How to stop cramp when rolling ??

O'Leprosy

I seem to get cramp quite easily in my feet when doing BJJ. I have poor flexibility in general even though doing Martial Arts for a decade or more. I get them particularly in the arches of my feet.

Anyone any advice as to prevent it ? Are their any exercises or whatever a fella can do to make the muscles more supple and prevent the onset of cramp ? ( There's plenty of advice on the web on what to do when you actually get a cramp, but little on prevention ). BTW, I never get cramp outside BJJ and always in the feet, especially the arches.

yomchi

O'Leprosy wrote: »

I seem to get cramp quite easily in my feet when doing BJJ. I have poor flexibility in general even though doing Martial Arts for a decade or more. I get them particularly in the arches of my feet.

Anyone any advice as to prevent it ? Are their any exercises or whatever a fella can do to make the muscles more supple and prevent the onset of cramp ? ( There's plenty of advice on the web on what to do when you actually get a cramp, but little on prevention ). BTW, I never get cramp outside BJJ and always in the feet, especially the arches.

Have a read - http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/muscle-cramp.php

Power Chords

Cramp can also be caused by a reduction of glycogen, maybe you're dehydrated, too much sodium in your diet.
Keep hydrated and try get more potassium (bananas) to counter the sodium, potassium also assists the muscle glycogen levels.
I'm pretty sure that's how it was all explained in college but it's a few years ago now.
Also good stretching practise.

yomchi

Sodium combats cramp. Sodium and potassium work together as electrolytes to combat cramp, so the levels should be higher than average before and after training.

Power Chords

Yeah but if you're gettin' far more sodium chloride than potassium the balance is off which is quite common. Should have specified the balance and chloride. Cheers.

dlofnep

I used to get awful leg cramps, but haven't got them in about 6 months.. Stretching helps and drink water and eat a banana before you train.

Roper

We call cramps 'period pains' in the gym. See how many guys admit to having them after that.:D

Kent Brockman

O'Leprosy wrote: »

I seem to get cramp quite easily in my feet when doing BJJ. I have poor flexibility in general even though doing Martial Arts for a decade or more. I get them particularly in the arches of my feet.

Anyone any advice as to prevent it ? Are their any exercises or whatever a fella can do to make the muscles more supple and prevent the onset of cramp ? ( There's plenty of advice on the web on what to do when you actually get a cramp, but little on prevention ). BTW, I never get cramp outside BJJ and always in the feet, especially the arches.

This sounds to me like the early stages on the road to 'Fallen arches' aka 'collapsed arches' (which also leads to 'Flat feet'), particularly if the pain is very sharp across the centre of the foot.
Stand in your bare feet and ask someone to go behind you and look at your feet. It will be very obvious if one or both arches are fallen.(standing on tip-toes will highlight the shape they should be)

Check this out first and good luck. (Im no doctor;) but i currently wear special insoles and do exercises for one collapsed arch , so I recognise the symptoms)

O'Leprosy

Thanks for the advice lads, I'll try some of advice you have given and maybe let people know the outcome as I'm sure I'm not the only one to get this.

O'Leprosy

Kent Brockman wrote: »

This sounds to me like the early stages on the road to 'Fallen arches' aka 'collapsed arches' (which also leads to 'Flat feet'), particularly if the pain is very sharp across the centre of the foot.
Stand in your bare feet and ask someone to go behind you and look at your feet. It will be very obvious if one or both arches are fallen.(standing on tip-toes will highlight the shape they should be)

Check this out first and good luck. (Im no doctor;) but i currently wear special insoles and do exercises for one collapsed arch , so I recognise the symptoms)

Well, I often get sore feet from walking around in flat runners. So on the day of doing BJJ I decided to wear hard shoes. Whenever I wear the hard shoes on the day of BJJ - no cramp in my feet !! That's just been my experience, cann't say it will work for everyone else, but it might be worth a try.