Vitamins and Relief: Vitamin K for Leg Cramps

Most often, the effects of vitamins and vitamin deficiencies are spread over a period of time. If your body isn’t getting sufficient amounts of a particular vitamin, it may take weeks, months or even years of low levels before the effects are evident. And when you start a vitamin regimen, it may take a significant period of time for your body to begin exhibiting the effects of having sufficient levels.

Vitamin K – otherwise known as potassium – is commonly associated with leg cramps. If a Vitamin K deficiency is the cause of your leg cramps, it’s likely that adding the vitamin to your daily routine can give you ease in a relatively short period of time.

One of the bigger (but less commonly known) reasons for Vitamin K in the human body has to do with blood clotting. This vitamin allows blood to coagulate so that it forms clots naturally. This makes it important for anyone taking medications to thin the blood to carefully monitor the amount of Vitamin K they add to their body. If you’re taking an anti-coagulant drug, talk to your doctor before adding any vitamin to your daily routine or changing your diet – especially if those changes involve Vitamin K supplements or foods rich in Vitamin K.

One of the biggest myths about Vitamin K is that bananas are rich in Vitamin K and can be used instead of Vitamin K supplements. In fact, bananas are not a particularly good source of Vitamin K. For example, a half-cup of broccoli contains 200 times the amount of Vitamin K in a banana. Green vegetables are among the highest in Vitamin K content, with kale, turnip greens, broccoli and spinach heading the list. Cabbage, green beans and parsley are also included on the list of foods that are high in Vitamin K.

While the green foods are a good source of Vitamin K, they’re not the only source. You’ll also find that strawberries are a moderately high source of Vitamin K, as are dill pickles.

Not all the Vitamin K needed by the body is consumed. In fact, this is one of the few vitamins that the body actually helps manufacture. Babies don’t have much Vitamin K present in their bodies when they’re first born, therefore an infant’s blood may not clot as it should. To combat that, many hospitals give a shot of Vitamin K to babies soon after birth to start the body’s natural processing of this important vitamin.

Bob Benson is the founder of Vitamins online. You can check out our website at http://www.pharmaceutical-supplements.info

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Leg Sweeps - A Few Tips to Correct An Absurd Sweeping Practice

Step, sweep the leg.

Step again. Sweep to the other side.

I am not exactly sure why folks practice sweeping this way.

Note: At the beginning stage of learning leg sweeps, you need sheer repetition. But as soon as the proper technique has been practiced, martial artists need to make the leg sweep more realistic.

First Leg Sweep Error

So many of them practice sweeping the single foot. Many martial artists practice kick-sweeping by 'touching' their own foot lightly to their opponent's leg. The technique suggests a single-leg sweep, with no force behind the kick. This practice kick couldn't collapse one leg, let alone both. Hmmm. For a "fresh little change in life" ... figure out how to sweep both legs at the same time. As the feet come together, SWEEP!

Improve Your Leg Sweep

Leg Sweep Tip #1: If you are new to sweeping both legs at the same time, try lowering your sweep. Experiment with sweeping the ankles.

Don't be dainty when you leg sweep or ankle sweep. If you are going to sweep, make sure to catch those ankles with a solid motion. (Put pads on your partner, to keep him or her safe.)

Leg Sweep Tip #2: Don't look down at the ankles before you sweep. Your eyes could accidentally telegraph your intent. Don't give your opponent any warning, if you can help it.

Leg Sweep Tip #3:Practice generating a lot of kick power from a short distance. This is another, "don't give any extra warning" piece of advice. If you start your kick close to the leg, then your opponent gets less advanced notice of your intent.

Remember, change your normal one-foot-sweep-practice so you catch two birds with one sweep, OK? And if one bird does 'hop' and get away -- you can still kick the remaining ankle. Try a leg sweep again ... immediately.

For more on practical fighting, download my new, free ebooklet, Street Fighting -- Ready for Anyone and Anything

For another article on martial arts kicking, read Speed Kicking.

Here's a site about punching harder and faster ... Free Punching ebook.

