Not all that long ago, I was having one of the greatest naps of my life when I was abruptly awakened by a pain in my leg; my muscles had cramped and seized, making even the slightest move into a struggle. I massaged it as best I could, until the leg cramp finally began to subside. 

That experience, and many ones like it, are all too common these days. In fact, News Medical states that “…around 39 percent of marathon runners, 52 percent of rugby players and 60 percent of cyclists” suffer from them. If you’ve ever cramped up before – and I’m certain you have – then you’ve probably wondered why leg cramps and muscle cramps happen in the first place. Hopefully we can shed some light on the issue as part of this article, and give some tips and tricks for how to avoid cramping in the future. 

Cramping from Overtraining Syndrome

According to research done by Samitive J Hospitals, one of the leading causes of leg cramps – also known as charley horses – during exercise is over-working your muscles without giving them enough time to rest between sessions. 

When we exercise, the fibers of our muscles get ripped apart and then heal over time. During the healing process our bodies build the torn muscle again, but stronger than before, to respond to the stress that they were put through in the first place. 

When we don’t have enough time in between workout sessions, we can’t fully rebuild that broken muscle, which means that our bodies won’t be able to withstand the strain of exercise as it comes. The official name for this is Overtraining Syndrome, or OTS for short. There’s a whole article on that subject right here: 

While this is the most common reason behind leg cramps and charley horses while you exercise, it’s far from the only way that your muscles can cramp. Unfortunately. 

Dehydration and Electrolyte Imbalance

Not all cramps are the same. Nor are drinking water and staying hydrated – though they are related to each other. In the previous section we briefly covered leg cramps from over-exertion, but what about other cramps? While overworking can contribute to getting more random muscle cramps, it’s also common for them to happen when you’re dehydrated. 

The average human body is made up of over 60% water, and that water is found everywhere from blood to muscle. If there’s not enough water to go around, though, things start to seize up. If our bodies were cars, water would be the oil that helps our personal engines run smoothly. 

That being said, though, not all water is created equal. Plain water, all by itself, can actually cause more problems than it solves when we drink too much of it. How does that make any sense? Let me explain.

To stay hydrated we need to consume electrolytes, which are key minerals – such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphate, bicarbonate and chloride – that conduct electricity in our bodies, acting almost like a battery for us and our muscles. They’re responsible for:

• Cell movement
• Removing waste from cells
• Helping nerves function
• Muscle recovery
• Helping muscles contract

Just to name a few! In short, they do a ton of stuff for us. To keep up with a list like that, we need a constant supply of electrolytes. Once we start running low on them, our bodies start to prioritize certain tasks over others which can lead to a variety of symptoms such as:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Vomiting
• Weakness 
• Numbness 
• Diarrhea
• An irregular heartbeat
• Confusion 

And last but not least, cramps. Here’s where consuming too much plain water comes in. If you drink too much water that’s poor in electrolytes, you can dilute the electrolyte levels in your body and cause an “electrolyte imbalance” which leads to the symptoms listed above. If you’re wondering about how to keep yourself hydrated anytime, anywhere, check out this article on the subject:

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s dive into the details behind cramps related to dehydration.

Exertional Heat Cramps

Exertional heat cramps get their name from the fact that people tend to get them after sweating a lot, which consumes valuable electrolytes and water pretty fast. Since electrolytes are needed everywhere, these types of cramps can easily spread to other parts of the body.

They start out as subtle contractions – also known as fasciculations – on a person’s skin. Since they’re so small, most people tend to miss them, especially if they’re focused intently on something specific. Within half an hour of these contractions, the cramps tend to start happening. These are some of the most common areas that cramp:

• Abdomen (belly)
• Arms
• Feet
• Hamstrings – the back of your thighs
• Hands
• Quadriceps – the front of your thighs
• Calves – the back of your lower legs

Wherever they start – in the legs, for example, because of how often we use them – they often spread to other random areas of the body, which can lead to a full body cramp. Think of a really painful paralysis, since you can’t really move and everything is seized up.

Stopping a muscle cramp like this can only be done by rehydrating and rebalancing one’s electrolytes and, in severe cases, athletes may need to seek medical assistance to bring things back to normal. While all electrolytes are important, the main ones that you may need in a severe situation are sodium and chloride, which are the first we lose when we sweat.

