Arm pump advice

[bogan]

Is there anything i can do to minismise arm pump? exercises etc

I ride a CR125 so i should be using the clutch a bit, but even without clutching i only last about two laps before i completely lose feeling in my hands and arms. I ride standing up, and grip with knees wherever possible.

Does anybody else get it this badly? will it get better the more i ride? or do i just need to toughen up and get used to it?

[DMNTD]

I use one of THESE (http://www.powerballs.co.nz/)

[flyingcr250]

I use one of THESE (http://www.powerballs.co.nz/)

i used to get it quite bad along with blisters on my hands but i havent had it for about 6 months. i found if you ride often enough and just push through the pain your arms get stronger and stronger and soon enough you dont get it. theres also sprays you could try.

[cave weta]

i used to get it quite bad along with blisters on my hands but i havent had it for about 6 months. i found if you ride often enough and just push through the pain your arms get stronger and stronger and soon enough you dont get it. theres also sprays you could try.

What he said X2

I ride about 3 days a week when im busy. And I mean all day. Then if it quietens down for a week or two the arm pump comes back. But my arm muscles are probebly twice the age of yours. so take a big swig of HTFU
and get out there!

[Freeatlast]

Is there anything i can do to minismise arm pump? exercises etc

I ride a CR125 so i should be using the clutch a bit, but even without clutching i only last about two laps before i completely lose feeling in my hands and arms. I ride standing up, and grip with knees wherever possible.

Does anybody else get it this badly? will it get better the more i ride? or do i just need to toughen up and get used to it?

Just relax, don't grip so hard. Pressure with the palms of your hands... not tight fisted grip. Don't lock your joints (elbows especially) no tight fitting straps on the wrists (take your watch off) Try moving controls (clutch/brake) to a different position. Stand up in your normal riding position, close your eyes, and feel for where you think the controls should be... 'cause thats where they oughta be.

[flyingcr250]

so take a big swig of HTFU
and get out there!

ha ha ha, exact same thing my dad told me when i first complained of arm pump all those years ago. i never get it now, but i do get sore fingers on the clutch hand, in between the first and second knuckle.

[cave weta]

Just relax, don't grip so hard. Pressure with the palms of your hands... not tight fisted grip. Don't lock your joints (elbows especially) no tight fitting straps on the wrists (take your watch off) Try moving controls (clutch/brake) to a different position. Stand up in your normal riding position, close your eyes, and feel for where you think the controls should be... 'cause thats where they oughta be.

Woah!

did you swallow the little book of sports physio?:eek5:

[L Rider]

Eating banana's is meant to help. Think its the potassium in them. No idea how many you'd hafta eat though lol

[Freeatlast]

Eating banana's is meant to help. Think its the potassium in them. No idea how many you'd hafta eat though lol

NAH !!! need more iron... chew on nails. :woohoo:

[bogan]

thort it was probably a case of bear with it till it gets better, though the powerball thing looks like it cud be a good idea

[CookMySock]

dunno about the closing eyes bit - thats never worked well for me LOL. ;)

Yeah just keep riding and stuff like this just comes right.

Steve

[Kickaha]

I use one of THESE (http://www.powerballs.co.nz/)

I just masturbate a lot:whistle:

I'm still the best I've ever had

[flyingcr250]

I just masturbate a lot:whistle:

I'm still the best I've ever had

it was only a matter of time untill one of those tarmac twats put their half-a-cents worth in.......:whistle::bash:

[Kickaha]

it was only a matter of time untill one of those tarmac twats put their half-a-cents worth in.......:whistle::bash:

Actually I've done a fair amount of off road riding (not racing) and arm pump is also a bit of a problem for sidecar guys

I've found those sprays work very well (good lubricant);)

[DMNTD]

it was only a matter of time untill one of those tarmac twats put their half-a-cents worth in.......:whistle::bash:

LOL...that was quite good! :laugh:
Tarmac twat...is that a hard c*nt? :whistle:

[vr4king]

Best thing Ive found is RIDE IT OUT..............

[Freeatlast]

LOL...that was quite good! :laugh:
Tarmac twat...is that a hard c*nt? :whistle:

Nah.. he's a pussy. And its not his c*nt thats hard... but he does need small hands. :wacko:

[kezzafish]

is a c*nt the same as a cunt?

