billyt Posted July 29, 2014 Report Share Posted July 29, 2014 (edited) Dont know about you guys, but heat stress kills me and my trials stamina, performance. Being originally from cold, rainy Scotland and now living in the really hot, dry, southwest USA the heat just saps my energy and subsequently brings on muscle cramps that are totally painful, subsequently causing me to cramp out of the trial. I have listened to many a person telling me to eat bananas, salt, magnesium, drink more water, drink pickle juice, take an Aspirin before the trial etc etc. Nothing worked. I had a doctor check my electrolytes and all was well. I tried numerous off the shelf products all claiming to stop the cramps, nothing worked. I have taken high doses of Magnesium, Potassium, etc. I even had to go to emergency once due to the cramps being so bad, the ER doctors told me I drank too much water subsequently diluting my electrolytical levels to a dangerously low level. I gave up and rode each weekend not knowing how long or when the cramps would hit me and end my day of riding. Am I the only one who suffers from sever cramps? Last month I came across this product called “Salt Stick Caps”. Okay here we go I thought another product claiming to stop the heat related cramps, I bought it and tried it with much skepticism, the jury is still out on this product but so far four rides in altitudes ranging from 1000 ft to 7200 ft and temperatures from 90F to 104 F. No cramps to report. Nothing else I have tried has had this result. I will keep using it and report on my findings, but to-date I am very optimistic that I may have found something that works for me and my cramps. Stay tuned. BillyT Edited July 29, 2014 by billyt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axulsuv Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 (edited) Interesting ... I've stopped riding at more than one event due to muscle cramps , To the point of not being able to move fingers and.or walk ... And I eat a banana a day , and hydrate religiously . Where did you find this stuff ? I get cramps in my hands sometimes at work , and nothing is worse than being a mechanic whose fingers lock up and stop functioning !!!! Thanks for the info Billy , or is it just part of getting older that we have to learn to deal with ? And I'd much rather be in the southwest than STUCK in the southeast were you have to add 85 to 100 % humidity to your temps ! I'm a desert brat at heart .... Coachella Valley raised .... (palm desert) Glenn Edited July 30, 2014 by axulsuv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axulsuv Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 I just searched ... GNC ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyt Posted July 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 I got it at REI I also tried Hammer products from REI for cramp but did not do a dam thing for my cramps. You may be able to get the Salt Stick pills at any good bicycle store. The Salt Stick’s web site is www.saltstick.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mags Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 On our last outing we were travelling between trials areas using a smooth trail. I was leading and decided to do what I've seen a few young guys do... sit on seat and just cruise! I popped bike into 3rd and sat on tail section in the deepest part of the V... wife was following close behind. I lasted about 15 seconds and got a cramp in my hip and when I tried to straighten leg it took me off course and into the scrub... where I had to hit the skids fast and jump off bike. My wife thought I was stung by a wasp or bee or something.... I said "No... a bloody cramp from crouching down!" Hehehehehehehe Aint doing that again!! It standing at all times now!! Mags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lineaway Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 Great tip Billy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billycraig Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 What method did your doctor use to check electrolyte levels? In the mineral test I run you typically see what specific mineral someone is low in, or if their are out of balance with regard to some mineral ratio. For instance I had enough magnesium, potassium and sodium but in relation to my magnesium levels my sodium was far too low. In others I've tested it's been magnesium and others potassium etc. They're all important but its the balance between them thats vital hence various things work for some but not for others and why things stop working over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyt Posted July 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 (edited) Billycraig No idea what test he ran. I agree about the levels and relationship between the electrolytes. As I had stated, I was taking Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium, Vitamin D etc but only as pills of various potencies. I think the Salt Stick works for me due to the levels and mix of the ratios that they have designed into the product. Regardless, it is working for me, why it works is another story. If you try them your mileage may vary so to speak. I take one pill the night before I go riding, one pill before I start ridding, and one pill every hour or so after that. So far nobody has had to remove my curled up cramped hand off the bars/clutch, or see me double over with cramp pain due to my legs spasming. It was getting so bad my leg would cramp up whilst in a section, I would stick it straight out and the judge would give me five or a point. I had to plea it was not a dab but rather a involuntary erection of my leg out and off the peg due to muscle spasms. Hee hee, that only worked for a while. If these pills work now I will have no excuses for dabbing! Edited August 1, 2014 by billyt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadof2 Posted August 3, 2014 Report Share Posted August 3, 2014 Run and exercise vigorously to get fitter and take small quantities of aspirin at the event to improve circulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyt Posted August 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 (edited) Dadof2 Good advice from you. If you live in cooler climates; Caveat: that alone does not work when you are not used to high elevations (7200 feet above sea level), high humidity, and 100F plus degrees temps. One can run, exercise all day long at one elevation and then go up a couple of thousand feet in elevation and then you are knackered. That is one of the reasons there is a base camp at everest to afford a person the ability to climatize before they climb higher. The high heat/humidity and elevation saps you mentally and physically. The British and European soccer teams can attest to what the heat did to them and they are in shape. I can ride all day long with no cramp or issues around sea level or 40 > 70F. Over here in the USA you can live at sea level and drive to a trial around 7000 ft. If any of the riders live around the high elevation they usually kick butt on that day. Hard to train to compete with that change. In the UK one does not see abrupt changes in elevation or temps as they do over here. Edited August 4, 2014 by billyt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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