Marathon Running Technique: How to Prevent Muscle Cramps

[@XFS540]

Did my first marathon last week. Cramping destroyed my second half, and I crossed the finish line a good deal later than I wanted to. I will keep these tips in mind.

[@connorbranscome2618]

Same

[@ryanblackburn]

Me too. It was a huge bummer to watch my goal slip away after 18 miles on pace to finish with time to spare.

[@jamesdrury6627]

OMG you just described my exact experience this week end in my first Marathon

[@deeps10]

Just did my third marathon, and for first time ever I experienced cramps, I've never had cramps for any race or training. Unfortunately I registered a dnf, but I was trying to get a PB sub 4hr. Good video I'll take this in to consideration

[@bushko85]

Great content. Just ran a marathon yesterday with lots of downhills and downhills. Now I know why I was camping so badly and what I need to do in the future. Thank you!

[@DPLZNT]

Ran CIM a couple weeks ago and cramped from mile 10 to the end. Hurt like hell!

[@dkny9954]

Wished I watched this weeks before first marathon few weekends ago, 01:34 ish Half Marathon split - finished 03:50. Bombed and full on cramps/locked legs at mile 18, finished 03:50

[@User-zzyyxxvv]

That’s exactly my problem in marathons. I keep an ok pace but after the half way point starting mile 15-16 it my legs start to get tight, hamstrings and glutes are shot, form breaks down and all of a sudden I’m working super hard and the pace dramatically slows down. I’m going to try this my next marathon. I wanna finish a marathon strong for once. Thanks

[@sleeppainfree7810]

Powerful video! Anyone watch this BEFORE a run!?

[@KGBSim247]

I tried the lifting of legs men it was like I made a big mistake my leg just locked with a major cramp. I found that more effective early during the race not when one is fatigued. The mobility and posture makes sense thanks.

[@maxmensah5877]

Funny. Lol

[@lisanordquist8434]

Thanks for this! i will definitely work on these things for my future long runs. It makes sense!

[@josephmac1137]

Awesome content thank you sir.

[@lactom]

One of the best running channel on KZbin! Every words that comes out of your mouth make perfect sense to me.

[@TheRunExperience]

So awesome to hear this! Thanks for sharing.

[@karinapena7520]

How abt that annoying cramp on your side ??

[@RuffPackt]

I’ll take that over a leg cramp any day

[@seanbriones8642]

1:11 turn up the volume

[@rajeshmylavarapu5515]

Thank you for sharing the techniques

[@massi888]

Thank you really appreciate the tips

[@orationspeakers1081]

Thank you!

[@maxenz0r]

Thanks so much. Your tips make sense to me, it's about mechanism disorder. I experience cramps in every races with more than 15km. I can feel it goes wrong when the pace is much higher than in traning There is this persistent belief that the problem cannot be anything else that hydratation. But every people with this problem drink water more than the average population, eat kilos of bananas for the magnesium, an so on. Thanks for this uncommon approach.

[@luxchromatix7687]

Huge Fan of this Channel! Is there a vid about Finger Numbness/Swelling during long runs?

[@ramiint]

i ran on Friday my first marathon. i followed your tips and they worked very well with me...thank you 👍🤞

[@TheRunExperience]

Fantastic!

[@patriciahernandez2132]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge!!

[@scottprice1223]

Great stuff!

[@danielmccarthyy]

I ran 23.5 miles fasted and took in no food or water. For the last two miles, the top of the front of my thighs started hurting. It was not a cramp. I did not hit the wall. I think I ran out of some electrollyte like Ca+. Any idea which one? I might stock up on it nexst time.

[@PrasenjitSarkarSingapore]

Very valuable tips! I'm sure to implement these during my next long run, having suffered cramps during each and every half-marathon or full-marathon I've run in the last ten years. The only one I'm not sure I can do once the cramps come on is the high butt-kicks since these only aggravate my hamstring cramps. :)

[@TheRunExperience]

Well let's avoid the extra hammy-cramp... but beyond that, hopefully these tips will help keep you from cramping up for the next years (and beyond!). Good luck!

