Muscle Cramps

Great tip from Men's Health:

Make a Muscle Cramp Vanish by Bill Hartman, CSCS PT

Don't Stretch ... Cramps are caused by your muscles contracting uncontrollably, and your natural reaction when a cramp sets in is to try to stretch your way out of it.  Resist the urge to elongate the muscle.  Stretching only puts your muscle through more strain, which could lead to more pain.

Flex Instead ... Leverage the intelligent approach: reciprocal inhibition (RI).  This is a nervous-system phenomenon that you can activate yourself.  When you contract the muscle on one side of a joint hard enough, the opposing muscle--the one cramping, in this case--will stop firing, easing the cramp.  The following cramps are the most common.  The next time on strikes, put RI into action with these moves.

*Bottom of your foot cramp = Lift your toes toward your shin.
*Calf cramp = Bend your ankle, bringing your foot toward your shin.
*Hamstring cramp = Sitting or standing, fully extend your lower leg.