Peter Cole said:Offhand I don't see why
running studies wouldn't also
be representative for cycling,
I think there are a lot of different things going on with our
muscles/nerves from the impact of running. The sensations of tightness
which don't seem very different from cramps seem much more
common/severe in running. And running involves a sort of muscle
contraction that's found only to a small amount in cycling -- where a
significant part of the muscles' work is resisting lengthening
(eccentric? negative? I forget the term), as opposed to shortening.
I've read that a common sort of cramp in running -- hamstring cramps
-- is often due to fatigue in the hamstrings from *stopping* the
motion of the leg. That sort of problem doesn't occur in cycling
because the muscles don't operate that way.
So running might be different.
Quoted message said:but my conclusion is
that the available science
seems to find EMACs more of a
fatigue phenomenon than anything else.
I can easily believe that, without fatigue, electrolyte depletion
alone won't cause cramps. But in the absense of studies about the
topic, I think experience counts for a lot. And along a continuum of
exercising on just water and carbs either in a drink or separately; or
water, carbs and electrolytes in a drink (a sports drink); or water,
carbs and electrolytes in a sports drink + salt pills; I and many
people have better experience with the latter two. In hot weather and
long workouts, the last of the three works best for me. Probably water
and carbs without electrolytes, plus the salt pills, or water and
carbs and pretzels... would work well too.
JT
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