How to Prevent Muscle Cramps While Cycling: Deep Dive (Ask a Cycling Coach 340)

Learn what causes muscle cramps, the relationship between cramps and glycogen and more in this Quick Clip from episode 340 of the Ask a Cycling Coach podcast!
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[@dazosborn2469]

Very interesting. Chad, to prove your theory switch back to your old under fuelling ways and see if the cramps return! Do some A B A tests.
I think my cramps were caused by too high intensity sessions when my body wasn't ready for them and I also had poor base fitness. I don't get them anymore since improving my base.

[@gregweever5895]

I love this episode because I have a wimpy ftp but I’ve always had issues during and more so after the rides. “Fueling is such a personal thing for me. When I did my ramp test I was 190 and expected a little more. I’m as we speak trying to learn fueling, it’s the highest priority for me

[@Blackice850]

I was a prone cramper due to several reasons: fitness wasn't up to snuff with the harder rides I started doing, my diet needed tweaking, and number one change I made that really helped the most was the introduction of magnesium.......Once I understood the role mag plays in the body, and the foods that provide it most naturally, I was pretty sure I was deficient......Fast forward 5yrs, and my diet is much better. My fitness is much more robust, but if I go without magnesium for at least 10 days, I'll be prone to cramping again.....I take mag in powder form 3 days a week, and that seems to be an acceptable frequency.....The difference now is, on super hard rides, instead of cramping, I'll either just get the empire alert of potential cramps but they never come full on.......FYI, the only cramp I was willing to pedal thru was a calf cramp (happened few and far between)......Inner thigh, quad, or hammy, I stop...That tearing and lingering soreness is real

[@LPFSTheFett]

I’ve had those inner thigh cramps for years, not from cycling, but from judging beagle field trials. Think of it as 30sec-5 min efforts for 6-10 hours. Running through fields of 4’ tall brush. What’s worked for me is ‘over hydrating’ a couple days before an event(no alcohol either). In addition I take Magnesium and Potassium pills 2 days before the events. Haven’t had a problem since I started this.
I recently had to take over for another judge that had to quit in the middle do to a health emergency. I only had to finish his assignment which was only 60-90 minutes for me. It was 80 degrees. I was under hydrated because I didn’t bring any drinks at all, and obviously didn’t take any supplements. Let me tell you, I had to stop 6-7 times on the drive home because my inner thighs were going crazy. I probably drank 6 big gatorades, drank pickle juice, ate some bananas. None of it helped. Was the most miserable 4 hour drive home ever! Even when I got home, my hamstrings were also firing off, in the most intense hamy cramps I’ve ever had.
Long story short, for me it’s never seemed to be over use. Has always been lack of hydration, magnesium, potassium and added salt from Precision Hydration, thanks to your podcast. I don’t know what individual item has helped me the most, but I do them all. You’re not kidding, these cramps are evil.

[@Blackice850]

Excellent discussion btw👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿

[@GeorgAndTheBike]

Great Podcast and super interesting for someone like myself who is fighting with cramps way to often. May I aak: my cramps during cycling nearly always come at the calf muscle of the left leg, while the calf muscle on the right leg (nearly) never cramps. Any ideas why this could be the case?

[@markrattray6876]

Chad etal - great session. What are your thoughts on "positional" cramping? For example, being in aero for numerous hours in an ironman (when in training you typically take "breaks") - what about cleat position?

[@TrainerRoad]

A good follow up question to submit to the team at TrainerRoad.com/podcast!

[@saijapz16]

i have a hypothesis, i think cramps is cause by something inside the brain.

[@whoddy]

I was in a race once and I started cramping, some dude saw me and shouted, "add a little salt to your drinks/bottles nxt time". I tried it, and it works like magic!! no cramps. Mind you I used to cramp while climbing or in long rides but now adding salt in my bottles has solved cramping. Remeber to drink alot of water afterwards to flash out the salt.