I teach both reformer and mat pilates classes in a health club setting. I seem to get more and more complaints from mat students about foot cramps. It doesn't seem to be as much of an issue in my reformer class. Is there a reason? Or is there a cue I can give in mat class to allieviate this situation?

The mat work is open kinetic chain movements, on the reformer the chain is closed which gives more support
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Foot cramps ususally come from gripping and pointing the toes and tightening the leg. muscles

The cues should express dynamic movements that work the body as a whole unit, integrating and flowing away from a strong stable center,
try using cues that express that idea..... like, wrap the muscles around the bones.... straighten your knees like you are pulling up a pair of stockings.... or shorten your suspenders to lift your legs

And I get students who get foot and calf cramps on the reformer. I find they're doing the same thing - using the feet too much. I've also used the "pull up the saggy stockings" analogy - funny!

I think that although it could be room temp,more than likely, it's too much gripping and tightening in the muscles of the feet by overly plantar flexing.
You might notice it also happens when clients are in a prone postion doing exercises like swan or the single leg kicks, or kneeling on reformer doing chest expansion, if you place a small pillow, or folded towel under shins it can help.

It has been my experience that cramps happen for a variety of reasons. For one, many medications will cause muscle cramping because they interfer with the natural muscle contractions of the body. Osteo, cholesterol, pain meds, are a few examples. Pretty much anything that is a calcium blocker will cause muscle cramps. Dehydration can play a factor as well as lack of minerals in the diet.

The most common source of cramping is when you start strengthening and realigning the muscles in the body. The second and third toes will cramp, the arches of the feet and the calves will cramp when you increase the range of motion in the lower extremities. It is new territory for these muscles and it their way of letting you know.

In most cases, cramping is a good thing. My clients have learned to work through it. No one has ever died from cramping.

Hey was I seeing things or was there a one line post that said "could be fans or ac," it;s disappeared???

I do see a common thread of cramping in the same types clients, and they tend to be tight, over use their quads and really point the toes. There is also a similarity in the exercises that cause cramping as well, so while Stacey makes valid points I think it's over reaching to look at meds and so forth, To my way of thinking, cramps are never a "good thing" whether the muscles are gettin used to doing something new or not, so while muscles do adapt eventually, the clenching foot thing becomes somewhat habituated and it's hard to get out of. Right from the start the client should be learning how to get out of the feet and superficials and work deeper. I did a private with Romanna, (it's the only time I ever worked with her, so I am not proclaiming to her being a mentor, but it was memorable.) and I remember one thing she said "soft feet, deeper belly"

Love the range of motion talk here: it is new territory.

One thing I think is important to remember (at least with women) is how high-heel wearing effects foot and calf range of motion. I notice--with myself and clients--heels set one up for calf cramps.

I agree that it is often caused by clients clenching their toes. I give the cue," pointed feet, not pointed toes" which seems to help a lot. Two of my clients have found that drinking quinine water is very helpful to decrease cramping as well.

i think mat is a flooby surface nd if it is not firm then walking on it leads to more work of calf muscles as in waking in sand.so this can be due to increased work of gastro-soleus.the cure is either the strengthening of calf muscles or a firm mat surface.

thanks for the varied and helpful feedback. i plan to try new cues this week and see if it helps. and it does tend to be the same people who cramp and also want to power through the reps quickly. going deeper to initiate movement is a good reminder
suzie