Kekejangan Otot Akibat Bersenam

 

Apakah itu kekejangan otot?

Kekejangan otot ia lah kontraksi otot yang kuat di luar kawal. Kontraksi otot ini berterusan dan ia nya berlaku secara tiba-tiba. Keadaan tersebut menimbulkan rasa sakit kuat yang mengganggu pergerakkan anggota tersebut. Kekejangan otot sering kali berlaku ketika bersukan dan semasa menjalankan aktiviti fizikal terutamanya di kalangan atlet.

Punca berlakunya kekejangan adalah disebabkan oleh pengumpulan asid laktik dan bahan toksik secara berlebihan dan pada masa yang sama mengakibatkan kandungan oksigen serta nutrien di dalam otot semakin berkurangan.

Jenis-jenis kekejangan otot?

Terdapat 3 jenis kekejangan otot:

(i) Kekejangan otot selepas bersenam

• Kontraksi otot luar kawal yang menyakitkan berlaku semasa atau selepas bersenam. 
• Overexhaustion iaitu kehausan otot berpunca dari aktiviti yang melebehi tahap kemampuan. 
• Fasa memanaskan dan menyejukkan badan yang tidak mencukupi. 
• Hanya berlaku pada otot yang digunakan secara berlebihan daripada kemampuan.

(ii) Kekejangan otot akibat keletihan

• Berlaku di kalangan atlet yang banyak kehilangan elektrolit selepas banyak berpeluh.

(iii)Kekejangan otot akibat cuaca panas

• Disebabkan kehilangan sejumlah besar kuantiti air dan garam di dalam badan terutamanya selepas bersenam di bawah suhu yang panas. 
• Selalunya bermula di bahagian kaki tetapi boleh melibatkan bahagian yang lain.

Apakah factor punca berlakunya kekejangan otot akibat bersenam?

• Umur – Individu berumur lebih cenderung mengalami kekejangan otot di sebabkan otot badan yang mula kendur dan mengecil. Anggota badan mudah letih semasa aktiviti fizikal. 
• Atlet – Atlit acara jarak jauh mudah mengalami kekejangan terutamanya bila cuaca panas. Kecederaan yang di alami semasa menjalani latihan di awal musim boleh juga menjadi punca. 
• Dehidrasi – Kurang pengambilan air dengan berpeluh yang berlebihan meningkatkan risiko. 
• Obesiti – Otot yang menampung berat badan yang berlebihan sering kejang terutamanya pada bahagian kaki. Dayatahan otot individu obese selalunya kurang. 
• Intensiti dan tempoh senaman yang berlebihan – Senaman berintensiti tinggi yang dilakukan secara berlebihan menjadi punca berlakunya kekejangan otot. 
• Teknik regangan otot yang salah – Regangan otot yang dilakukan secara sambil lewa sebelum memulakan senaman boleh mengakibatkan otot menjadi kejang.

Apakah simptom ketika berlakunya kekejangan akibat bersenam?

• Kesakitan otot yang berpanjangan dan berterusan selama beberapa minit semasa/selepas senaman. 
• Kontraksi luar kawal pada otot yang tegang. 
• Otot kelihatan kering dan kusam. 
• Simptom berkurangan selepas aktiviti dihentikan. 
• Simptom dapat diatasi dengan melakukan regangan otot.

Apa yang anda harus lakukan semasa kekejangan otot sewaktu bersenam?

• Berhenti dan berehat di kawasan yang mempunyai pengaliran udara yang baik. 
• Minum air yang mencukupi. Elak minum air berkafein yang akan merangsang anda membuang air kecil. 
• Letak ais pada otot bagi mengurangkan intensiti sakit. 
• Urutan ringan akan membantu mengurangkan kekejangan. 
• Lakukan regangan secara perlahan sehingga simptom berkurangan.

Bagaimana kekejangan akibat bersenam dapat dielakkan?

