Preacher Curls and Charlie Horses

[wild_place_king]

Does anyone in the LJ BS Fitness Group know if using the preacher bench while doing curls has a better benefit than doing preacher curls standing and not using the bench?

Also, does anyone know anything about charlie horses?

Thanks,
Biff

Comments

Praying to the Charley Horse?

[evilbunny]

Charley horses are often caused by a builup of lactic acid in the muscle. You may need to increase your cool-down time (or start a cool-down routine). Also, some folks swear by the following folk remedies (and we all know that many of those have their basis in good historical fact!): a tablespoon of honey at night before bed, or increasing your potassium intake (a banananana or a potato would do the trick, or a supplement is good.)

Here's a little more from www.mothernature.com: Charley Horse
This out-of-the-blue leg cramp is as intense as a kick from a palomino. "You'll be lying in bed or even asleep when you get this terrible knot-usually in the calf but sometimes in the thigh or the arch of your foot," says Steven Subotnick, D.P.M., a sports podiatrist in Hayward, California, and author of Sports and Exercise Injuries.

What causes a charley horse? It can be the result of sore muscles, a mineral deficiency or hormonal imbalance or even a process known as calcification, in which blood gets trapped in a muscle and hardens. No matter the cause, here's how to get fast relief.

Rub for relief. A little kneading may be all you need to pull in the reins on a charley horse. Always rub with the muscle, not across it. So for a charley horse in your calf, start behind the knee and rub toward the heel.

Stretch for success. If you get an exercise-related charley horse, it's best treated with a good stretch. If you should develop a charley horse in your thigh, here is a good method to treat it. Stand on the "good" leg and grasp the ankle of the leg that has the charley horse from behind. "Then slowly pull the ankle of the injured leg up toward your buttocks and hold it for 10 to 15 seconds," advises Craig Hersh, M.D., a sports injuries specialist at the Sports Medicine Center in Fort Lee, New Jersey. "Doing that provides a nice stretch."

I have no clue what a preacher bench even is, so I can't help you on that one.

Re: Praying to the Charley Horse?

[wild_place_king]

Great information - Thanks!

Re: Praying to the Charley Horse?

[tigira]

Ah, on the rare occasion that I get a Charley Horse (I'm a monster with my supplements now), it's in my calves. I have found that bending my leg is the wrong thing to do - it gives in to the cramp, and it hurts more later.

Before rubbing the muscle, though, I will flex my foot as hard as I can - forcing the muscle to work against the cramp. That usually gets rid of it in a minute or two. Then, if I'm still awake, I massage it a bit to prevent recurrence that night.