I need help with cramping!

[Sal Paradise]

I have always had an issue with muscle cramps but this recent bout is horrible.
I am fairly sure I keep hydrated I drink well ove a gallon of water a day. Closer to 1 1/2.
I don't cut salt out of anthing becasue that has caused me problems in the past and I even tried potassium tabs.
I didn't megaload them but there shouldn't be a need for that anyway.

I am really at wits end. It used to be my hamstrings were an issue. Not so much anymore and I am REALLY glad of that. There would be times I was literally on the floor in misery.
But lately it is my arms (bicep mostly) and my lats. My abs cramp up quite a bit while having sex but I have a good humored wife so she just laughs at me until it passes.

But honestly this is beginning to be a real problem.

I took a shower tonight after working out and my arms cramped so bad while washing my hair I had to put my hand between my legs to straighten it out.


Any help or opinions would be very, very much appreciated.

Thanks

[Hoopie]

I was told to use CMZ for cramping. Its made by VPX sports. waiting for it to come in now. Bodyfx is the one that told me to use it when i asked him about how to get rid of the cramping.

[beckie]

have you tried magnesium? My Dad used to get bad leg cramps and they stopped when he started taking that.

[Sal Paradise]

I have not tried either of those.
Do you know what CMZ consist of?

Beckie - I didn't even know magnesium was useful for such a thing!

I will defintely check out both.
I am really suffering with this.

Thanks a million.

[Hoopie]

calcium chelate
dicalcium malate
potassium
zinc
iron
boron
manganese
chromium

[Sal Paradise]

Thanks Hoopie!!

[Hoopie]

no problem

[youngblood]

I've always heard that a main reason people cramp is due to electrolyte imbalance. Sounds like you've covered that though; potassium, sodium and chloride are the electrolytes if memory serves properly?
Hmmm, not sure what to tell you, since generally I recommend a little bit of gatorade, or something similar.
I'd be curious as to what solves/helps your problem.

[mrbeefy]

I concur with all the above, especially YB on the electrolyites and gatorade (potassium).

Also....stretching and massage, a little before, a little during, and a lot after. Stretch the facia to get all that pumped up blood out into the muscle for recovery and growth.

[Rich]

I'm no expert at all, however I had trouble recently with cramping, and a good friend of mine pointed out that with me, it was most likely a defense mechanism due to lack of stretching the antagonist muscle. So for example, if your triceps were not properly stretched, and you worked them hard, they'd be contracting pretty forcefully. His theory was that that would make the biceps cramp in defense, to keep from getting overstretched. With me, it was my back cramping - bad - after a chest workout. I started stretching my chest before and during presses, and I stopped having trouble with my back cramping.

I don't know if that makes any sense at all.

[Sal Paradise]

Thanks everyone.
I will be looking into all of this.

I was up until 4 am this morning with cramps and pain.
Nighttime seems to be the worst but that may be simply becasue I am less mobile and don't keep moving.