Intense workouts cause leg cramps
I make more of an effort to sufficiently stretch the leg muscles.
My workouts always include some type of high-intensity aerobics. I incorporate lots of jumping rope, running, squats and lunges. I often go through a variety of mountain climbers, burpees and squat thrusts. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve had some problems due to the wear and tear on my leg muscles. I can live with sore muscles and joints. However, the leg cramps during the night are horrible. Shortly after I crawl into bed, my calf muscles begin to seize up. The pain is excruciating and sleep is impossible. I apply a pain-relieving ointment to my calves before going to bed. I take turmeric, magnesium and ibuprofen every night. I sometimes need to wrap both legs in heating pads in order to avoid the cramps and get some sleep. There are times when I am forced to get out of bed and stretch my muscles. I’ve read up on muscle cramps and learned that they can be caused by overworked muscles and dehydration. I am unwilling to give up on my level of physical fitness. I have found that I can take a couple days of the week and focus more on strength training. I have also purchased a stationary bike that allows me to elevate my heart rate and burn calories without hard impact. I now devote a lot more time to a thorough warm up prior to exercising and a cool down at the conclusion of the session. I make more of an effort to sufficiently stretch the leg muscles. I also have doubled my water intake during the workout. After exercising, I add a powder to a bottle of water. This powder contains all sorts of electrolytes, vitamins and middles that help to prevent the symptoms of dehydration.