I find with pump that if you can ride through it it comes to a kinda bearable level at which you can ride allll day. But yeah i get it less now that i used to so more riding, more years, more strength. I also work out on an exercise machine and have a hand spring thingie that i squeeze while watching tv. But that is over the top retarded shit that i have to do to keep up with a mate. lol

[Freeatlast]

is a c*nt the same as a cunt?



depends on the way you've held your tounge... :innocent:

[Reckless]

all of the above are some things to try
But
Do you wear a pressure suit or elbow guards?? Make sure the elastic cross straps are not to tight around your forearms!! I have my elbow guards cable tied to my shoulder armour in my pressure suit so I can run my straps losser and they don't slide down! (idea came from someone on here). I found this out by deciding one day to go fasterer and generally push it a bit harder. So I did all my straps up tight in case I fell off, and went for it. I couldn't figure out why I had arm pump I'd never had trouble with before. Posted a thread about it and bingo someone sussed it for me!

Straps to tight!! :Oops:

Just something to try???

[camchain]

Some people get it bad, and sounds like you're in that club. Like kezza, I use one of those spring squeezer jobs while watching TV, and even chuck it in the car to warm up before riding (that is - when I was on top of my fitness, before I got lazy). Even a small amount of Hand/Forearm exercise should help a fair bit.

Properly understanding any problem is first step to solving. Seems to me it's essentially from hands being restricted to holding on in one position (grip size), plus you go from zero to intense work straight away. Everywhere else on the bike you're moving around and body can get a bit of a change (Strange comparision that comes to mind is pet birds need different size/shape perches so they don't get 'claw' pump). Muscles stuck in one position, lactic acid can't flush out - and here comes the pump. But also isn't carpal tunnel related to sheath over muscle/ligament being a bit too tight? Maybe get some sports physio advice. There's some guy in Thames (I think) who claims to be able to pretty much sort the problem for riders. Anyone from Thames know him?

Maybe try some thicker spongy grips? A mate has these to cut down big banger vibes. Back in the day you used to be able to get a type of grip that were kind of oval shaped.

[FROSTY]

I agree with a lot of the posts above one thing not covered off is just slow down a bit.
Get back into your comfort zone and you might find your arms arent so sore.
You might even find that old racing theory works for you. To go faster just slow down.

[bogan]

cheers for all the advice, i dont wear elbow guards or a pressure suit so theres no straps too tight. Tried riding through it last time, but without the feeling its too easy to cock it up and ass off. Slowing down sounds like a bit of a buzz-kill, i feel im in my comfort zone when riding, except for the arm pump everything else is quite smooth. Ill try and hand exerciser thing as im not able to go riding as often as id like so hopefully thatll sort it

[JoshCragg]

i am really new to the dirt/any bike scene, so technically speaking i should get the arm pump really bad. My friends who are learning to suffer alot!

i have been rock climbing for about a year and i find it really helps. the first couple of times you climp the are pump is amazing to the point i couldnt drive home without waiting an hour or so after.

now i can ride all day long and not feel a thing...... not even a tingle.

i recomend a bit of cross training if you get it bad. couple of times a month would be almost enough.

any one keen just give me a yell

[noobi]

do push ups, a couple of times a day just do as many as you can untill you cant do any more, this works the same muscles that get sore from arm pump

[cs363]

This stuff is highly rated: http://www.procyclesafety.com/

Available from most dirt bike oriented shops.


(Word of warning - best to just spray it on and not rub it in with your hands, if you stop to take a leak in the bush later it can have some err...interesting consequences...)

[xen]

I used to get arm pump bad & that spray worked well. I found when I was starting out riding that I kept my fingers on the levers so had quick access to stopping. But was stretching my hand too much, now I don't do that and don't get much armpump.

[jt119]

I used to get arm pump bad & that spray worked well. I found when I was starting out riding that I kept my fingers on the levers so had quick access to stopping. But was stretching my hand too much, now I don't do that and don't get much armpump. is that how you stayed on the kdx when you flicked it sidways going up that hill that looked like some riding from behind

[xen]

wouldn't call it a flick, more like oh shit too much power on the rut hope i'll stay on lol

[mattwood]

I do a few little stretches that help heaps for me, before riding (like in the car on the way) I just stretch my fingers out as far as I can over and over. Then once I get on the bike, before taking off I place my finger tips on the handle bar grips and keep my arms straight with my palms facing away from me then push foward, it stretches your forearms reeealy good. Also, like other people have said, try relaxing.. sounds hard when your holding on for dear life but just loosen off your grip and remember to breath properly.

