Muscle cramps during kickbacks
LRoslin
Posts: 128
I've been doing LS DVDs for about a month now, and worked up to the 3 Mile Fat Burner, which feels great to do. I also did the 4 Mile Express the other day, but nearly died right after, so I will have to save that one for a little while!
Anyway, my question is, does anybody else get bad cramps in their gluteals during the 3 mile? I tend to get them right near the beginning, during the first set of kickbacks, and then later in the walk as well. I drink plenty of water during my workout, and work through them, but dang these cramps are annoying. I do not get these during the 2 Mile or the 4 Mile Express, which I find odd. I don't use the weights.
And if you're going to suggest a banana for potassium, well, I'm allergic to bananas, so that's out.
My husband nearly suggested the same thing and then realized his error.
Anyway, my question is, does anybody else get bad cramps in their gluteals during the 3 mile? I tend to get them right near the beginning, during the first set of kickbacks, and then later in the walk as well. I drink plenty of water during my workout, and work through them, but dang these cramps are annoying. I do not get these during the 2 Mile or the 4 Mile Express, which I find odd. I don't use the weights.
And if you're going to suggest a banana for potassium, well, I'm allergic to bananas, so that's out.
My husband nearly suggested the same thing and then realized his error. 0
Replies
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I have had a similar problem with the kickback series sometimes. I haven't narrowed it down to a particular video as I have quite a few videos and rotate them regularly.
I actually bought some potassium pills for our house because my husband is very sensitive to bananas (he can only eat them when they are really ripe or he gets sick). Sometimes when I start to notice muscle cramps I will take one.
Other foods high in potassium:
Spinach (I make salads out of raw spinach)
Avocado
Yogurt (I mix spicy guacamole with greek yogurt and use it as dip)
White beans
Potatoes
Dried apricots (portable snack)
Acorn squash ( love squash!)
Salmon (I try to eat salmon once a week)
Mushrooms
I hope this helps!0 -
Glad I'm not the only one that has had this issue. I thought I was just a weakling. :P Thanks for the food list!0
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Hi there,
I have not experienced them during the actual workout, but I have experienced cramps in my feet, ankles, and calves that wake me up. They are so bad that I have to get up and stick my leg under the bathtub faucet in warm water to get relief. I do figure this means I am working new muscles (likely shocking them), which is good. I have tried eating a banana. That seems to help with the cramps are more from standing in one spot that day (like when cooking for the holidays) than it does for the once from working out. I do like the list of other potassium-rich foods. I have also read that not cutting out the warm up or cool down can really help keep cramps down at night. I admit that I can sometimes not do a proper cool down to save time, but I think I will concentrate on that part of the workout. If you got through the 4-mile Express, you are not a weakling! I tried 4 Fast Miles and realized very quickly that it was not for a beginning walker, not even just 1 mile of it! :bigsmile:0 -
I most often do extra stretching (especially for the legs and lower back) before LS's stretching segment on the DVDs b/c most of them are waaaay to short for me. I will put the DVD on pause and stretch for about 10 minutes or so. Then I finish up with her stretches, and often I'll do additional stretches even after that. I take off my fitness shoes to do the stretching. It seems to help with the calves and legs/ lower back stretches especially.
I eat bananas and other potassium rich foods, and also use additional supplements if I'm having cramps. I don't know why but some of my other exercises that I do seem to trigger foot cramps also.
I just Googled "sodium potassium balance" and found this website for starters: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/sodium-potassium-balance/
The body's sodium and potassium levels always work in relationship to each other and not individually.
Do your own research but remember always research with discernment
.
Always feel free to modify any exercise and to start out easy if you haven't used weights or exercised for a while, even if you have exercised in the past.
Hope this helps some :flowerforyou:0 -
Thanks for the info. I do need to research other potassium-rich foods, since bananas are out. My husband gets random muscle cramps but swears by bananas to take care of them. Of course, even before I was diagnosed with an allergy I actually disliked bananas a lot!
I just have never had cramps like this, and maybe it's because I'm ramping up the activity level. Back when I used Leslie's DVDs to lose baby weight after baby #2 I only ever did the 1 mile, sometimes the 2 mile. Now I'm doing the 3 mile and a couple of times I did the four mile, which nearly killed me! 0 -
I most often do extra stretching (especially for the legs and lower back) before LS's stretching segment on the DVDs b/c most of them are waaaay to short for me. I will put the DVD on pause and stretch for about 10 minutes or so. Then I finish up with her stretches, and often I'll do additional stretches even after that. I take off my fitness shoes to do the stretching. It seems to help with the calves and legs/ lower back stretches especially.
I eat bananas and other potassium rich foods, and also use additional supplements if I'm having cramps. I don't know why but some of my other exercises that I do seem to trigger foot cramps also.
I just Googled "sodium potassium balance" and found this website for starters: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/sodium-potassium-balance/
The body's sodium and potassium levels always work in relationship to each other and not individually.
Do your own research but remember always research with discernment .
Always feel free to modify any exercise and to start out easy if you haven't used weights or exercised for a while, even if you have exercised in the past.