Keith Pascal is a martial-arts writer and has taught martial arts for 25 years.

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Stomach Cramps - Things to Ponder During Menopause

Menopause is a transition stage in a woman's life when she stops menstruating for over 12 months continuously. When menopause sets in, the ovaries stop production of eggs, resulting in irregular menstrual activity that eventually ceases. Other hormonal changes occur and symptoms like stomach cramps, pain in the leg, irritability, mood swings, hot flashes and decrease in bone density accompany menopause.

Menopause usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 55, and is a natural event in every woman's life. It comes with its own string of health issues, be they physical or emotional, and can be a particularly trying time for those who suffer side effects of menopausal symptoms. They are just ways in which our body reacts to the decrease in production of female hormones.

Menopause and Stomach Cramps: Symptoms

Some women (the luckiest of the lot) may experience few symptoms, while others complain of mild to severe ones. However, the reassuring part is that the variation is normal. Women experiencing pelvic pain or cramps during menopause may recall suffering the same right before or during their menstrual periods and this may have a link to their hormonal cycle.

A common phenomenon during menstruation, this pelvic pain is termed as dysmenorrhea. However, if these stomach cramps occur during menopause and are severe enough to interfere with daily activities, then the cause may be an underlying condition and should be checked by a doctor.

Menopause and Stomach Cramps: Treatments

Stomach cramps experienced during menopause may be for a long period or occur infrequently for a short spell. If intense uterine contractions occur due to the hormonal changes taking place during menopause and are too prolonged, medical treatment for the cause may be necessary to get relief. Some Over the Counter (OTC) drugs are available to reduce pain and discomfort associated with them and those medications that do not contain steroids are preferable.

Other pleasurable options (since most of the gentler species would consider a pleasurable option to a merely therapeutic one) are, for menopausal women to enjoy a good, long soak in a hot bath or use a heating pad on the abdomen. The heat from the hot water or pad helps in increasing the blood flow and this reduces these or muscle spasms.

Menopause and Stomach Cramps: Psychological Counseling

A nutritionally balanced, healthy diet, regular physical exercise, sufficient rest, cutting back on alcohol intake and cigarette smoking also helps in reducing them during menopause. If the stomach cramps are so severe that they prevent you from enjoying your routine activities and timely rest does not help, it can be due to some other physical or emotional/behavioral disorders.

This kind of abdominal cramp can manifest itself in other ways and worsen behavioral symptoms like irritability, hostility, aggressive behavior, anxiety and depression. For treating this properly, it is very important for a woman to speak to someone she can confide in about any troublesome issues she may be facing or seek medical/psychological counseling to bring out the underlying issue so it can be dealt with effectively.

Doctors recommend a positive change in lifestyle and advice all such women to eat a balanced diet, take their vitamins on time, incorporate regular exercise in their life and learn to take things easier. These tips go a long way in reducing stress, the underlying cause for stomach cramps and menopause discomfort.

To learn exactly how to eliminate menopause symptoms visit http://www.howtoconquermenopause.com

To learn more about stomach cramps and everything you need to know about other menopause symptoms, go to http://www.everythingmenopause.com/articles/stomach_cramps.htm

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Important Facts About Wearing Maternity Support Hose

There are many term of words that are used when searching for maternity panty hose, maternity panties hose, maternity panty and maternity panties. For a women expecting a baby, will be needing one of the following of maternity support hosiery, maternity support stocking, maternity support pantyhose, maternity support panty hose or maternity support hose. An expert on hosiery products, carries a large selection of maternity hosiery products. Read on to get expert advice on maternity hosiery!