Idiopathic Leg Cramps

Idiopathic leg cramps are cramps that seem to happen randomly, without any specific reason or warning beforehand. A prime example of these would be nighttime leg cramps. While there’s no single symptom that triggers them, there are a bunch of factors that can come into play. Here are just a few:

• Stress
• Overworked muscles
• Lack of blood-flow to affected area
• Involuntary nerve discharges – random electrical impulses

According to Cleveland Clinic, you’re likely to get them more often as you get older. This is because your tendons – which connect your muscles to your bones – tend to shrink over time. 

“Of people over age 60, 33% will have a leg cramp at night at least once every two months. Nearly every adult aged 50 and older will have them at least one time [per month]. Approximately 40% of people experience leg cramps during pregnancy” due to the extra weight and strain that comes with that. 

The same article mentions some of the following factors that can contribute to having leg cramps at night:

• Sitting for long periods of time
• Standing or working on concrete floors
• Having poor posture during the day
• Kidney failure
• Diabetic nerve damage
• Mineral deficits

I think of other cramps as being the ones that happen as soon as your body passes its breaking point, while idiopathic cramps are the ones that come up when your body is stressed, but not strained to breaking yet. 

Avoiding Muscle Cramps: Tips and Tricks

Growing up, I always heard this quote from Benjamin Franklin: “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” That principle applies really well to this sort of topic, even if it isn’t the same context in which I used to hear that saying. 

When it comes to muscle cramps, there are quite a few things we can do to both prevent and “cure” cramps when they come up. Here are some things you can do to before they become an issue:

• Stay hydrated 
• Include a bunch of electrolytes in your diet
• Be aware of the conditions in which you exercise (cramps are more commonly occur in hot climates)
• Warm up properly before participating in intense exercise
• Take your time – if you’re starting a new routine or coming back after a break, make sure to ease into it and give yourself time to adapt
• Stretch daily

We actually have articles about how to start off any routine properly and set yourself up for a great workout. Check it out:

If prevention isn’t an option, you can go ahead and try some techniques to help alleviate the pain and bring things back to normal. Web M.D. suggests that you:

• Stretch it
  • When a muscle cramp happens, stop the activity you’re doing and stretch it out by tightening the opposing muscle. For example, if the muscle on the back of your thigh cramps, squeeze the muscles on the front of your thigh and lift your leg toward your head.
  • If you have a calf cramp, stand up and put your weight on the leg with the cramp, gently bend your knee, and actively lift your toes up toward your nose.
  • For leg cramps, sit on the floor with your leg or foot stretched out in front of you. Keep your leg straight while you gently pull your foot back towards you.
• Massage the muscle
  • After stretching, try massaging the muscle cramp for relief using a foam roller or your hands.
• Apply heat
  • A warm bath or shower can help your cramped muscles loosen up. You could also put a heating pad or a warm towel on the area.
• Apply a cold pack
  • Once the pain subsides a little, place an ice pack or a bag of ice on the cramping muscle. Remember to wrap it in a towel first so you don’t irritate your skin. You can also try massaging the cramp with the ice pack to help relax the muscle.
• Elevate the area (if possible)
  • If you can, lift the part of your body that has the cramp. If your foot is cramping, prop it up until the cramp starts to go away.

If all else fails, you can also take things like ibuprofen to help release muscle tension or – in more extreme cases – you can go to your healthcare provider and try to get a prescription for some sort of muscle relaxer. Just remember that taking any sort of medication can come with possible downsides like dizziness or fatigue, so make sure to go over the pros and the cons with your doctor.

There are also some stretches that are simple to learn and remember, which means that you could make them into a habit pretty easily. You can read more about those in an article here:

While they might seem monotonous, doing things to prevent your cramps before they start is well worth it.

Electrolyte Sources

Now that we’ve gone over how important electrolytes are when it comes to avoiding muscle cramps, it’s pretty important to know where you can find them, right? 

