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Thread: Leg cramps

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
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    Default Leg cramps

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    Jordan, do you have any suggestions for preventing cramps?

    Sometimes when I contract my leg muscles benching (I'm running the SS novice program, so it's after squatting), they cramp pretty badly.

    Occasionally I also get cramps hours after a workout, too. I am talking about debilitating, LeBron-level cramps.

    Is this just a matter of electrolyte replenishment (I drink a lot of water – at least 60 oz –*during my workouts), or is there something else I can do?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    10,199

    Default

    First things I'd look at, outside of more hydration, is salt, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. How's your diet?

    Practically speaking, many BCAA supplements have electrolytes in them and again, I tend to find these supplements to be very useful periworkout :-)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jordan Feigenbaum View Post
    First things I'd look at, outside of more hydration, is salt, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. How's your diet?

    Practically speaking, many BCAA supplements have electrolytes in them and again, I tend to find these supplements to be very useful periworkout :-)
    This is where I feel shame. My diet is not good, and I have a ton of excuses. I travel a lot, and I am not the type of person to prepare a bunch of meals in advance and bring a cooler with me. (I know people like this, including a guy who travels with his own microwave.)

    So, moving in a different direction, what do you recommend to someone who is terrible with compliance when counting calories, travels a lot (i.e., eats out a lot), and (at least for the time being) doesn't care about losing weight, but would prefer not to get fatter.

    FWIW I am 32, 5'10.5", ~207-210 lbs. and fluffy (~25%?). I'm running the novice program, and my current PRs are 280x5x3 squat, 330x5 DL, 170x5x3 bench, 122.5x5x3 press, 150x3x5 power clean. The only supplement I take is 5g creatine daily. Long term, I would like to be in the ballpark of 195 at a BF% in the low-mid teens, but I think I need to take baby steps to get there.

    Based on your comment I will add in BCAAs as you recommend and also take the calcium-magnesium supplement that is collecting dust in my kitchen cabinet. (I'm lactose intolerant, so I'm sure calcium is lacking.) Generally, though, it would help to get diet advice for a stubborn fool who thinks he's too busy to obsess over macros.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    I think that I'd do the following, given your situation:

    1) Add BCAAs
    2) Add 5g creatine
    3) Commit to eating 4-5x/day spread 3-5hrs apart
    4) Get 40g protein per meal from animal or whey.
    5) Profit

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
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    Thanks Jordan. Step 3A for me is to commit to eating breakfast, since I usually don't eat until 2-3 hours after waking.

    Does this meal schedule make sense?

    - Breakfast (whole foods and/or whey when I get sick of eggs)
    - Lunch (whole foods)
    - mid/late afternoon whey shake
    - Dinner (whole foods)
    - (Possible late night snack or shake)

    Also, is the correct BCAA dosing 5g between meals, 5g pre-workout, and 10-15g post workout (15-20g on rest days, 25-30g on workout days)?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    10,199

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    starting strength coach development program
    Yes to all. Time to get busy :-)

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