Stiff legs in Z2

Every time I do a fasted Z2 workout when I’m about an hour in, my legs get really stiff to the point I think I’m going to start cramping. After 5 minutes it’s gone and I feel like I can go on forever.

Does anyone know what may be the cause of this?

Our bodies are weird, man.

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Heya Dragan,
i’ve been doing long endurance rides for years now and they have almost always been fasted.
I have experienced everything you can think of, including what you described. Sometimes, it happens after 15, sometimes after 30 minutes, sometimes after an hour or two. But it goes away just as quickly as is appears without me doing anything special.
I believe it has nothing to do with nutrition, since I managed to ride for 2+ hours after this happened while eating/drinking nothing, except water. And even water was drank in moderate amounts, so it’s very likely not dehydration.
But maybe someone can provide a more scientific answer than me :slight_smile:

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Could it be related to staying in the same position for so long?
I tend to not move at all during Z2 workouts on the trainer and don’t notice it until my butt starts to hurt, typically 50-55’ in. Moving a bit and standing up even if you don’t feel the need helps a lot.

Yeah, might be. I don’t move very much while I’m on the trainer, apart from minor shuffling around on the saddle.

@dragan What does your previous 2-5 days of training look like?

Sorry I missed this! I was actually on a rest week, so Z2 or long walks/hikes every day most likely.