That’s far from everything that has electrolytes, but it should be more than enough to get you started. Sports drinks like Powerade and Gatorade can also be effective supplements to your electrolyte levels in a pinch. Not every electrolyte you take is going to be the same, though:

• Potassium helps with muscle function and the regulate nerve signals
• Calcium is essential for muscle contractions and the health of your bones
• Magnesium helps regulate your blood pressure and offers general support for your muscle and nerve functions

Wrapping Up

Leg and muscle cramps of some kind have always been a part of life and they always will be, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get a handle on them early or get them taken care of. Muscle fatigue and electrolyte deficits can lead to some tough challenges, but you can always work with people around you for support when necessary.

If you found this helpful, there’s a whole lot more information where it came from! Read more articles and guides here:

At the end of the day, the more you know about different types of cramps and what can be done about them, the more prepared you’ll be to help both yourself and others. Between stretching, proper rest, water and electrolytes, you’ll always be at your best when prepared for the worst.

The post Find The Best Tips And Tricks For Helping Leg Cramps appeared first on ReGrow Supplements.

Whenever you go to the gym and talk to anyone about how to get stronger, odds are you’ll hear the phrase “progressive overload” get thrown around a time or two. Walking into that for the first time you may not know exactly what that means or what it is, and that’s perfectly fine. In fact, that’s exactly what we’re going to dive into today!

So without any further ado, let’s explore and explain a little more about the ins, outs, in-betweens and even possible risks of progressive overload.

What is Progressive Overload?

Progressive overload is an increase in time, weight, or intensity relative to your workout so that you can get stronger. The reason behind doing this comes down to a simple fact: our bodies are hardwired to adapt to the stresses or challenges with which they are faced.

A perfect example of how our bodies react to things is what our eyes do in the dark: they adjust to the light levels in order to let us see better. When it comes to exercise, our muscles only grow when they’re being challenged and strained, leading to microtears. When those tears heal, our muscles get both bigger and stronger.

The problem with that is that our muscles quickly get used to the strain we’re putting them through and stop tearing, which leads to a flatline in growth. Progressive overload helps make sure that that doesn’t happen by slowly making things more challenging.

Make sure not to quit when things get difficult, though! Struggling with that? Read this!

Anyway, you need to go about doing your overload in the right way. In an article from NASM they reference something called the Principle of Progression, which states that “increases in time, weight or intensity should be kept within 10% or less each week to allow for a gradual adaptation while minimizing risk of injury.”

On the other hand if you don’t overload at all, your body may actually start to get weaker over time. Your muscles just get lazy, more than anything. An extra pound here, an extra rep there or even doing everything a little bit faster can be all you need to avoid a plateau or decline in strength.

Now that we’ve got the basics of progressive overload out of the way, it’s time to look at the possible risks that come along with going about it wrong. 

Overtraining Syndrome

As a general rule progressive overload is really good for you, but adding too much weight, too many reps or going too fast can mean trouble. The most common sign of overdoing it will be extra sore muscles, but things can go downhill quickly and lead to injuries that can take a while to get over.

Cleveland Clinic breaks overtraining syndrome – or OTS for short – into three groups, as listed below.

The Stages

1. Functional Overtraining – mild symptoms that may be hard to notice, such as:
   • Aches
   • Pains
   • Fatigue
   • Soreness

This is your body giving warning signs that you aren’t getting enough rest or recovering properly between sessions of activity. However, these symptoms normally pass pretty fast.

2. Sympathetic Overtraining (Basedow’s Overtraining Syndrome) – symptoms affect your sympathetic nervous system, which controls your body’s response to stress. You may experience:
   • Accelerated heart rate
   • Restlessness
   • Irritability
   • Insomnia
   • Weight loss
   • Delayed or slowed recovery

Basically, your “fight or flight” instincts kick on and don’t turn back off for a long time.

3. Parasympathetic Overtraining (Addison’s Overtraining Syndrome) – symptoms appear in your parasympathetic nervous system, which causes your body’s systems to relax. Symptoms include:
   • Depression
   • Decreased heart rate
   • Fatigue
   • Decreased performance

Unlike sympathetic OTS those in stage 3 may find sleep easy, be able to maintain a constant weight and recover from exercise in an almost normal manner. That being said, this stage is the most severe and can take months to years to recover from.

