What's the cause of muscle cramps? How do you solve them?

[KrazyHorse]

In one regimen the muscle is worked at a moderate rate allowing it to get it's energy from aerobic metabolism, in the other it is worked intensely enough to force it to use anaerobic glycolysis. After the latter regimen the muscle swells.

Given this setup you can't dissociate the strong physical forces present in the intense workout from the movement into the anaerobic regime, so I don't think that this experiment shows what you think it does. A proper experiment would involve direct injection of waste products into the muscle tissue and observation of the results.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Berzerker
I'd get cramps in my calves, real bad after walkiing 18 holes.

Boohoo! what a hard life you have

btw there is a Berzerker I sometimes see playing CoD.

[MRT144]

Re: What's the cause of muscle cramps? How do you solve them?

Originally posted by DanS
OK, so I've been riding my bike regularly for the past couple of weeks -- about 15 or 20 miles a day -- and have been trying to get in shape probably for the first time in my life (even when I ran track in high school, I don't think I really was in shape).

bump up the mileage man. go for 30-50 miles (if youre pushing at least 116 watts at 100 rpm youll burn 500 calories per hour. 1 pound of fat is 3500 calories, so depending on your intake you milage will vary). and especially work on keeping your cadence at a set pace throughout the workout, despite hills and valleys.

oh, and stretch twice as long after youre done working out than before. I havent had soreness for more than half a day afterwards except in my triceps but thats due to a ridiculous amount of strain I put on them. and remember take a day off at least in between working out a specific body part. i cycle for 2 hours T, TH, Su and do upper body W, Sa. I take Monday and Friday off.

[DanS]

30-50 miles a day takes way too long. Similar reason why I'm not going to spend time on upper body. Doesn't fit my goals in exercising.

[DanS]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
I know about cramps. What are shin splints?

Chronic pain in the shins, making running a difficult proposition. Our track coach made those with shin splints run hills all practice, so shin splints were no fun for multiple reasons.

[MRT144]

Originally posted by DanS
30-50 miles a day takes way too long. Similar reason why I'm not going to spend time on upper body. Doesn't fit my goals in exercising.

an hour and a half is too long? you just need to get fast!

I understand though about time consumption, I just have a lot of time on my hands right now.