Bodybuilding And Muscle Cramps

Bodybuilding and Muscle Cramps

When you get a cramp, it seems at the time that nothing could be more painful. Have you ever flown out of bed in the middle of the night with a "charley horse"? If you are a bodybuilder, the chances are good that you have. That's one way to come fully awake, very fast! But there is a way that you can cut down on muscle cramping.

The first method is to make sure that you get plenty of water. Muscles cramp when they become dehydrated. The average person drinks eight to ten glasses of water per day or they should. As a bodybuilder, you need more. As an individual, there is really no way for someone else to tell you how much you need.

A good way to figure out whether or not you are getting enough water is to look at the color of your urine. If it is very light, you are getting enough water. If it is very dark, you are not. Also note how often you urinate.

Along with lots of water, you should also consider muscle massages. It is also vital that you properly stretch the muscles and warm them up before you work out. This will not only help to reduce cramps, but it will help you to avoid injury as well.

Don't overtrain! This is a common reason for muscle cramping. You must allow the muscles to repair themselves after working out. Furthermore, you can't go from being a couch potato to being superman in one short day. You have to build up your muscle strength and endurance slowly.

The electrolytes in your body must be replaced after working out, and this will help reduce cramping. This can be done with salt, but can also be done with sport drinks, such as Gatorade. Also, beware of working out in excessive heat or cold, and when you are hot, allow your body to cool down slowly. Don't go from extreme heat to extreme cold in an effort to cool off faster.

Finally, eat a banana before working out, and eat another one after you work out. This helps to replenish the body's glycogen levels, and helps to prevent cramping as well.

BONUS : Bodybuilding and Psychology

There is a great deal more to bodybuilding than getting a ripped body. In fact, bodybuilding has psychological effects as well. Bodybuilding is a sport where you are constantly being judged by your physical appearance. What could possibly be more psychology damaging than that? The fact is, in a competition, there can only be one winner so, what message does this send to the losers?

Muscle dysmorphia, also known as bigorexia, is a common psychological problem among bodybuilders. It is the feeling that no matter how big you are, you feel small, and you may even strive to cover it up with clothing. You may even resort to steroids to become what you perceive as to be big.

Bodybuilding becomes an obsession, and no achievement becomes good enough. Because bodybuilders are constantly graded on their appearance, they are always striving to make it better. Can you imagine what it is like to never be truly satisfied with how you look, and being obsessed by it? This goes beyond being ten pounds overweight, and telling yourself every New Years Day that this year you are going to get that extra weight off only to promptly forget that goal as New Years dinner is served.

Bodybuilding is more than a sport. It is a lifestyle. In order to be successful, the bodybuilder is constantly focused on their workouts, their supplements, and their nutrition almost to the exclusion of all else. Obviously, while bodybuilders have very healthy bodies, this does not contribute to a healthy mindset.

So, what can you do to combat the negative psychological effects of bodybuilding? First, make sure that you are living a life outside of bodybuilding. If bodybuilding is the only thing that you can discuss with others, you may have a problem. Seek counseling to ensure that you are staying on track as well.

Overall, you want to be a well-rounded human being from a physical standpoint, as well as from a mental standpoint. The sport of bodybuilding, and the demands that go along with it, make it hard - but it isn't impossible!