I'm sure it has been discussed before

Ratbag

Having been out of the scene for a year or so, I note that there are a lot of people using compression gear nowadays...

In the last few events I did before my (temporary as it turned out) retirement, I suffered pretty badly with cramps...it caused my first and only DNF at Bala.....and bloody near crippled me at FLM...

So, would compression kit help in any way? How have you gys found it?

I note that Skins to compresion tri shorts but haven't yet seen any others and also I found this so the toher question is does anyone have any experience of the quad thingies? I'm thinking that using them would mean I could still wear my Pirate shorts (hurrah!)

Please feel free to air your opinions / tell me to look elsewhere or point me in the right direction...

Cheers...

flyaway

I'm not sure compression clothing would help all that much with cramps. Did you look at electrolyte deficiency as a cause instead?
I do think the tights are good for recovery, but I am less convinced by the shorts. No experience of the calf guards or quad things, which to me look like they would fall down.

Ratbag

I think that electrolytes may have been an issue at Bala but not at FLM....I also suffer occasionally from achilles issues and I was wondering about calf guards...I might give the quad things a miss in favour of compression tri shorts but haven't decided either way on any compression kit....that's why I was asking for opinions...

I'm pretty sure some people on here have tried the stuff....I've read some reviews and the majority appear to think there is some benefit...

[Deleted User]

SP and myself use them after training but not before (this would be for an endurance effort), saying that I have seen peeps wearing the calf ones during running.

How's it going anyway?

Ratbag

TL, you don't want to know....I'm really not enjoying it here and am looking for a job back home....

Doozer.

I use calf gaurds for racing, and have found them really useful.  Used to cramp up a little before, but they have seemed to help.  I also wear compression tights to bed the night before a race and try to wear them soon after too.  Maybe I have a compression fettish to go with my carbon one!

Iron Rose

can be useful but in terms of the aim of them, true compression could never work, trying to push blood towards the heart using a pair of compression tights means the tightest bit 'should' be by the ankle, well you wouldn't be able to get your feet in the damn thing !

But for recovery they are proven to work, research by a UNi in NZ had some great results over 40km TT, around 3-4% true data improvement after you take out the 2-3% variables from their claims which is quite a bit in todays figures.

I use the tights and the socks, calf guards do stay up and a lot of people use them effectively in long runs.

As for shorts, good at keeping tackle in place but for compression, bring on the prostate issues ! to be fair i don't think they are much better than a decent set of tri shorts but more expensive. Have to do the  research on those ones.

I don't however think it will stop cramps, I think you may have other issues there mate. When you say it wan't electrolye, can you be sure you weren't diluted or low in sodium ? There is a great site on cramps on t'internet, check it out. Just do a search on running cramps, its not just electrolyte deficiency that causes issues.

flyaway

I meant I thought the quad things looked like they'd fall down. I've seen a lot of people running in calf guards, but the anatomical advantage there is that most people's legs taper again at the knee. The quad things look like they'd be trying to hang on around the widest part of your thighs. They probably do stay up otherwise no-one would buy them, but they dont look to me like they would be all that effective at staying in a beneficial place. But I'm a cynical skeptic, so what would i know?!

seren nos

I would definitely think a it more about the electrolyte angle..........salt tablets have been a solution for anumber of people I know for marathon distance

Ratbag

Thanks for your replies...I will look again into the electrolyte issue....I have used Nuun tabs in the past and haven't had issues....I'm sure that this was ht eproblem at bala as I rememebr there were no enery drinks left at the turnaround, just water, as I rememeber but I thought I was OK for electrolytes at FLM....could be wrong there though....

Doubly Bionic Ironwolf

I've used compression socks and they do work for me in helping recovery. Not good for tri though as they are quite difficult to get on and they aren't allowed in the swim, you lose too much time pulling them on in transition.

Doozer.

IW. Try calf gaurds, they can be worn under wetsuit, if anything shorter than half IM you don't need socks

Iron Rose

flyaway wrote (see)

I meant I thought the quad things looked like they'd fall down.

lol, sorry missed that completely, yes quad guards might be more of an issue.

Suffolk Punch

Rattie..... Hope you're well - glad to see you're out of retirement and joining us on the IM merry-go-round again!!

Contrary to what TL says (see how much she REALLY knows about me...) I've started wearing compression shorts in my last few marathons and at IMNZ and The Outlaw on the run leg.

Without any scientific research to back this up I could be talking a load of old cobblers, but I have noticed a feeling of being stronger in the latter stages of the event. Of course, this could simply be down to better prep, but in May I ran the Halstead Marathon. I knocked 6 minutes off my previous for that event and I hadn't really trained for it.

As for electrolytes, I've sworn by Nuun tablets since our triumphant trip to Switzerland in 2005. I think they are simply the best and often use them even if I'm not training and just drop a tablet into a bottle of water when I'm at work... Great hangover cure also!!

Ratbag

Cheers SP. Good to hear from you.

I'm going to check into this a little more. I might get some stuff to try out in training and see how it goes. Need to get more Nuun tabs but will wait until I (eventaully, hopefully) get back to the UK.

I see your swimming has improved a lot...well done!

oxymoron

flyaway wrote (see)

 But I'm a cynical skeptic, so what would i know?!

you seem to have accepted all that "God" nonsense quite readily!

Ratbag- just get loads of compression gear, you will look dead cool!