[@TigerStyleTraining]

Do you have any trails you suggest running in and around the bay?

[@rattlin9194]

I'm pretty sure this was made just for me 🤠 I do a lot of hill-running with weight and usually somewhere between 10-12mi almost all of my leg muscles go at once. 1st- inner thighs, then Calfs, then shins (really 😧), and finally hamstrings (Inc that little bit connecting glutes to them!) So I limp/waddle for about a mile downhill until things ease up again. Explored all the other possibilities (salts, fatigue, dehydration, ginetics and stretching) but everything said here about caidance (however spelt..) and posture completely fits. I usually look like the elephant-mans crippled grandmother by about mile-10 🧟 Cheers!👍

[@matthiasraspe5928]

Great discussion (and not focusing only on the hydration/electrolytes) of this well-too-known experience, hitting my last 10k at Berlin... Are there also some quick things to avoid cramping esp. at hamstrings and calves? So where lifting up the feet or legs is not easily applicable (as they lead to immediate cramp shots) etc.?

[@xsinclair6671]

thank you! I love your explanations! I am a new runner (20 miles per week walk/running) planning to complete the Disney marathon January 2017. I know I am behind the curve on trauning, but not giving up! I have been getting shin and calf cramps lately, since upping my mileage, and I think hydration is more of an issue for me? I run in FL... Super hot most of the day. How much water should I get in before a morning run of 3-5 miles? Are squats and lunges the best exercises for posture for new runners?

[@TheRunExperience]

Hi! Thanks for reaching out to us! Check out this video we did with expert Elizabeth Inpyn on hydration for runners. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHSsqHScfteMY6s And as far as strength exercises go, yes those will get you running strong, as practiced correctly. There are other exercises you can do as well, to test your core strength in other positions. Our channel is full of them to check out :)

[@lionskickass]

thanks for your vid

[@lionskickass]

just ran my first 37 k and ran into this problem my left ham cramped up at 29k, both of my legs were very sore it was 20 degrees at most outside and i did have 2 bottles of water so not sure if it was dehydration but i did lack the steching before i ran. i had a steady pace going and was doing well but again at 28-29 k my legs felt heavy and my ham really locked up:( i walked the rest and couldn't run again. Not sure if it was lack of water or lack of stretching ?? my longest run before this was 26k and my legs felt pretty weak at the end of that so not sure if it was lack of training for a 37 -41k?

[@ashishpatwal9322]

Nice talking on leg cramps. Now I will give my legs some days off to reduce muscle fatigue.

[@andilemadlala8191]

Sounds exactly like my problem

[@sandraburns3470]

😃👌

[@LordQuiche]

I get cramps in my calves in OCR races, I don’t normally get cramps with normal trail running though....

[@oduran3654]

thanks for posting this Nate. I have had this problem on every single marathon. I thought by strengthen the muscles and watching my intake, it would fix the problem, but a few weeks ago on Chicago I cramped one again..I will work on my posture to engage other group of muscles..thanks again!!!

[@TheRunExperience]

Absolutely! It will take some time to build that endurance in your position, but with enough repetition and overall position strengthening, you should be running cramp-free in no time. Keep it up!

[@javaeeguy]

I started my full marathon training from june this year. I was doing 30-35km long runs. I never used to lose more salt from my body, but i always used to get problem with my left calf muscle. After 20-25km my left calf muscle becomes very stiff and starts paining and i will not able to move once this happens. Same thing happened on last sunday where i did my first full marathon, till 25km i was managing 4:55-5min/km and suddenly my left calf muscle started giving problem and slowed down completely. Some how managed to finish the remaining 17km with run+walk. I hydrated well through out the course, i took gels every 30-35min interval and i didnt lose any salt from my body also. Any idea why this happens? And what should i do inorder to avoid this?

[@TheRunExperience]

Everyone is a little different, but it sounds like you could use some work on the lower leg- keeping it both mobile, and extra strengthened. Check out this other video we did on the calves! kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYPLqGmrr8-Ml80

[@javaeeguy]

Thank you. Will follow this and check it on my runs in the next coming runs

[@TheRunExperience]

Great!

