recovery

We just covered cramp prevention during training. But what about for the rest of the 22 hours in your day? 

Because we’ve all been there waking up at night screaming from our hamstring cramp that feels like a charlie horse.

Get yourself a massage gun.

But not any shitty massage gun on the market, as they don’t even provide the right speed or force for your muscle tissues to rebuild faster (aka no cramps)

Here’s a real massage gun to prevent your cramps. (Plus it’s silent unlike the rest)

But I’m gonna be 100% blunt - this won’t eliminate 100% of your cramps because that’s just bullshit.

It will reduce them a ton though. Well, at least for me.