well swimming isn’t my first choice of exercise and I can’t say I’ve swum more that say for 20mins or so as a warm down for about a year but this week my youngest has been doing a class so I’ve swam for 50minutes or so crawl and both times I’ve got cramp in the base of one or both feet more than once – usually after pushing off the wall at the end of a length (no fancy turns) switch to breast stroke and seems to shake out – any suggestions for avoiding?

Focus on your toes. Are they relaxed and pointed. Are they rigid and bent. The cramp off the wall is often a sign of the latter IMO and the extension of the wall is when you feel it.

Hope that helps

I used to get this if I swam harder or further than usual. It fades as you get used to the new regime.

Swim more, it will then take longer to appear.

I used to get this, and still do occasionally.

Improving breathing was the key in my case…..

Actually, what THM said. I used to get that until I actually took some proper lessons and learned the shortcomings of my technique.

I was too stubborn to adopt most of changes, but the kick change was a revelation, and never had cramp since.

That’s just my experience though.

my technique isn’t great – “taught” by my brother who threw me in the deep end and due to school swimming lessons I can do amazing things in pj’s but have crap stroke and crap legwork and crap breathing – not that I’ve got cramp before – might have to bite the bullet and do the 6am stroke class – meanwhile I’ll check out what my toes are doing as did seem very specific to after turning thanks

Take a bottle of water in with you and leave it at one end. The thing about swimming which most folk don’t appreciate is that you’re doing hard excercise in 28-30 deg heat, so you’re sweating but don’t notice as you’re already dripping wet. So you need to drink – avoiding cramp is more about hydration than conditioning. A mate of mine who’s an ex-England schools swimmer put me on to that, after 60+ lengths I really notice if I’ve not had anough water.

cheers mike – will try that as well – I’m one of those that does take a bottle on a 1hr ride! good chance not hydrated enough before starting – living down under at moment and has been hot and was out and about doing errands on way to pool