WebMD has a post on their website that sums things up pretty well:

“Some injuries cause you to pause training, so they can really interrupt your progress. If you’re training for a marathon or some other time-sensitive event, an injury can be a blow to your mental health as well as your body.”

In my own personal experience, the blow to mental health takes a while to get over, even after I make a full physical recovery. Regaining confidence in yourself and your abilities can be a tough hurdle to clear, especially if you keep trying and get less results than you think you should. 

“The toughest challenges often happen internally.” – Brinley Beck, writer for The Cool Run

Preventing and Recovering from OTS

One of the first things that I’d do if you’re concerned about overtraining syndrome is pay attention to yourself. Keep track of how you’re feeling, how tired you are, etc. Often the first stage of OTS can be hard to notice, after all. If you think that you might have it, I’d say a bit of extra rest can’t hurt.

Here are some other things that might help you prevent getting OTS:

• Keep track of your workouts – that way you can find problems with your routine before it comes back to bite you
• Balance your workout; switch things up and do a mix of cardio and strength to let different muscle groups rest
• Stay hydrated and well fed; if your body doesn’t have enough nutrients to sustain itself, it won’t be able to recover very fast

So far as recovery goes, you might be in for quite the long haul. Depending on how bad things have gotten, you might be looking at anywhere from a week to years before you’ll be back to normal. 

There are definitely things you can do to speed up the process though. For example:

• Take a step back from training
• Make sure to get enough rest

Some people also have reported that some relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga are helpful. Take it easy, and find what works well for you.

Looking ahead

We all want to excel in what we do; it’s just who we are. Sometimes, though, we push too hard, and when we do it can be hard to get things rolling again. 

Not a single one of us is immune to the dangers of overtraining syndrome, but we can definitely do our part to keep it at bay. A little attention to details, rest, and good nutrition can be all we need to stay on track. 

Thanks for reading, and we’ll catch you later!

Want more? Check out more tips and tricks here!

Questions? Comments? Contact us today!

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It was January 2nd, and I remember looking at myself in the mirror thinking, “This is it. I’m finally gonna get in shape.” I’d made the same resolution for multiple years in a row by that point, but this time felt different. I was motivated, determined, and… completely lost.

Sound familiar?

We’ve all been there – excited to start working out with dreams of how things will be… only to realize that we haven’t a clue how to start exercising. Regardless of who you are, most of us end up confused and back on the couch by February.

That’s how it goes, year after year.

Today, though, we’re going to try and change that. Here are five tips to help keep you out on the track or gym floor all year round. Let’s get right into it!

Tip #1: Set Goals and Make a Plan; Be S.M.A.R.T.

Before you even step into a gym, you need to know why you’re going. The classic “I want to get in shape” doesn’t count. That’s too vague and – let’s be honest – has been our reason for the past few years. It hasn’t really taken us very far, has it?

Years back I heard about S.M.A.R.T goals, which stands for:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

We need an end in mind if we really want to make it anywhere.

Karlee Brown, in a blog post on Elements of Exercise, mentioned a few examples of specific goals to set: 

• Weight loss: Do you want to shed a few pounds?
• Muscle gain: Are you looking to build strength and definition?
• Improved endurance: Do you want to run longer or feel less tired during daily activities?
• Stress relief: Is the gym a place for you to unwind and de-stress?
• General health: Are you aiming for a healthier lifestyle overall?

Your goals will shape your workout plan. Be specific. Instead of “get fit,” try “be able to run for 30 minutes without stopping” or “increase my bench press by 10 pounds in two months.”

Like she mentioned, our goals will shape the rest of what we do. Clear goals will lead to real results, as long as we do our best to meet them. Making a plan and sticking to it is one of the best ways to accomplish any goal. 

Your plan should answer questions like these: 

• Which days will I work out? 
• What time works for my schedule? 
• What exercises will I do? 
• How long will each workout be?

Once you’ve got that part down, write the plan somewhere that you’ll see it. Writing things out helps things stick in our minds, and also keeps us accountable.

Tip #2: Don’t Go Alone If You Can Help It

I’ve tried going to the gym alone before, and I’ll bet you’ve been there too. I’d skip workouts, get bored, and make excuses. Eventually, a roommate asked if we could go together, and everything changed.

