Preventing Muscle Cramps
Preventing Muscle Cramps, muscle cramps are something just about everyone will experience at some time. A muscle cramp is the involuntary tightening of a muscle, which you can usually control. They most often occur in the legs and abdomen. These cramps can put a real damper on your workout, so it’s best to practice healthy habits, which can help prevent muscles from cramping while you exercise.
One way to help prevent a muscle cramp is to warm up your muscles before you start your workout session. Use the mat area of the gym (or mat at home) to stretch your muscles by doing some light lifting to prepare for a more intense workout. By giving your muscles a warm-up, they will expand and contract better during exercise, preventing you from getting cramps.
If you are really out of shape, you will need to warm up on a larger scale. Just remember to start off slowly, and work your way up to harder and more intense exercises. If you are an athlete just returning to your sport after the off-season or an injury, you will be more prone to muscle cramps, like those just getting started. By building on the intensity of your workouts, you will build muscle mass more quickly as well, so don’t overdo it from the start, and be sure to take enough time to rest between workouts.
Preventing Muscle Cramps
It’s also very important to keep your muscles, and the rest of your body, hydrated. Be sure to drink lots of water before, during, and after your weight training or any other workout. You should supply your body with water before you feel thirsty, so drink at regular intervals.
If you are out in the sun or doing anything that is making you sweat, avoid water poisoning. This is where those ‘sports juices’ can come in very handy. By drinking sports juices, you help to replenish all the nutrients your body is losing. If you lose too many of these nutrients, you may experience muscle spasms and cramps.
If by some chance you do get a muscle cramp, don’t fret. This is
normal and will most likely go away in just a few minutes, although, you may be sore a bit longer. If you get a muscle cramp, stop what you’re doing, and gently stretch and massage the muscle until it is no longer cramped. If you can, apply heat, which will also help relax the muscle, and if you are sore, cold compresses will help your muscles heal.
Preventing Muscle Cramps, If you continue to experience cramps regularly, or it takes a long time to get rid of them, see your doctor make sure there is not a serious medical condition present.