Don’t let muscle cramps derail your walking workouts. Everyone who walks regularly will probably experience muscle cramps at some point. Not only are they painful, but they can actually make your walks less effective and even force you to cut your exercise time short.
Besides drinking plenty of water – which you should be doing even if cramps aren’t a problem for you – here are a few ways you can make sure that muscle cramps don’t harm your walking program:
Warm-up
In an effort to save time, it can be tempting to jump full speed into your workout, but diving right into a super fast pace without a proper warm-up can tax your muscles.
Eat more sodium
This isn’t usually a problem because most people actually get much more sodium than they need, but if you follow a strict diet there is a chance you don’t have enough sodium in your system. Put simply, sodium helps retain water in your body, and not having enough can lead to muscle dehydration and cramps.
Ease into a walking program
Muscle cramps may also be caused by trying to do too much too fast. This can even happen to experienced walkers if they choose an unfamiliar route or change their program. For example, if you’re used to doing a 3.5mph walk on an entirely flat terrain and want to give hills a try, don’t combine the incline/decline with a faster 4.0mph pace right away. Take it easy at first, and build gradually over time.
One of the most important things you can teach yourself when walking long distances is the difference between good pain and bad pain. There’s no doubt that lots of exercise often leaves you feeling sore, but it typically shouldn’t hurt in a debilitating way. Generally, if you experience a dull achy discomfort, it is just your muscles working to recover. If it feels more like a stabbing pain or spasm, something more troubling may be at hand, and you should see a medical professional.
