Pickles/pickle juice
 

If anyone has cramps after a long day of riding.
Try eating a pickle or drinking some pickle juice.

I have tried this several times and it works within 40 seconds.

Whats the magic ingredient in it? Can it be picked anything? or does it have to be a cucumber?

From the article " . . . causing a muscle in the big toe to cramp. (The procedure causes some discomfort, making it too painful to use on larger muscles, like the hamstrings or the quadriceps.) The volunteers were told to relax and let the cramps run their course. The average duration of the cramps was about two and a half minutes."

Observation 1: Cramps cause a metric shit ton of discomfort. I frequently have the muscle group of the inner thigh cramp on both sides of the legs after a ride.

Observation 2: I wish my cramps only lasted 2.5 minutes.

Observation 3: I have been using pickle juice for a while and it works. I just used pickle juice today to break an episode of cramps. The cramps were so bad that I had to have my 10 year-old get the pickle juice. I couldn't walk. The next time I have cramps I am going to try to capture it on the gopro.

Like cramping action! I've been fortunate enough that I don't really get them. Post ride and a few bevs later I'll get a quick one in the arch of my left foot if I hold it a certain way. Never lasts more than a few seconds. Touch wood.

Same here. On the drive home from a race I'll stop at a store and when I go to get out the cramp(s) start and then I'm on the ground writhing in pain. I've had strangers ask if they can help but all I can do is chuckle a bit and say, "No. Just muscle cramps. Thanks anyway." If a hottie offers some day then I may let her try to massage it out for me. :D
Prevention, for me anyway, is by getting in better condition. Having a good supply of potassium in you also helps.

I love me some pickle juice, Any body try Cytomax? I gave this a try at the last enduro, felt great afterwords. Not so sure about the long term usage

Week before last, we had a free ride day at one of the local hare scramble course.

I was beat to a pulp.
When I got home, as I was getting out the truck I made a wrong move and my right leg started cramping bad. I could not even stand on it.
Made a bee line to the fridge and grabbed a pickle and scarfed it down.
Before I could make it to the back door, the cramps were gone!

They said that mustard works also. Maybe the vinegar that does the job.

I also get cramps. I started dissolving a little sea salt under my tongue during long rides several times and especially if I feel a cramp starting. A piece of sea salt is much larger than regular table salt. Put in zip lock bag and store in zipper part of camel back. Also drink water and stay hydrated. I have tried all kinds of stuff to prevent cramps and this is the best I have found.

ISDE hero Dwight Rudder has preached the wonders of pickle juice for years. I've never tried it...but there must be something to it. My guess is, drinking pickle juice is more painful than the cramp :D

That's exactly what I was thinking. Blah.

Mustard works as well, a couple tablespoons will do ya.

Strange, but mustard I can do!

Coconut water
 

I used to load up my camel back with Gatorade or some other sports drink, but I still got cramps usually at the worst possible time when I was in a technical spot requiring all my attention. The coconut water has cut down on those situations of panic and especially post ride when I'm driving home and both legs would cramp up on the freeway (not good) and at night.
During WWII medics used coconut water as blood plasma when they ran out of blood in the South Pacific.

Two things at play contributing to cramping. Dehydration and electrolyte depletion. The muscles switch to an "on" condition and can't shut off. Pickle juice contains lots of salt which is composed of two necessary electolytes; sodium and chloride (NaCl). Drinking the pickle juice will help. But, it does not contain other necessary electolytes; magnesium and potassium. Also, loading with salt causes hypertension and other health issues as well as ironically, dehydration. So, balance. Hydrate every day. Supplement day of event with logical amounts of electrolytes and water.

Oh, yea. And lots of Beer.

Oh. Cool. I like beer. That's a lot better than pickle juice.

Yeah. Beer.

This is a subject that unfortunately I know a lot about since I have a mild form of Multiple Scorosis . I have real bad pain sometimes in my legs after I get done riding . I Never go on a long ride without my pickle juice and heat pads also . When it gets the worst for me is when I get home, even after drinking pickle juice . That is when I have to get under a hot shower that gets rid of the cramps most of the time . For me the leg muscle that have cramped up can be sore for up to a week . One thing that is strange to me is if I ride my enduro bike for 6 hours , compared to 6 hours on my trials bike I get worse cramping on the enduro bike ? So this just seems strange to me since the enduro bike has a seat ? But the pain is worth the pleasure for sure !:cool:

Is it more in your right leg than with the left?

Pedialyte before the ride and loads of protein as soon I get done! No cramps for me. Ever


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in my case both / or ether one will lock up so bad I have to crawl to the shower I have already passed out from the pain . Pickle juice does work better than anything else I have used except a hot shower .

