Don't Let Cramps Hold You Back
By Matt Johnson
Founder of The Feed.
Cramping is an unfortunately common phenomenon in endurance sports that can sideline your big training day or limit your strong finish in a race. There are a few tips and tricks we want to share with you so you can stop cramping from stopping you.
Cramping can derail your training day or upset a race you've been preparing for months. Understanding how to prevent and address cramps when they happen can make the difference between finishing strong and calling it quits.
There are two key strategies for dealing with cramps: prevention and immediate intervention.
Prevention: Electrolyte Management
Cramping often comes down to electrolyte depletion and dehydration. While most athletes know to use electrolyte drinks during workouts, the real game-changer is what you do before and after training.
Salt Stick Fast Chews are particularly effective for cramp prevention because they deliver concentrated electrolytes quickly. These chewable tablets provide sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium—the key minerals your muscles need to function properly. These chews are absorbed rapidly and can be taken as needed throughout your workout.
When Cramps Strike: The Pickle Juice Solution
When you're already cramping, prevention strategies won't help—you need immediate intervention. This is where pickle juice becomes invaluable.
Both Suckerpunch Gourmet Pickle Juice and traditional Pickle Juice work through the same mechanism. Research suggests that the high sodium and vinegar content creates a neurological response when it hits your mouth and throat. This sudden sensory input appears to interrupt the nerve signals causing your muscle to cramp, providing almost immediate relief.
How Pickle Juice Works
The theory is fascinating: the intense sodium and acid combination overwhelms your neurological system momentarily, disrupting the misfiring nerve signals that create muscle cramps. This isn't about replacing lost electrolytes—it's about resetting your nervous system.
Usage Protocol
When you feel a cramp starting, consume the entire bottle quickly rather than sipping. You want maximum impact to overwhelm the neurons in your mouth and throat. The goal is to interrupt the cramping signal as fast as possible.
The Complete Approach
Before training: Use Salt Stick Fast Chews to maintain electrolyte balance
During training: Continue with Fast Chews as needed, especially in hot conditions
When cramping occurs: Deploy pickle juice immediately for neurological intervention
Don't cramp again.