Wearing maternity support pantyhose is an important way of taking care of your body during pregnancy. Wearing strong maternity support hose and maternity body shapers will aid circulation problems in the legs, reduce swelling and potentially aid in preventing future varicose veins and other ailments. Varicose veins are swollen veins that may bulge near the surface of the skin. These sometimes squiggly, blue or purple veins are most likely to show up in your legs although sometimes they do appear in other places. Many women first develop varicose veins or find that they get worse during pregnancy. As your uterus grows, it puts pressure on the large vein on the right side of your body (the inferior vena cava), which in turn increases pressure in the leg veins. Veins are the blood vessels that return blood from your extremities to your heart, so the blood in your leg veins is already working against gravity. By wearing maternity support hosiery, with doctor's guidance, it will help prevent varicose vein swelling.

The changes in your body and extra weight by the growing infant's body may cause you to have leg problems including edema, varicose veins, circulation issues, and leg pain. Wearing maternity support hosiery during pregnancy will prevent or ease varicose veins, a common effect of pregnancy and edema. Depending on pre-existing conditions, maternity support pantyhose comes in different compression strengths.

Leg cramps during pregnancy can be caused by calcium deficiency and/or poor circulation. The pressure of the baby on blood vessels and nerves that lead to your legs may also be a factor in leg cramps. Wearing support stockings, maternity support hose, resting with your legs elevated and exercising moderately will help decrease your leg cramps.

Pregnancy also increases the risk of vein inflammation with formation of blood clots (thrombophlebitis). This can destroy valves (leading to varicose veins). It would be a good idea to ask your doctor to prescribe a maternity support pantyhose or maternity support hosiery to assist with your leg blood circulation.

Most leg problems are due to poor circulation since your blood and veins need to work against gravity to get the blood back up to your heart. During pregnancy, though, your expanding belly, coupled with the extra pressure your baby puts on your body causes your veins to dilate and work much less efficiently. As your pregnancy progresses, you've probably learned to accept that your feet and ankles will always be swollen by the end of the day, your nightly leg cramps will routinely wake you up and those varicose veins may just be unavoidable. While all of these discomforts of pregnancy are normal, imagine if you could stop or even prevent them just by wearing maternity support pantyhose.

Maternity support hosiery, known as graduated-compression stockings, work best and are available from maternity stores, or online. These maternity stockings are twice as thick as normal pantyhose. Tight at the ankle, they get looser as they go up the leg, making it easier for blood to flow back up toward your heart. As a result, they help prevent swelling and may keep your varicose veins from getting worse. Put on maternity pantyhose before getting out of bed in the morning, while you're still lying down, to prevent blood from pooling in your legs, and keep them on all day. Wearing graduated compression stockings has been clinically proven to effectively prevent varicose veins and blood clots. It even relieves many uncomfortable symptoms, which occur in your legs during pregnancy. Maternity support hose may also avoid fatigue and heaviness.

Maternity compression stockings are not your typical pair of nylon stockings. A medically accepted way to treat a host of leg discomforts, medical compression hosiery is a great alternative to surgery when it comes to relieving minor to major leg issues like leg cramps, varicose veins and swelling. Regular support hose don't help the efficiency of the calf muscle pump. Non-graduated compression may actually cause more harm than good by creating a tourniquet effect. Maternity support hosiery provides a safe and effective pregnancy support.

Made of soft, breathable fabric, comfortable compression stockings will help keep your legs healthy all through your pregnancy. Maternity support hose work by promoting circulation and the return of blood back up to your heart through the venous system. They apply gradual amounts of pressure to your leg, with the most compression occurring at your ankle and lessening the further up the leg you go. While maternity compression hose may sound similar to a tensor bandage, it is not the same thing. In fact, using a tensor bandage to relieve swelling or leg pain may actually make the problem worse by cutting off your circulation completely.

If you have a family history of varicose veins or if you develop them during pregnancy, the best course of action would be wearing maternity support stockings. It would not be possible to depend on the over the counter maternity support tights or maternity support hosiery.

If you need a maternity support stockings personally fitted, then you will need to see a vein specialist.

Maternity support stockings and maternity support hosiery are recognized as a medically accepted device. Therefore, many insurance companies will cover the cost of the stockings as long as you have a doctor's prescription. Although support hose are a much cheaper and more convenient form of treatment compared to surgery for varicose veins, they are typically much more expensive than regular pantyhose.

