Cramping ... what's actually going on, and what you can do about it.

This July we're welcoming Precision Fuel & Hydration to the Collective as our Partner of the Month - and we think you're going to get a lot out of this one.

Precision Fuel & Hydration was built around a simple but important idea:

That individual differences in physiology matter, and that the best fuelling and hydration strategy is the one that's right for you specifically - not for an average athlete.

They work with endurance athletes at every level, helping them take a more personalised, science-led approach to what they eat and drink before and during a ride.

We've covered a lot of ground this month with Precision Fuel & Hydration - fluid, sodium and carbohydrates. If you've missed any of those, they're all in your inbox waiting for you.

This week we're wrapping up the series with the one topic that pulls all three together: cramping. It's one of the most common complaints in endurance sport, one of the most frustrating things that can happen mid-ride, and one of the most misunderstood.

CRAMPING - WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON?

The honest answer is that exercise-associated muscle cramps are likely multifactorial - meaning there's probably more than one thing going on at once.

Two factors consistently appear in the research: neuromuscular fatigue and electrolyte depletion, particularly sodium. Cramping tends to cluster towards the end of long or hard efforts, when muscles are tired and electrolyte losses have accumulated. Which points to both being relevant.

The neuromuscular side

This largely comes down to training. Muscles that are accustomed to the demands you're placing on them are less likely to cramp. If you're pushing further or harder than you're conditioned for, cramp becomes more likely regardless of how well you've hydrated. Consistent, progressive training is your best defence here.

The sodium side

This is where a bit of self-knowledge really helps. A few things worth paying attention to:

• White salt marks on your kit after a ride
• Craving salty foods after exercise
• Cramping that tends to appear late in longer or harder efforts despite consistent drinking

If any of those sound familiar, your sodium losses over a long ride may be more significant than you'd assumed. And as we covered a few weeks ago, replacing fluid without replacing enough sodium can leave you deficient even if you've been drinking consistently throughout.

Some cyclists find that significantly increasing their sodium intake (particularly in the hours before and during longer efforts) can make a meaningful difference to cramping. It's not a guaranteed fix, but for those with high sodium losses it's worth taking seriously.

A few practical steps worth trying:

• Make sure your training is building the specific fitness the ride demands - don't dramatically increase effort or distance without building up gradually
• Dial in your sodium intake based on your individual losses, not a generic recommendation
• Stay on top of fuelling - glycogen depletion appears to increase cramp risk too, so carbohydrates matter here as well as electrolytes

Everything connects. Fluid, sodium, carbohydrates - get all three working together and you're giving yourself the best possible chance of your strongest ride.

Not sure where your numbers sit?

Precision Fuel & Hydration's free Fuel & Hydration Planner builds you a personalised strategy based on your event, conditions and physiology - taking the guesswork out of how to fuel, hydrate and when.

It's been a brilliant month having the Precision Fuel & Hydration team share their expertise with the Collective. We hope it's given you something practical to take into your riding.

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We're excited to announce that we are giving away a cramper hamper from Precision Fuel & Hydration.

(You have to be a member to stand a chance of winning)