[VictoriaE]

I'm wondering if anyone can help me with this:

I want to be a runner. I want to go outside for half an hour and just go for a jog. I have a treadmill at home that I go on but there's something about the outside that calls me to run. But my problem is I get cramps so easily when I run. I've tried waiting an hour after I eat, working out before I eat, drinking lots of water before I workout, drinking not too much water before I work out, Keeping my breathing steady, having a good warm up, etc. Somedays I can go for 45 minutes and not have a cramp. Other days I have one within 7 or 8 minutes.

Does this happen to anyone else? Or does anyone have any solutions??

[MonteCristo]

How do you count your breathing? I know that sounds crazy, but an uneven count seems to work best to stop cramps or stitches. Like 2 in, 3 out.....

[mkroyer]

are you talking "side-stitch" cramps? Stomach cramps (like bowel issues)? or cramps in your muscles (leg cramps)?
I am going to assume you mean side stiches.... if that is the case, the way you work through them (and weve ALL gotten them before) is to exhale FORCIFULLY everytime one of your feet strike. Some people say whenever the foot opposite to the side that cramps hits, some people say the SAME side as the cramp is on...which ever worksfor you! When i say forcefully exhale, i mean really concentrate on PUSHING your diaphragm with the exhale-- the diaphragm is where the cramp is...FEEL it, hard, when you breath out. This generally works for me within a minute or two.....

[VictoriaE]

I'm talking side stitch cramps. When I'm on the treadmill I make sure I'm breathing in and out when my right foot hits the machine. What I don't understand is how random the cramps are. I have noticed they get slightly better with repeated exercise but I'd like them just to disappear altogether!

[mkroyer]

ok.
So next time you get the cramp, breath out forcably when the opposite side foot strikes the ground....not talking about your breathing any other time

[ennay]

and try slowing down overall.

Basically side stitches are usually caused by pockets of un-oxygenated air in your lungs. For me it is necessary to breathe on an odd-count cycle to eliminate them and even prevent them some days. (i.e. breath in two steps, breath out for 3 or vice versa) so that each breath cycle starts on an opposite foot.

Unlike mkroyer, I find that to relieve them I have to breathe DEEEEEEEEEEP and SLOOOOOOOOOOW no forceful exhale. Or maybe yes forceful, but not rapid. Like squeeeeeeezing the diaphragm, not like a cough.

I would say that unless you are doing intervals if you are breathing in and out on every right foot strike, you are probably going a bit fast for your cardiovascular fitness and you arent expelling all the air from your lungs before you start to inhale again.