Feel free to browse around in our maternity support hosiery product page by visiting LegLuxe and you will also find maternity compression hosiery in that group as well.

Jack Lombardi is an expert in women's health. Jack happily provides useful advice for women that are experiencing leg problems during pregnancy. Jack also writes several other articles on different topics providing in-depth understanding of women health issues.

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Getting Rid of Those Painful Running Cramps

If you’ve been suffering serious cramps for some time, by the end of this article you’ll begin to feel like there is a solution to your problem.

As a professional trainer and spots nutritionist, I’ve come upon this problem almost every day and almost every day I’ve been able to offer some advice that works – even if you think you’ve tried everything.

The most obvious places to start is in the cause of cramps – and here are the most popular ‘theories’ at the moment:

• Loss of electrolytes
• Low energy
• Poor flexibility
• Over-stimulation/fatigue
• Excessive heat
• Not enough fluid – poor hydration
• Medical reasons• Over-training / Poor training program
• Poor nutrition / nutritional deficiency• Inadequate blood supply
• Nerve compression

With so many possible causes of cramp it’s really no surprise when well-intentioned advice such as, “eat more bananas, you need potassium” or “drink more water”, doesn’t work for you. After all, musicians get cramps an hardly need to take on more water and potassium is one of the most common minerals in our food and in over-supply in the majority of sports drinks . . . in fact it’s two other minerals that are most likely to be the culprit in terms of electrolyte deficiency (and it’ not sodium either).

The solution lies in finding ALL OF THE CAUSES that are applicable to YOU and applying the correct preventative treatment.

In fact, it’s this theory of ‘overlapping cause’ and treatment that you should focus on to prevent your cramps. It’s been my experience that the reason many people aren’t able to beat their cramps is that their trying to focus on one thing only instead of attacking it from several angles.

For example – it’s pretty common for marathon runners to get cramps in the last third of the race. This most obvious reasons are loss of fluid and electrolytes, lack of energy, excess fatigue. However other very important factors for a marathoner to consider are their nutritional state and training / flexibility techniques – for example, it’s common for runners to start to get cramps on ‘hilly’ courses.

If you suffer from cramps regularly then by using a combination of several ‘techniques’ then you’re going to increase your chances of completing the race or event, cramp-free.

Copyright: www.Running-Cramp-Relief.com

Paul Newland is a health and nutrition consultant, trainer, martial arts instructor, commercial helicopter pilot and author. His Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide is one of the internet's leading health information books and is the definitive guide to preventing, treating and curing cramps associated with exercise. In the Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide Newland speaks with 6 health, sports, nutrition, medical and complimentary health care professionals and explains why you get cramps, the best ways to treat them and how to prevent them from happening again.

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Calf Cramps - How To Get More Gain For Less Pain!

I cannot imagine that there is anyone past the age of about 10, that has never had calf cramps. Let's face it, they are horrible. From having no pain and full movement to excruciating agony in a matter of seconds. I think that you can relate to that. If you are into sports though, calf cramps are far more common, and can stop you in your tracks. So what are calf cramps exactly? Anyone competing in sports know that they usually occur after strenuous exercise. But what about those poor folk who wake up with cramps for no discernable reason. So, how do they occur?

How Calf Cramps Can Occur
=========================

Although not an exhaustive list by any means, here are some common causes of calf cramps

• Dehydration: If you are involved in any sports, especially if you are serious about it, you should always ensure that you maintain your fluid levels. As you get hot, your body sweats, and you lose fluid. If these fluids are not replaced, there is a danger of dehydration, and dehydration can accelerate the onset of calf cramps.

• Over tiredness: If you exercise longer or harder than you are used to, there is a danger of calf cramps. Sometimes, in competitive situations, this can be difficult to avoid, but in training, you should increase demands on your body slowly, so that it can get used to it. That is the purpose of training after all. If you train to peak fitness in competition, the likelihood of calf cramps or any injury for that matter, is reduced.

