Crazy Calf Cramp 👹

Training
1

Yes I love the alliterative title!

On just about every hard interval session in 2026 I get either the twinges of cramps coming on or actual cramping up. In all cases it’s one or both of my calves.

  • Bike position hadn’t changed for ages but I dropped the saddle a few millimetres to no avail.
  • Never happens with any consistency outside
  • Didn’t happen indoors last year but I am doing harder threshold already with the FTP drop
  • Eating before or not doesn’t change it
  • Necking water, water with salts or water with salts and carbs doesn’t seem to change it.
  • Fan does a good impression of a gale so I’m hot but not cooking

I’m at a lose what, if anything, can be done to head it off. Only thing I can think is to respond with Max effort to get similar workouts for a bit so I plateau a bit so my calves get used to it. Today was max effort anyways as I had a 15s break to massage my left leg!

2

This is my experience with calf cramping… YMMV

I only get it when I am either:

  1. not warmed up well enough and going straight into a longer hard effort
  2. going above my normal consistent capability for that cadence, power or a combination of them both.
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3

Option 2 I think is the issue. Most workouts are rated very hard and hard.

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4

Ouch!

Sounds like 2 to me as well.

The only other thing I can suggest is drinking some electrolytes well before the workout so you’re as topped up as much as possible, if that makes sense.

5

Are you doing any muscle activations before your workouts? And you could also try moving your cleats backward just a bit, to remove some of the need for the calf to stabilize your forefoot.

6

Cleats are as rearward as can be, and much like the bike position, not changed in ages. Not sure about activating, nor how to do it! I do walk most lunches so I’m not totally deskbound.

I think it might just be the workouts are bloody hard and on the edge of my muscles!

7

My cramps come from too hard too long. What helps is; if I know I am going to be hurting as in a race type situation where backing off is not an option I take 2 capsules of magnesium a few hours before hand. This also works before bed time when I know those cramps will lock up the same muscles every time. I think that since a cramp is a contraction that won’t release the magnesium helps with the release.

My experience

8

Bit of a potential cause on top of intensity/time combo - thought I’d do a bit of basic yoga (Yoga with Adrienne has wonderful starter videos) and good lord my legs are not supple in the slightest!

So spectacularly inflexible! Might try and do 30 mins before work a few days a week.

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