Hope this helps some :flowerforyou:
This!^
Extra stretches every time I walk. Some people are just not very flexible. I need the standing hip stretch.....especially if the video has lots of side steps........
Calf Stretch -- Stand on your toes on a step or curb. Hold on to something for balance. Remove your left foot and slowly allow the right heel to move down. Hold this position. Be sure to keep you body upright and straight. Release and repeat on the other side.
Another calf stretch -- Take a big step forward with your left foot, keeping you right heel on the ground. Hold the position and repeat on the other side. Be sure to keep your body upright and your abs tight, do not arch your back.
Shin Stretch -- Standing up, hold on to a stationary object. Stand with your weight on one leg and straighten it. Place your other foot on the ground, with toes pointed and your toenails toward the floor. With the tops of your toes touching the ground, roll your foot and leg forward, from the ankle. Release and repeat on the other side.
Hamstring and Lower Back -- Slowly bend forward from your waist with your knees slightly bent. Reach for the floor and hold. Only bend as far as comfortable.
Outer thigh and buttocks and spine -- While lying on your back bring your right knee up. Place your left hand on your thigh and gently pull it over to your left side. Do not pull at the knee. Your shoulders, left leg and back should remain flat. Pull gently. Then repeat on the left side.
Standing hip stretch - Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Cross left ankle over right leg just above the knee. Squat slightly on right leg. You can press the left knee towards the floor for more stretch. Repeat on the other side.
Lower back -- While lying on your back, bring both knees up towards the chest with the hands. Round the lower back and relax into the stretch. Don't do this stretch on a hard surface...it will bruise the spine!
Quadriceps Stretch -- Standing up, hold on to a stationary object. Bend your right knee, bringing your foot toward your buttocks. Keeping your left knee slightly bent, grasp your right ankle with the opposite hand. Slowly pull your leg up and back, bringing your foot at high as comfortable. Repeat with other leg. (To protect your knee... think of pulling the quads back rather than pulling the foot toward your buttocks.)0 -
Thanks TeaBea for taking the time to write out the additional exercises! I shall copy and use after my next walk/ exercise.
:flowerforyou:
LRoslin, you wrote: "I just have never had cramps like this, and maybe it's because I'm ramping up the activity level. Back when I used Leslie's DVDs to lose baby weight after baby #2 I only ever did the 1 mile, sometimes the 2 mile. Now I'm doing the 3 mile and a couple of times I did the four mile, which nearly killed me! "
I believe that the walks should never wear us out to the extent that you described above, and also in your first post, about how you felt after doing the 4 miler. You did the 4 Mile Super Challenge Express, and that IS quite the workout. And so is the 3 Mile Fat Burner. You have not said how long of a walking break you took before you restarted a month ago. But you did mention that you when you were walking before you were doing the 1 & 2 mile walks.
Maybe you might be progressing a bit too quickly this time. It is very hard to start off slowly when one is getting back into exercise again because we tend to want to look backwards and get back to, and beyond, what we were able to do before.
Also each of her walks are choreographed differently. Some walks seem to have an abundance of particular moves that another walk does not have. (Walks focused on the tummy will have lots of knee lifts, and in multiples for instance). Perhaps this contributed to the difficulty with the kickbacks. Only thinking out loud here. Or if they seem to be happening at the beginning of your walk more often then perhaps you need a longer warm up or skip that move till it is presented later on in the walk. And then only do a couple and increase as your legs get more accustomed to that move.
Any way I hope that you resolve the problem and get rid of those cramps. they are not pleasant at all.
:flowerforyou:0 -
Texasgardnr, thanks for your response! The last time I really used WATP, I had just had my second baby and was doing the good old counting calories/exercise routine to lose the baby weight. But my calorie target was too low and I burned out. I didn't have the endurance to do anything above a 1mile, really---usually if I tried a 2 mile I just stopped halfway through.
Then we moved, I had a third baby, and he had health issues, i had health issues, and now my fourth child is 2 and I figured it was time to get serious. So there's been about an 8 year gap. We now live in a more walk-friendly community, so I walk to the library and can take walks outside, but the WATP gets my heart rate up much better and faster. Now that I'm eating a more sustainable diet, and taking care with my macros and avoiding my food allergens, I can easily do a 2 mile--I still feel like I worked out, I sweat and everything, but I was hoping to amp it up a bit more with the 3 and 4 miles.
However, I am prone to exercise-induced anaphylaxis, so that is why I 'joked' about the 4 mile nearly killing me. My face was bright red and flushed, and I felt faint and dizzy. So no 4 mile for me. The 3 mile is a good workout and I don't have the same issues, but I do get those cramps! I think I will shoot for alternating the 3 mile with the 2 mile, and have regular outside walks on the weekends for "rest" days. Does that sound like a good compromise?0 -
I most often do extra stretching (especially for the legs and lower back) before LS's stretching segment on the DVDs b/c most of them are waaaay to short for me. I will put the DVD on pause and stretch for about 10 minutes or so. Then I finish up with her stretches, and often I'll do additional stretches even after that. I take off my fitness shoes to do the stretching. It seems to help with the calves and legs/ lower back stretches especially.