[theblacksmith]

Keep your elbows up all the time and try not to hold on too tight to your grips.

[ArcherWC]

Time on the bike will make the biggest differance, Also a stearing dampner will help

[krasher]

I am really new to this so I don't know if my opinion counts but, I don't get pump, but my mates who are more experienced do.

I have done some mountain biking (downhill/jump) which I think helped. I think I used to get some pump doing that. I just learnt to relax and setup right.

I have taken the time to setup my bike levers and I think this helps a lot. I move my levers in slightly so I get more leverage on them and I then only need a couple fingers. I also tilt them down quite a bit so that I don't have to lift my hands as high. ie they are adjusted to work as if I was on the pegs.

I don't know what works, but something does. Could just be that I am muscular. :P

[mazz1972]

Building up those arm muscles is the best way to negate forearm pump, and there are a few others factors to consider as well. As you can see from other posts there are lots of suggestions....stick with what works best for you. With any muscles, they need to be "warmed up" a little before abuse!! Below is some suggestions from one of our previous club newsletters:

Grip the bikes tank with your knees. Do this by standing on the balls of your feet (rather than the arch) and kinda pushing outwards on your pegs. This points your knees in towards the tank and means you only hold the bars to steer.

Hydrate (drink lots of water).

Supplements (B12/B6).

Handlebars - move toward you so they’re not so ‘high’.

Steering stabilizer (allows you to relax your grip).

Body position on bike - make sure you find your balance point, especially when standing. If you are doing pull ups all the time you are to far back, if your you holding yourself from kissing the mudguard you’re to far forward. Almost everyone is to far back. Move your body forward and find a balance where your arms are more relaxed and a “death grip” is not necessary.

Gloves - make sure they are not too tight as you don’t want to restrict blood flow or finger movement.

Grips - gel type hand grips can help. If you have small hands, you might try smaller handgrips.

Wrist/forearm excercise, broom handle, a piece of string and a 2kg weight. You attach the weight to one end of the string and the broomstick to the other. Holding the broom handle you wind the string up raising and lowering the weight.

Stretching seems to be one of the best things you can do to avoid or reduce forearm pump. Most racers do some stretching before hitting the track but a lot of trail riders and ditch bangers just hop on and go. Here’s a good forearm stretch. With arms extended in front of you, and fingers straight, pull back on the fingers to flex the wrist joint backwards. Then push on the knuckles to flex the wrist forwards.

Keep your forearms warm. Too much cool air restricts blood flow and increases the chances of forearm pump.

Lever set up - make sure your brake and clutch lever are set om the right position for you. The standard is to have your brake and clutch lever in line with your forearms when you’re in the attack position. Having them in the wrong spot can make them hard to reach and mess your body positioning up.

[Hazza]

Breathing is a big part a lot of arm pump is causes by lack of oxygen in the arms

[Atomic]

is a c*nt the same as a cunt?

I find with pump that if you can ride through it it comes to a kinda bearable level at which you can ride allll day. But yeah i get it less now that i used to so more riding, more years, more strength. I also work out on an exercise machine and have a hand spring thingie that i squeeze while watching tv. But that is over the top retarded shit that i have to do to keep up with a mate. lol


do push ups, a couple of times a day just do as many as you can untill you cant do any more, this works the same muscles that get sore from arm pump


Make sure you rest a day or two between doing muscle exercises so they can rebuild, if you work out the same muscle group everyday, your muscles will eat themselves away. Possibly a load of crock but I heard that the larger the muscles, the more prone to arm pump you will be because there is no room for expansion?????

[Atomic]

Breathing is a big part a lot of arm pump is causes by lack of oxygen in the arms

Hard night on the piss wont help with getting oxygen to the muscles either.

I agree with some of the posts above about riding through it, take a 15min break and get back on the bike, once iv had arm pump in the morning, I generally wont get it again for the rest of the day.