• Bersedia sepenuhnya dari segi fizikal sebelum memulakan aktiviti. 
• Lakukan regangan mencukupi ke atas otot yang cenderung mengalami kekejangan. 
• Pastikan pengambilan nutrisi dan air yang mencukupi. 
• Mulakan aktiviti dengan tempoh dan intensiti yang optimum. 
• Pastikan air diminum pada kadar yang awal sekiranya berlaku dehirasi. 
• Kurangkan berat badan yang berlebihan. 
• Banyakkan pengambilan sayur dan buah-buahan di dalam diet.

Apakah komplikasi akibat kekejangan otot?

• Pengsan 
• Masalah pernafasan 
• Tidak sedarkan diri 
• Tiada komplikasi serius akibat daripada kekejangan otot. Adalah dinasihatkan agar para pembaca dapat menemui doktor atau mana-mana personel kesihatan sekiranya mempunyai sejarah mengalami kekejangan otot yang berulang kali untuk pemeriksaan selanjutnya

Peaking for Races or Events

One of the most important aspects of race day preparation is to time your training in order to peak on race day. Athletes use the term "peaking" to describe being in the absolute best condition (physical, emotional and mental) at a specific time for an event or race. Peaking is not easy to do, and it requires a lot of experience and planning, but there are things that can make peaking much more likely.

Keep in mind that you can have many "peaks" during the year and during the season, but most elite athletes aim for one primary event or goal, and plan the rest of the training season around that. Recreational athletes can easily have multiple peaks of a lesser degree. This is common if you race many different "fun runs" during the summer. If you are on a recreational league or team you probably have a built-in season, and your training is planned so you continually improve and peak during play-offs or a final event.

Start your planning by getting out a calendar and writing down your one or two goal events and work backward to today. There are many ways to plan your schedule, and working with an expert coach is probably the best.

The following tips will help you build a general plan of your own. Your training program will include four phases:
    Building a base of fitness
    Building aerobic capacity
    Building speed
    Tapering for the event

Phase One: Building a Base With Long Slow Distance
About half of the your training time between your start day and your first goal event should be spent building a solid base of fitness for your sport. This can last months if you are a new exerciser or if you goal event is a long way away, or weeks if you are in shape and looking at an event next month. Most of these early workouts focus on easy endurance training. These workouts can feel too easy for many athletes who like to go fast or hard to feel like they are getting something out of it. Don't make this mistake. Stay easy and slow, focus on improving technique, strength and endurance.

Base training is extremely important to peaking and cannot be rushed. If you start intense work too soon, you are risking injury or illness later on. Base training allows muscles, joints and tendons to get stronger slowly and adapt easily to increased loads and efforts. Base training includes some easy cross training as well.

This is a good time to play with training and add skill drills, plyometrics and strength training to build a nice overall level of conditioning. It's also a great time to find the right combination of equipment (shoes, clothing, bike position, racket tension, etc...) or food and drink that works for you.

Base fitness is all about getting out there and moving and having fun. Pace, intensity and effort really isn't important.

Phase Two: Building Aerobic Capacity Through Sustained Efforts
The next phase of a standard peaking program comprises the next quarter (or so) of your training time between the start day and the race day. During this time, you focus on increasing your aerobic capacity, power and speed and getting more "sport-specific." You also need to adhere to the 10 Percent Rule to avoid injury. During this phase you increase training effort by maintaining long, higher intensity sustained efforts. Your training volume may stay the same and you'll include more rest days. Your strengthening program becomes more focused on your sport.

Phase Three: High Intensity Intervals for Speed
After you've built your base, speed and power, you are ready to focus on specific training needed for your race or event. You add interval work of high-intensity, shorter duration efforts (60-90 seconds sprints). This is very intense training that requires more rest between work outs. Injuries are more likely too, so following a rest and recovery schedule is critical. For an example of a treadmill interval workout, see Interval Training.

Phase Four: Tapering Before the Event
The final phase of race preparation is the taper. This comprises the last two weeks prior to your event. In this phase you reduce your training volume (mileage) by half. You continue to do high-intensity intervals, but reduce the number of repeats that you do by half and rest fully between them.

The final three days before the event can include some light, aerobic exercise, but remember the goal is to rest so you will have peak potential on race day. Training three days before the race never helps you performance. These last few days are also a good time to focus on the mental aspects of performance and visualizing a perfect event. And consider your pre-race meal choice.

