For some reason, no matter how hard I train, seems that I just cant get rid of em…
Usually by the time Im working my heavy bag, Ive already been to the gym and jogged a mile or so, simply because I like to exhaust myself before “fighting”.
Almost every time I work the bag, withing 3-4 minutes of steady attacking, I get a killer cramp about 2 inches below and 1 inch to the right of my solar plexus. I dont consume too much sugar during the day, I dont eat heavily before training, or even within an hour for that matter, and I drink room temperature water to avoid contracting my veins and constricting blood flow.
…
So… Why the hell am I still cramping up?
???
dunno, but i get just about the same darn thing, and it’s almost always during round kicks on the bag. answers?
Try changing to a different birth control pill… 
Seriously, a cramp in that area generally indicates (to me) a breathing issue. Are you holding your breath when you punch, breathing very irregularly, something like that?
Actually, i exhale when I strike.
I figured breathing was an issue, but I have great breath control on the bag.
Jogging, however, is a whole nother story… I dont know why, but I cant find a comfortable rate to breath at when Im jogging, so if I try to go more than a mile, its hell.
…
I should say run, not jog. I sprint, then jog, then sprint, then jog…
Edit: But I usually dont cramp while running, and if I do, its on the bottom left side of my stomach, whereas when I cramp doing bag work, its in the middle more towards the right.
My doc told me that frequent muscle cramps and side stitches can be the result of a mineral deficiency and actually prescribed quinine.
quinine is in tonic water.
which goes well with gin.
I always listen to the doctor. 
seriously, I started drinking a glass of tonic water before workouts and sleep and stopped getting side cramps.
Isn’t quinine the treatment for scurvy? You spending too much time aboard ship?
scurvy is a vitamin C deficiency.
Eat more bananas. Your Potasium is low.
oops…
both potassium and magnesium are prescribed for large muscle group cramps, like leg cramps.
found this in relation to side stitches:
Try altering your breathing pattern. Take a deep breath in as quickly as you can, to force the diaphragm down. Hold the breath for a couple of seconds and then forcibly exhale through pursed lips to restrict the outward air flow.
While excersising, breathe to your stomach, not your chest.
Interesting.
Thanks for the replies.
How much water are you drinking during your workouts?
Try working in 2 minute rounds with one minute of rest in between. While you are resting, drop and do crunches to work your abs.
Maybe try jumping rope to get a little extra wind. Start with 3 2 minute rounds w/ 1 minute of rest in between. Just rest during the break when skipping rope.
Other than that, it sounds like you are not pacing yourself. Are you pushing yourself too hard?
Going hard is good, learning to pace yourself is better.
Re: Cramps
Meat Shake:
Muscular cramps can stem from several causes such as lack of water or potasium or quite possibly just poor performance. In other words, cramps is one of the physical signs of residual muscular tension (RMT). The cramp feeling that you felt in around or near your solar plexus after a rigorous workout may be from not knowing how to breathe properly or not knowing how to release unneccesary tension or maybe a psycho somatic condition of a previous physical pain? Have you been punched there before in a fight, sparing, and/or in an attack? My suggestion is to make sure you drink enough water, eat a banana before your workout, learn proper breathing technique used by professional athletes, and maybe resolve any past traumas in that area? I hope some of these suggestions will help you and please tell us your discoveries. Much success in your journey because your success is our successs.
Sincerely,
Bao
I think it’s a combination of all of the above. If your potassium is down your breathing will suffer because of the oxygen absorbtion in the blood that your heart can’t pump so well. potassium is classed as an electrolyte as are other minerals and salts. Water is often what electrolytes are diluted in and neccessary regardless.
I like to do a glass of orange juice and suck on some lemons in the morning with my vitamins, because A. they both have a good potassium quantity and b. the vitamin c helps my iron to absorb, before I do a coffee and the tanin mucks it about.
Before heading out I’ll do some milk or a protein shake for extra there and at night, or probab;ly from mid - ish afternoon on pending plan for work outs etc, ( don’t wanna trade that cramp for a stitch) I usually flush with as much water as I can handle…usually about 1- 1.5 lts bare min…
potassium is found in highest quantities in Milk, Orange Juice, Potatoes, and bananas if you really must have the carb…
As far as water goes, I think you might be drinking too much. I tend to cramp if I drink too much water during in intense workout.
you don’t drink it whilst, the advice was for pre - bed come wind down period …you give yourself one o’ those right???
Ps… everything that happens in human body happens in fluid, most of which is water… the human body can process up to 800 mls!!! of fluid an hour !!! the more the better for smooth function of all organs… providing of course you don’t have a cardio sesh on the agenda… in which case take an hour and some to absorb and prime… 
not true!!!..
I’m tiny and 200 mls , even during a serious sweat sesh would send me into regret…
a sip or three mid sesh or interschange or is ample… any claer fluid 'll do it though, electrolyte or not…
ps: being an ex - pregnant mommy -to - be some yrs yrs back, I can tell you, cramps are absolutely related directly to sodium intake and ability to flush… must you argue ???
200 mL of water every 10 minutes DURING exercise?!
That’s a recipe for serious vomiting after about 30 minutes of a hard session.
I still cannot open your links, and past couple of days aside, i’ve putting in 20 hrs daily, with paper correction, lesson prep and planning etc… I suit up for the occasion, and I even do dresses… I also put aside judgement and help each individual as i can… probably why they say I’m the best teacher they ever met…
I don’t understand you… I’ve worked my as* off to be the best I can, martially and professionally…it’s a crazy life here…and if I wasn’t so strong I might just cry…
Please don’t make me keep thinking about it, or I guess I’ll just need to unsubscribe…
My body is pained and so is my spirit…such is life for a foreigner in China…
let me off okay…
have no more to give…
Originally posted by Serpent
[B]
The only way that too much water would give you cramps is if you diluted out all the electrolytes and sodium in your system, but that would take a sh!tload of water! [/B]
That’ just not true Bro. If I drink too much water during a workout, I cramp up everytime. And I’m just talking about 2 big gulps. I need to take no more than 2 small sips at a time.
in this case, BL and WD are both correct – too much ANYTHING, particularly liquid, in your stomach during a nasty session that involves a lot of movement is bad. this is usually discovered by people who don’t hydrate all day then try to down half a gallon in the hour before a workout.