• Vitamin deficiencies: There is speculation that that athletes who get calf cramps could suffer from low levels of potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.

• Poor warm up: It is vital that you warm your body up carefully before any exercise. If you don't stretch your calves properly for example, they continually stay contracted and are thus more susceptible to cramps.

• Poor circulation: I can attest to this myself. When I was young, I played a lot of soccer, and used shin guards to protect the front of my legs. To keep the shin guards in place, I used ties to hold my socks up. More than once, during a strenuous game, my calves tightened up and cramped. The cause, I am sure, was poor circulation as a result of tight sock ties.

Some of these causes will have obvious remedies for example. I shouldn't have tied up my socks so tight for example! If cramps occur during exercise, then stretching the calf whilst massaging can alleviate the pain, and stop the muscle from tightening. However, there are other things that you can do which might stop the problem occurring.

• Stretch your muscles before exercise as part of a regular warm up routine. Try and warm down after exercise as well.

• Ensure that you stay properly hydrated during exercise and drink plenty of water

The article was written by Charlie Cory, who is the owner of Home Fitness Online, a website dedicated to providing advice about attaining higher levels of fitness from the comfort of your own home.

You can visit his website about calf cramps.

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Getting Rid of Muscle Cramps

What do we want to know about muscle cramps? How does this affect our daily living? How can we stop muscle cramps? These are the questions that we usually ask having these muscle pain problems.

Body:

Several times, I have experienced waking up in the middle of the night because of painful leg cramps. Whenever that happens, I just wait for the cramps to subside, suffering the pain silently not daring to move a muscle. It was so painful I cannot move because the pain just gets more intense. Recently, the cramps I experience at night have become more frequent. What I fear most is that one night the pain might not subside anymore. I would not know what to do if that ever happened. Finally, my lack of knowledge had motivated me to learn more about muscle cramps and what I can do to prevent or treat it.

Cramps are actually abnormal contractions of muscles which may occur in various parts of the body. Muscles naturally contract as a means of facilitating movement. However, muscles function in such as way that its contraction and relaxation happen simultaneously at differing rates depending on the speed of movements made. Cramps happen when a muscle or group of muscles contract for a long period of time without being able to relax alternately. The prolonged contracted state of the muscle causes it to feel fatigued and painful. Some muscle cramps last only for a few seconds or minutes while certain health conditions such as tetanus may cause a muscle to cramp for hours.

Muscle cramps happen due to various reasons. Some studies conducted previously had indicated the influence of diabetes, being flat-footed, prolonged sitting, and dehydration as possible reasons for having muscle cramps. Medications such as diuretics may cause certain electrolytes and nutrients to deplete rapidly from a person's body which in turn can result to muscle cramping. Basically, to avoid having muscle cramps, these causes should be avoided or eliminated. However, I still wondered if there are more techniques which can be possibly utilized to further avoid the possibility of experiencing the torturous situation.

When I asked my doctor-friends about this, they were able to provide more information about this. Some of the things they told me are the same information I had researched previously. Still, a lot more new details were added to my knowledge. They told me that some studies had indicated the benefit of stretching and regular exercise included prevention of muscle cramps. Drinking more fluids especially during rigorous activities and using comfortable footwear that support the natural arch of the feet also helped prevent cramping. According to them, medications are supposed to be a person's last resort, if that is still possible. However, if the cramping already occurs too often and the pain is already too intense then the use of medications is already necessary.

Usual medications that are prescribed by doctors as muscle relaxants include soma and carisoprodol. These medications, however, are not given over the counter. Therefore, obtaining a prescription from doctors is necessary before a person is able to use and will be able to benefit from these treatments. Not only because my friends were doctors which is why they emphasized this, but I also understood their point that a consultation with a medical professional is really important prior to using any form of medication. This is because even if medicinal drugs are known for the benefits they bring, they are also famous for their side effects. Some side effects can be really fatal that it is dangerous to take even the slightest chances or risks. To avoid untoward complications, it is better, then, to follow the advice of those who know better.