You can only stay at this peak fitness level for a short period of time, and you must rest and recover again before a second event. Trying to hold on to such a peak often leads to injury, burn out and overtraining syndrome. Consider using Active Recovery for a faster recovery.

Source
Mujika, I., Padilla, S., Pyne, D. and Busso, T. (2004). Physiological changes associated with the pre-event taper in athletes. Sports Medicine. 34(13): 891-927.

Neary, J.P., Bhambhani, Y.N. and McKenzie, D.C. (2003). Effects of different stepwise reduction taper protocols on cycling performance. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology. 28(4): 576-587.

Trappe, S., Costill, D. and Thomas, R. (2000). Effect of swim taper on whole muscle and single muscle fibre contractile properties. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 32(12): 48-56.

By Elizabeth Quinn

Circuit Training Examples

Anyone who is interested in adding some variety to his or her workout might want to see some circuit training examples.

What Is Circuit Training?

Circuit training is a type of workout that intersperses strength and balance exercise with aerobic activity. Unlike traditional workouts, circuit training does not involve a rest between sets. Instead, the participant moves swiftly from exercise to exercise. The strength training exercises may use bands, balls, hand weights or body-weight training. The 15-second to three-minute aerobic segment can either use aerobic equipment or traditional cardiovascular exercise such as jumping jacks.

The History of Circuit Training

While it may seem like circuit training is a new concept, R.E. Morgan and G.T. Anderson of the University of Leeds in England developed the workout in 1953. The original circuit format consisted of 9 to 12 exercise stations. Participants performed 8 to 20 repetitions of each exercise, which were interspersed with 30-second to three-minute aerobic intervals.

Examples of Strength-Training Circuits

In his article titled New Insights into Circuit Training, Len Kraviz, Ph.D. reviewed research about strength-training only circuits. Apparently, continuous strength exercises without an interspersing aerobic segment can provide a "satisfactory" aerobic response. This type of circuit alternates upper and lower body exercises. Here is an example of a circuit developed by Len Kravitz:

• Leg press
• Bench press
• Leg curl
• Seated row
• Standing calf raise
• Arm curl
• Sit-up
• Pullover
• Military press
• Hip abduction
• Hip adduction

Functional Exercise Circuit Training Examples

The Fit Moves Circuit was developed by Juan Carlos Santana, MEd, CSCS, NASM-CPT. It is based on his theory of the four pillars of human movement, which include locomotion, level changes, pushing and pulling as well as rotary movements. This type of circuit is composed of five stations, consisting of a medicine ball, an exercise band, a stability ball, an exercise step and body weight exercise. Larger versions of the circuit may include balance boards, the bosu and sand bags. Each exercise represents a different pillar of movement. For example, locomotion can be represented by balancing on a balance board while tossing a medicine ball. Resistance tube chest and back exercises represent pushing and pulling. Plyometric jumps can represent level changes and oblique exercise on a stability ball is an example of rotational movement.

Boot Camp Circuit Training

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) listed boot camp training circuits as one of the top training trends of 2009. The organization funded a boot camp circuit training study and found that participants in a boot camp circuit training program burned an average of 9.8 calories a minute. Boot camp circuits use traditional, military-style exercises such as jumping jacks, squat thrusts, sprints, sit-ups and push-ups. Some programs may also use kickboxing and martial arts moves.

Outdoor Circuit Training

The outdoor circuit, otherwise known as the parcourse is one of the most interesting circuit training examples. Parcourses date back to 1973. At the time, Peter Stocker, a San Francisco Bay Area real estate developer, was inspired by similar developments observed in Europe. He developed the first American parcourse in San Francisco's Mountain Lake Park. The idea became a trend and other real estate developers created parcourses throughout the country. In fact, they were so popular that in 1979, Perrier, the makers of bottled mineral water, helped finance 200 parcourses across the country.

A typical parcourse may consist of outdoor balance beams, pull-up bars, sit-up stations and push-up stations. If there are no parcourses in your area, you can create your own by using park benches, rocks and trees. You can either run or walk between stations. For added resistance training, consider carrying a resistance tube in your fanny pack. It can be easily linked on to a park bench for various exercises.