Copy that. Just wondered if the extra strain using the rear brake played a factor. I hear you on the Pjuice. My racing partner swears by it. Hes found a sport drink actually named pickle juice hes been using with success.

I tried the coconut water the other day and it was not bad tasting , so I guess I will try it riding .

Yea. Supposedly the body absorbs the coconut water molecules more efficiently.

+2 on the coconut water .

The swill (coconut water) you buy at the store tastes nothing like the real thing.:(

My wife grew up in India and as a child drank and ate coconut stuff all the time . I would plant a coconut tree but it is kind of cold . So far it is the 2nd coldest Feb. on record the high today is 25 degrees :(

This year I want NO MORE CRAMPS.
Last year, I cramped up so bad at times I could barely drive my truck home. Thats with drinking a litre of Gatorade before the ride, 2 litres of water during, and slamming a Gatorade immediately after.
Today I put on my 1st hard ride of the year. I mixed up 2 litres with one squished fresh lemon, a tablespoon of sugar, and about a teaspoon of salt. Drained it in a 2.5 hour ride, and no cramps. See if this works for the rest of the season.....

You could change your name to CRAMPS X:D Seriously if it works I will try it also :)

Pickle juice/big fat dill pickle, cucumber & coconut water has served me well for years.
Coconut water is natures "sports drink" with more good stuff than a banana or gator juice without the sweeteners that upset the stomach.
Cucumbers are natures "sports food"

http://juicing-for-health.com/basic-...-cucumber.html

I rode 3 hours in the snow n ice today drank a bunch of coconut water n a swig of pickle juice . No cramps . Now to re jet the new bike :rolleyes:

Coconut water keeps this 68 yr. old going.
 

Ever since I started using coconut water in my camelback, my cramps are a thing of the past. It is very warm and humid here almost all the time so it is a game changer for me and many of the old guys I ride with. One old guy is over 70 and he is known as the "Ever Ready Bunny" because he is unstoppable.
He always has a liter of coconut water on him.

Everything in moderation, as I am 6'0" and 173 lbs. BMI = on the Lean side
Def have issues riding in the summer with hydration during the ride and then afterwards leg cramps after cooling down.
My pre and post ride formula base is:
Hydrate with (1+) gallons daily for (2+) days prior to riding event with electrolytes of choice and Cocoa Nut water
Take magnesium and calcium for optimal electrolyte and mineral storage & system distribution
4oz., of pickle juice just before riding and then again before going to bed
The chemical reaction and exchange during an event of charged muscles is nothing less than phenominal, as within ~40 seconds you go from agonizing cramps to soothing relaxation without bruising!
**PreCaution Disclaimer**
Overdosing of this formula will have adverse side effects w/dire consequences

Then the Red Amber of choice to celebrate the success of the days ride!!
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _____________
Current Rides:
2012 Husqvarna TXC310
2011 GasGas EC300 Six Days
Previous:
2003 GasGas EC250 Racing

I'm going to try this out starting tomorrow as the weekend is closing in!

Well it worked for the most part, there is only so much my muscle mass can do since I'm just starting out in Enduro. But yes, I felt stronger overall during the weekend and wasn't too sore after that like I used to be.

Born to Rides formula works ! I added in Calm from Natural Vitality it gives you 81% of daily value from 2 teaspoons a day . It made the difference that I needed in the formula to get rid of the cramps . Thank you Born To Ride !:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

I forgot 81% of magnesium !

Well it has been awhile since this tread has been up but it seems rite that since I have found a new cure that seems to work for me . Theraworx is a foam spray that I learned if I spray it on in the morning before I ride a few times it gets rid of my leg cramps . Its main ingredient is magnesia sulphurica and it is the first time in a long time that my inner thighs did not leave me a cripple after riding . I need to test it some more but doing it this early multiple times may change riding for me . Give it a try you can get it at some drugstores .

I've heard that pickle juice works by tricking your brain by distracting it when you start to cramp. No matter how it works it does seem to work for me. Another thing that works when you feel muscle cramps coming on is to eat a spoonful of yellow mustard or a mustard packet if you have one. I'll have to give the coconut water a try, where do you find it besides buying fresh coconuts?

Wish I'd read this thread a couple months ago. I recently did 25 mile day of sandy ST on my '01 XC 200 up in Michigan. That afternoon, back at the motel while laying around resting up, before going out for chow & a beer, both of my inner thighs cramped up from my knees to my belly bottom.

I couldn't lay back down & I couldn't get up either. Finally I forced myself to stand up and walk it off. After that , I was afraid to move, for fear I'd cramp up again.

I'd of drank a gallon of pickle juice if I'd had some right about then.

I'll definitely try this next time.

RB