I swim 2 or 3 times a week at lunchtime doing about 70 lengths. I am all arms but do this in about 30 minutes.

The last two weeks I have swum in the evenings with my son’s club and have got terrible cramps in my calves, feet & toes.

There were some kicking exercises which I did the first week & I tried fins in the second week for the warm up but still got cramp.

I am sure I am completely hydrated.

Any idea how I can avoid the cramps ?
Perhaps some stretching before hand – something I have never done for swimming.

Do some stretching at home in the evenings… pointing your toes and tensing until you cramp up.

Ease off.

Repeat.

Do you have enough electroyte stuff? Ie you can be hydrated via water but be missing essential minerals, vitamins and gubbins. Is this something new so body not used to the time of day? I haven’t ever had cramp swimming so can’t really help I’m afraid. When you say “I’m all arms” do you mean you are doing pull only then? If so, start using your legs a bit??

I can give myself cramp in my feet and calves by crossing my toes an pointing my feet.

The more I do it, the less I get it.

If you’ve just started doing kicking then that will explain it mostly.

However i always found fins to be pretty bad for giving cramp so might be easier to avoid them until you practice more without

perhaps have a look at your leg kick technique ?

although if you are doing 70 lengths in 30 mins (and assuming it’s a standard 25m pool) you are doing 26 second lengths, so you must be a natural 😆

I find using fins tends to give me cramp if I use them for too long.

Actually as Iain points out… why are you bothering with your kick?

You must be pretty flat in the water to do your lunchtime swim sets without much of a kick.

I don’t kick as it doesn’t help my hypermobile knees. Have had a few coaching sessions to get things smooth and do ‘The Shaw Method’ which is a bit like total immersion. A 100 length (2.5k) set takes me 52 – 54 mins, so a lot slower than you. Only cramps I get are occasionally in my feet, after about half an hour, but they rarely come to much

cheers guys. the evenings are new and yes by all arms I mean I only kick(rock) to keep my balance.

I will skip the flippers next time, drink better fluids, stretch and hopefully that will sort it.

I think I will try working the kicking at my lunch sessions where there is no pressure.