Having a workout buddy makes a huge difference:

● You’re less likely to skip – It’s easy to bail when you’re only letting yourself down. 

● Workouts are more fun – Everything’s better with a friend. 

● You stay safer – Someone can spot you, check your form, and make sure you’re not about to drop a weight on yourself.

● You push harder – A little friendly competition goes a long way.

Even if you don’t have someone to go with, something like attending a group fitness class or working with a personal trainer can also work as a starting point. They’ll help you get in the door and keep you more accountable than just you by yourself.

Tip #3: Start Simple and Focus on Form

Starting with basic exercises and mastering them first is far more helpful, in the long run, than trying everything at once. Exercise doesn’t have to be fancy.

Here are some good starting points: 

• Squats 
• Push-ups (even on your knees!) 
• Planks 
• Lunges 
• Glute bridges

They may be boring, but form matters a lot more than how much weight you lift. Alex McDonald, an athletic trainer, stated in an article for InspiraHealth that proper form “…protects you from sprains, strains, and fractures.” 

Here are some tips that may help: 

• Use lighter weights than you think you need 
• Watch yourself in the mirror 
• Ask gym staff for help – that’s literally what they’re there for 
• Record yourself occasionally to check your technique

Everyone starts somewhere. Nobody’s judging you for doing the basics or asking questions. And if they are? They’re not worth worrying about.

“Don’t be afraid to experiment…” – TJ Wilkinson, writer for Auto Spotting Productions

Tip #4: Rest Days Aren’t Optional

“Rest is for the weak”, they say. Then I tried working out seven days a week and ended up so exhausted I could barely get out of bed. Turns out, rest isn’t lazy – it’s necessary from time to time.

If you train before your body’s ready, it won’t be able to keep up with the strain. An article by UCLA Health highlights some benefits of taking some downtime between sessions of exercise:

• Better mental and physical health: Taking a break is as important for your mental health as it is for your body.
• Fewer injuries: Giving your body time to rest and recuperate helps you avoid injury.
• Less muscle soreness: Lactic acid builds up in your muscles during hard exercise sessions. Resting gives your body a chance to flush out that excess lactic acid so muscles feel less tired and sore.
• Stronger muscles: Intense exercise creates small tears in your muscles. When you rest, those tears not only heal, but allow your muscles to strengthen. 

For beginners, aim for 3-4 workout days per week and 1-2 complete rest days. Light activity on rest days – like walking and stretching – can also help your body recover more effectively.

Tip #5: Track Your Progress

When you don’t take note of what you’re doing, you just show up, do stuff, and leave. After a few weeks, you won’t remember if you’re actually getting better or just spinning your wheels. That can be discouraging.

Writing things down is proof that your hard work is paying off.

I’d recommend tracking: 

• Which exercises were done 
• How many sets and reps were completed
• How much weight was lifted 
• How you felt during the lift or exercise

A notebook or your phone is perfect for this. If you want to go above and beyond? Take some progress photos every once in a while. It can feel awkward, but sometimes a visual representation of before and after can help more than notes by themselves.

Sometimes a reminder of our little wins is all we need to keep coming back.

Moving Forward

Remember me staring in the mirror on January 2nd? I actually followed through that year. All I did was this:

1. Set a clear goal (Bench my bodyweight for a one rep max within four months)
2. Found a workout buddy (my equally clueless roomate)
3. Started with basic exercises 
4. Took rest days 
5. Tracked my progress in a beat-up notebook

Was it perfect? Nope. I still missed workouts, had bad weeks, and wanted to quit more than once. As I kept showing up, the gym just became part of my routine.

None of this has to be complicated. You don’t need the perfect plan or the perfect gym buddy or the perfect anything. You just need to start, be consistent, and give yourself some grace when things don’t go exactly as you thought.

As Arnold Schwarzenegger said: “The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion.”

Just showing up consistently is what matters most. Whether you want a huge transformation or just to feel a bit healthier, these five tips will help get you there. Make a plan and stick with it; you’ve got this!

Looking for more? Check out our other posts here.

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