How to deal with cramps when swimming & How to avoid them
CRAMPS!! We all get them sometime or another but it reallllly sucks when you’ve bound both legs in a tail and even worse when you're performing or around children who believe you are a real life mermaid.
There is not much you can do to really deal with them other than staying as still as possible and finding ways to stretch while in tail. Sometimes they go away on their own and other you smile, hope no one will notice and keep swimming with pain until you have a chance to escape.
So, here are some helpful tips on how to avoid them!
•Make sure you are well hydrated! Drink plenty of water before, after, & DURING your swim. Dehydration can lead to many other problems, major and minor, to your health like constant fatigue, dry skin, infrequent urination, constipation, kidney stones, dry mouth, liver or kidney disfunction, and of course cramps!
•As for your diet, you NEED to stock up on your electrolytes: potassium, magnesium, & calcium! Sweat contains a significant amount of electrolytes like sodium, calcium, and magnesium. When you sweat, even in a pool, you lose these important electrolytes. Electrolytes carry energy your body needs for muscle contractions and nerve impulses through your body fluids.
•Always remember to warm up and stretch before diving in! Personally, I stretch before every swim. Just like every exercise, you need to warm your muscles up and relax them before you put them to work! The best stretches I've found is the elbow pull, wall leans, the pretzel pose, the model pose, butterfly, the child pose, and the cat pose!
•Remember to use your core muscles & not your knees while swimming. When you kick with your knees or ankles not only will you get killer cramps but you’ll also put unnecessary stress on your joints! You should always be using the dolphin kick when in tail or just using your arms to stay afloat. Swimming with your core when in the dolphin kick looks more graceful and natural anyways!
•And finally you must PRACTICE! You may be lacking the strength in certain areas which is okay. All tails are different. Some may be heavier or harder to swim with. Practice your dolphin kick routinely and you should develop the muscles required for mermaid swimming in no time. If you feel a cramp coming on, stop and take a break if you can. Practice make mer-fect!
Always remember that a healthy lifestyle is the best lifestyle for you, your health, and your mermaiding. You should find what works best for you and consult with your doctor if needed to find the best path for you!
How do you beat the cramps?
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