[@Sam68436]

Any tips for having pains in the foot every time I run now I get a lot of pressure there

[@TheRunExperience]

Check out our videos on feet/ankles. Chances are you might just be lacking the mobility/stretch around that area, which is causing tightness and resulting pain.

[@jasonv2135]

Someone's while running, a slight annoying pain comes out of nowhere in my ankle, any tips?

[@aaronpiolat520]

If it’s just kind of there, then that’s normal. It’s not painless to run a marathon 😜✌🏼 it’s about endurance and keep going even though it hurts.

[@paredes-h]

What if you are cramping the first few miles (2) of a run? But I can ride my bike for 60+ no problem?

[@TheRunExperience]

They are very different movements. You may not be used to the impact of running yet. Try and use these tips to avoid the cramps!

[@deepanshuji7868]

very nice bro!! can u make video for 1600 metre in 6 min

[@TheRunExperience]

We'll keep that in mind for future videos! Check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJTJlZ2ejaqBeqs

[@seanjason87]

Hello I am doing my fifth half marathon I have cramped up during the last 4/2 marathons and I really like the video but I just really hope that I don't crap you have any special techniques or other like maybe hydration things that I can you know take before the race is in two weeks

[@TheRunExperience]

Hey there! Beyond using these techniques, take a look at these videos! They should help. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXfKYpuom5Jka9k and kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJmbc52GiN6KgKM

[@bobjohnson6131]

This happened to me. Last .5 miles of my race my stupid calves and thighs decided to go on a cramp rampage. Felt like I had two wooden legs....had to crawl towards finish

[@TheRunExperience]

Oh no! At least you pulled through and finished

[@AussieRoos]

This happened to me today 🤦🏻‍♂️ Quad City

[@jacobriis7859]

I believe it is still not known why you get cramps. The advices you provide might still be useful though I also sometimes get cramps in my legs in the middle of the night. And I quite frequently get them near the very end of a long race. I've read it should help to drink some pickle juice. That sounds very strange I know. But try to google it up. I'm not quite sure if should try it out in a race. It seems a bit complicated to carry pickle juice...

[@TheRunExperience]

I've actually heard the pickle juice thing as well. Worth a shot, if you want to try drinking some a bit before your next run. It's known to possibly prevent cramps from happening in the first place. Hopefully these tips help you too!

[@jacobriis7859]

I'm more a believer that the unstable neuromuscular system is the reason for cramps. Not dehydration or missing electrolytes. I don't think it works to drink pickle juice before the race. It works when you actually HAVE the cramps. And it's not actually something that works from your stomach. It's the taste that does it. It should work even you spit it out again. I have one question though: How do you train the neuromuscular system...

[@2012XF3]

I believe pickles can work because, they have electrolites in the pickle..

[@jaskeda]

It is not a free trial

[@dominicxavier5274]

Thank u bro very useful video,can u upload a video for how to overcome the muscle cramps,because that quad cramp has happened to me and iam suffering with it can u help me please

[@TheRunExperience]

Beyond staying hydrated with proper electrolyte balance, making sure you're in a strong, stable position when you run will help fight the cramping. As we talk about in this video, cramps can be caused by particular muscles working harder than others. Making sure you're always running strong in a good, balanced position will keep those cramps off longer.

[@dominicxavier5274]

tats ok bt how to cure the quad cramp?. Can u upload a video for how to cure the cramps plz bocz i cant run its paining for me can u help me plz

[@TheRunExperience]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fH6ncqtjabuBntE

[@mustaphab.1190]

If my mechanics are already wrong from the beginning.. 😁😁😣🦵

[@hamishsinclair3541]

I get cramps right above my kidney and it sucks! It feels like I got shot.

[@NinJaTrainee]

When we TALK! about LUL

[@jimmythisvideorockshernand3519]

Stomach cramps are the worst.

[@alitsai4148]

Yup that happened to me once

[@Mcthindi]

You need to work on you core muscle... that's only way..i sufferd that...and now I'm suffering leg cramps ,

[@sujeetboxer8171]

my legs is paining because today i run 21km

[@rubenmedina8150]

Horrible video........no kind of information to prevent injury