Tri Zones Training

Great question.  A few of the south athletes asked this and I know some people experienced it also.  

 If I get a calf cramp in the water I change to floating on my back and I try to stretch the muscle out a bit.  I reach over and rub my calf.  A lot of times I can feel it coming on and it is usually because I am pointing my toes when I'm kicking.  If I feel it, I try and flex my feel and relax them back without pointing.  

Remember- it will only take a short bit of time to flip over on your back and let the legs rest but if you keep swimming and are worried about your swim time, you may end up having worse problems later on in the swim.  Taking the extra time to fix the issue early can save you lots of time later.

Impossible is a dare!

If its really severe, you can grab onto a kayak and rest until it subsides. As long as you don't make forward progress while holding on, its perfectly legal.

I get crampy toes a lot - yeah I'm weird.  A fews times I get calf cramps. If I feel a cramp coming on, I focus on relaxing my legs, ankles, feet, toes - sometimes flexing my feet back and forth works too.   I get a chance to practice it quite a bit in the pool - early in the season, or if the water seems a bit cool. 

--Julie

I do the same thing mentioned above in this order:

1. relax my legs - I stop kicking, keep swimming using arms only, and drag my legs behind me while relaxing them and flexing the feet, etc...

2. if that doesn't work - I flip over and float, rub my calves, or grab toe and stretch (if it's a foot cramp).

3. I follow up by drinking as soon as I can when I get out of the water - I'm thinking it cramps due to low hydration or maybe potassium or electrolyte need??