Melai Karaan, a well known writer on Health and Fitness who is active advocate on the Awareness of Health Consciousness. Did you find this article helpful and interesting? Know more and visit us at Buy Soma

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Leg Pains – Dietary and Ayurvedic Treatment, Home Remedies

Pains in the legs could be due to joint pains or due to muscle cramps. Joint pains are generally observed in arthritis, a condition which sets in as the person’s advances in age. In arthritis, the articulation of the bones gradually wears out over time, leading to pains whenever they function. This is called as Aama Vata in Ayurvedic language.

Muscle cramps usually affect the muscles of the leg. It is known as Khalli Vata in Ayurveda. There is a special term for the muscle cramps that affect only the calf muscles, and that is Pindikoveshtana. From an Ayurvedic point of view, almost all pains are caused due to vitiation of the vata dosha. Specifically in leg pains due to muscle cramps, the Vyana vata is vitiated. This is a sub-dosha of the vata which controls the involuntary muscles of the body.

Pains occur when there is an ama buildup in the body. Ama is the name given to the toxic materials caused due to improper digestion that cannot be expelled from the body. Such ama causes several problems, including leg pains. Ama is built up due to high agni, i.e. digestive fire, which is governed by the pitta dosha. Hence there is also a pitta relation with the leg pains.

(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Leg Pains

1. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)
Clove oil is applied on the affected leg muscle as a poultice. It provides immediate relief from pains, especially if they are due to muscle cramps.

2. Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Ginger has wonderful painkilling properties. It must be included in the daily diet if muscular pains in the legs are a chronic problem.

3. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Licorice is very effective in relieving muscle aches. An infusion of its roots must be prepared in water and kept overnight. This helps in almost all kinds of muscle problems.

4. Madhuca (Madhuca indica)
Madhuca has positive effects on leg pains, especially if they are due to rheumatism. Its oil is applied locally over the affected regions.

5. Pepper (Piper nigrum)
Pepper helps in dilating the superficial blood vessels, thus helping in proper blood circulation. It also has analgesic properties and can be used as a liniment in muscular problems.

(2) Dietary Treatments for Leg Pains

Since improper digestion can cause leg pains, care must be taken not to eat anything that can cause digestive problems. Do not consume constipating foods; keep your diet simple. Consume plenty of green vegetables and leafy vegetables that contain fiber. Vitamin C obtained from amalaki, oranges and tomatoes is also good for digestion. After each meal, make it a habit to eat a plantain instead of some calorie-rich dessert like ice-cream. A plantain is a food that is extremely rich in minerals of potassium, magnesium and calcium. Hence it is extremely beneficial for proper metabolism within the leg region. Avoid coffee and chocolate if you have persistent leg pain problems.

The importance of adequate amount of fluids cannot be stressed enough. Dehydration is a leading cause of leg pains. Keep drinking one glass of water every waking hour to prevent dehydratiom.

(3) Ayurvedic Treatments for Leg Pains

There are good oils in Ayurveda that are used for external application over the affected legs. If the muscle pains have occurred suddenly, then most likely they are cramps. In such cases, Mahanarayana tailam or Praharini tailam are applied to get relief. Warming the oils a bit and then applying has better effects.

For internal administration, Sinhanaada Guggulu is prescribed. This drug is also a mild laxative. So it will also correct whatever digestive problems may be there with the system. Other commonly prescribed medicines are Laxmivilasa rasa and Pratapa Lankeshwara rasa.

(4) Home Remedies for Leg Pains

1 If you have regular complains of pains in the legs, then there are some simple exercises you can do in order to get relief from them. Some of them are described:-
a) Lie on your back on a firm bed. Wear some loose clothing over the legs, such as shorts or pajamas. Raise your legs gradually in the air, as far as they can go. The heels should point skywards. Hold the legs in this stretched position for about ten seconds and then bring them down again. Do this five times per session, and repeat the exercise thrice a day.
b) Alternatively you can stand facing a wall at an arm’s length distance from it. Stretch out your arms and touch the wall with your open palms. Then slowly pull yourself forward (towards the wall). Feel the stretching pressure building up in your legs. Hold yourself in this stretched position for about ten seconds and then let go. Do this five times per session, and repeat the exercise thrice a day.
c) Even Yoga has several leg stretching exercises that can be used with great positive effects. These exercises are Uttanpadasana, Janusandhi and Gomukhasana.