I eat bananas and other potassium rich foods, and also use additional supplements if I'm having cramps. I don't know why but some of my other exercises that I do seem to trigger foot cramps also.
I just Googled "sodium potassium balance" and found this website for starters: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/sodium-potassium-balance/
The body's sodium and potassium levels always work in relationship to each other and not individually.
Do your own research but remember always research with discernment .
Always feel free to modify any exercise and to start out easy if you haven't used weights or exercised for a while, even if you have exercised in the past.
Hope this helps some :flowerforyou:
This!^
Extra stretches every time I walk. Some people are just not very flexible. I need the standing hip stretch.....especially if the video has lots of side steps........
Calf Stretch -- Stand on your toes on a step or curb. Hold on to something for balance. Remove your left foot and slowly allow the right heel to move down. Hold this position. Be sure to keep you body upright and straight. Release and repeat on the other side.
Another calf stretch -- Take a big step forward with your left foot, keeping you right heel on the ground. Hold the position and repeat on the other side. Be sure to keep your body upright and your abs tight, do not arch your back.
Shin Stretch -- Standing up, hold on to a stationary object. Stand with your weight on one leg and straighten it. Place your other foot on the ground, with toes pointed and your toenails toward the floor. With the tops of your toes touching the ground, roll your foot and leg forward, from the ankle. Release and repeat on the other side.
Hamstring and Lower Back -- Slowly bend forward from your waist with your knees slightly bent. Reach for the floor and hold. Only bend as far as comfortable.
Outer thigh and buttocks and spine -- While lying on your back bring your right knee up. Place your left hand on your thigh and gently pull it over to your left side. Do not pull at the knee. Your shoulders, left leg and back should remain flat. Pull gently. Then repeat on the left side.
Standing hip stretch - Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Cross left ankle over right leg just above the knee. Squat slightly on right leg. You can press the left knee towards the floor for more stretch. Repeat on the other side.
Lower back -- While lying on your back, bring both knees up towards the chest with the hands. Round the lower back and relax into the stretch. Don't do this stretch on a hard surface...it will bruise the spine!
Quadriceps Stretch -- Standing up, hold on to a stationary object. Bend your right knee, bringing your foot toward your buttocks. Keeping your left knee slightly bent, grasp your right ankle with the opposite hand. Slowly pull your leg up and back, bringing your foot at high as comfortable. Repeat with other leg. (To protect your knee... think of pulling the quads back rather than pulling the foot toward your buttocks.)
Wow, thank you! I have always been impatient about exercise and stretching is one of my least favorite activities. Back when I first used WATP I always skipped the stretching :blushing: But I have been doing the stretches at the end now.0 -
Oh, also I have lowered my sodium intake and worked on increasing potassium. That seems to have helped a bit, the cramps are less painful and occur less often. 0
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I took the time to do just maybe 2 minutes of stretches after my last walk session, and I did not have any leg cramps. This thread has been very helpful. Thanks to all of you! :bigsmile:0
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LRoslin, Thanks for your response and explanations. That was a long break and two babies between your previous exercising so you will need to build up your stamina and your strength.Texasgardnr, thanks for your response! The last time I really used WATP, I had just had my second baby and was doing the good old counting calories/exercise routine to lose the baby weight. But my calorie target was too low and I burned out. I didn't have the endurance to do anything above a 1mile, really---usually if I tried a 2 mile I just stopped halfway through.
Then we moved, I had a third baby, and he had health issues, i had health issues, and now my fourth child is 2 and I figured it was time to get serious. So there's been about an 8 year gap. We now live in a more walk-friendly community, so I walk to the library and can take walks outside, but the WATP gets my heart rate up much better and faster. Now that I'm eating a more sustainable diet, and taking care with my macros and avoiding my food allergens, I can easily do a 2 mile--I still feel like I worked out, I sweat and everything, but I was hoping to amp it up a bit more with the 3 and 4 miles.
However, I am prone to exercise-induced anaphylaxis, so that is why I 'joked' about the 4 mile nearly killing me. My face was bright red and flushed, and I felt faint and dizzy. So no 4 mile for me. The 3 mile is a good workout and I don't have the same issues, but I do get those cramps! I think I will shoot for alternating the 3 mile with the 2 mile, and have regular outside walks on the weekends for "rest" days. Does that sound like a good compromise?
To answer your question I think that your "compromise" is a good one . See how it goes. If it still seems like it is wearing you out too much you can always make it two days of 2 miles and one of 3 miles while you are increasing your endurance. Always listen to your body and exercise accordingly. I think that you will be amazed at your progression if you take your time and allow your body to gain strength.
Also those outdoor walks seem to strengthen muscles in a different way than the DVD walks depending on how your terrain is that you are walking on.
I'm proud of you for your commitment to your health and also being an awesome role model to your young ones. And for eating in a more healthy way now so that you have the energy to exercise and take care of those precious little ones. Awesome!!
Great thread that you started.
:flowerforyou:0