2 If the cramps occur when performing an exercise workout or some physical activity, then have a glass of lemon water with a pinch of salt in it.

3 If you have leg pains in the joints due to arthritis, then crush two to three cloves of garlic and add them to a glass of diluted milk. Boil it to quarter its amount and drink it just before bedtime.

4 Applying a hot pack or fomenting the leg with steam helps to improve circulation in the leg and eases the pain. Even applying cold packs helps. This will reduce the blood flow into the leg region and help the muscle to relax.

5 Put one part of camphor in twenty parts of mustard oil. Keep this in the sun till the time the camphor properly dissolves in the oil. Use this oil to massage the leg on a daily basis.

6 If you get a sudden sprain in the leg, then prepare a paste of turmeric with lime and salt and apply it on the affected part.

Read more on Ayurvedic Treatments for leg Pains at http://www.ayushveda.comRead more about Ayurveda at World's Largest Portal on Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Remedies: Ayushveda.com - The Free Ayurvedic Encyclopedia

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Training to Prevent Running Cramps

You can help prevent running cramps by performing exercises that create change in your program. By this I mean doing things that aren’t part of the normal routine – mixing it up, if you will. A by-product of this training is that it is sure to enhance running power, speed and performance.

Following are some suggestions to add to your training program. The idea is to get the muscle fatigued in different ways:

1) Tempo training – work on getting your stride rate up to 180 per minute. This is a must for all runners.

2) Interval training – involves training such as ‘Fartlek’ where you vary your speed during an exercise period of around 45 minutes. Developed by Swedish Coach Gosta Holma, Fartlek translates as ‘speed play’.

3) One-leg squats – the benefits of learning to squat with one leg include more strength, flexibility and muscular coordination.

4) Hill training – my favourite and very applicable for people who suffer running calf cramps and especially if you plan on racing on a hilly course. Racing on hills is almost guaranteed to cause leg cramping, particularly in the latter stages of an event. This is because of the high workload placed on a small muscle group.

5) Running with a weighted vest or pack.

6) Hill training with a weighted vest or pack.

7) Soft sand running – ideal to develop strength in the feet and calves.

Combinations of the above – for example, perform interval training while running up a sand hill using hand weights.

You can also focus on different aspects more or less at different times of the year. For example, I prefer to do a lot more soft sand running and hill work in the cooler months.

All of these running-specific exercises will improve your running strength and your calf strength and endurance making them more resilient when it comes to the big race or event.

And if you’re a very experienced runner, then incorporating some more varied sessions can not only help you with leg cramps, you can use it as a way to actually reduce the distances you run in training and still maintain the same times or go even faster.

This kind of goes against what most people think, however I’m of the firm opinion that as we get more experienced, less is better.

And if you take a look at many of the older Olympic athletes, they sure don’t train the distances they trained when they first started out. They use competition, appropriate rest and specialised training sessions as the basis of their plan.

For other sports, you could talk with your coach and team mates and design training games that focus on and mimic some of the most difficult physical movements demanded of your body.

Ideally this type of training should form around 20 to 25% of your routine – any more and you could start to sacrifice speed for strength.

Monitor the results over a period of 6 months and be flexible in terms of how you construct your training plan

Copyright - http://www.Running-Cramp-Relief.com

Paul Newland is a health and nutrition consultant, trainer, martial arts instructor, commercial helicopter pilot and author. His Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide is the definitive guide to preventing, treating and curing cramps associated with exercise. In the Ultimate Cramp Busting Guide Newland speaks with 6 health, sports, nutrition, medical and complimentary health care professionals and explains why you get cramps, the best ways to treat them and how to prevent them from happening again.

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