[secondfield]

Cut those stupid waffles off your bar grips. Less surface area to hold onto means you squeeze a bit tighter. I have changed my grips to generic ATV/sport bike grips. Way fatter (again, more surface area to hang onto) and softer compound. This change has eliminated my arm pump. And, erm, heaps of riding.

[pete.ktm]

a couple of links with articles and vids:

http://dirtbike.off-road.com/dirtbike/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=328767
http://www.motocrossactionmag.com/me2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=9B767DC2DD8E4A11B6C914E5A0E9FAF8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl00Qu3xad4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtFpHI0tp7A&feature=related

doing some arm excercises in the car on the way to the ride seems to help me a little, but considering paul whibley often mentions he gets arm pump in races i think if there was a definitive cure for it he would have fixed it.

real bitch when you're have it and you're trying to stick with your mates and you end up dropping it on some dumbass section coz you just can't hang on any more.

[oldguy]

I have Just uploaded this to youtube, seam to make sense,

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kGlMuvmK0Ig&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kGlMuvmK0Ig&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[Robert Taylor]

Is there anything i can do to minismise arm pump? exercises etc

I ride a CR125 so i should be using the clutch a bit, but even without clutching i only last about two laps before i completely lose feeling in my hands and arms. I ride standing up, and grip with knees wherever possible.

Does anybody else get it this badly? will it get better the more i ride? or do i just need to toughen up and get used to it?

If you are getting it that bad you have serious suspension issues. Well sorted suspension will not eliminate arm pump, but it will minimise it.

[Rupe]

I found when I was starting out riding that I kept my fingers on the levers so had quick access to stopping. But was stretching my hand too much, now I don't do that and don't get much armpump.

I'd say unless you are going in a long staight line you will need a to have at least one finger on either lever. Can't really have control through the tight stuff smoothly if your going from all fingers gripping to some on levers etc.

Bar and lever postion can make a big differance, put it all to standard and go from there.

[krasher]

Make sure you rest a day or two between doing muscle exercises so they can rebuild, if you work out the same muscle group everyday, your muscles will eat themselves away. Possibly a load of crock but I heard that the larger the muscles, the more prone to arm pump you will be because there is no room for expansion?????
A mate of mine has HUGE forearms. Gets real bad pump. Interesting.

[Reckless]

A mate of mine has HUGE forearms. Gets real bad pump. Interesting.

Yeh mate of mine is well built an he gets it quite bad too?

[B0000M]

drink lots of water before and during riding, this helps make sure you are hydrated which in turn will thin the blood, also try taking a couple of panadol or similar before riding, this also thins blood, causing better circulation therefore minimising arm pump.


other than that, dont think about it, breath, make sure your suspension is doing the work, and ride more

[bogan]

A mate of mine has HUGE forearms. Gets real bad pump. Interesting.

yeh i have read that in quite a few places, bigger the muscles the more places lactic acids can build up i spose.

Thanks again for all the info, cant wait to get out and see whats works:scooter:

[Del Fuego]

forearm pump has nothing to do with muscle strength. I do a fair bit of rock climbing and this forearm pump is always a problem... especially when you first start. The most frequent reason for it other than lack of conditioning is overgripping. ie I can climb all day in the gym with bugger all pump then go outside and the panic sets in and you over grip all the holds because you are all of a sudden freaking out.

Solutions: Stop overgripping the bars... you don't need to hold on as tight as you think.

Warm up before your ride.

Stretch after

Keep riding regularly, your body will get more and more used to the process

and obviously set the bike up right

Chur

[mattwood]

also try taking a couple of panadol or similar before riding, this also thins blood, causing better circulation therefore minimising arm pump.

not trying to sound like a pussy or anything.. :whistle:
but wouldnt it be dangerous to thin your blood? higher chance of bleeding to death, wouldn't be to hard if you were knocked unconcious and had a bad gash or something.. I remember reading about it somewhere.

[noobi]

not trying to sound like a pussy or anything.. :whistle:
but wouldnt it be dangerous to thin your blood? higher chance of bleeding to death, wouldn't be to hard if you were knocked unconcious and had a bad gash or something.. I remember reading about it somewhere.

i don't think that panadol thins ones blood that much, just that it gets thicker when your riding etc so thinning it only thins it back to normal viscosity? so you might bleed the same as if you had a gash from falling over on the drive or something

[cs363]

i don't think that panadol thins ones blood that much, just that it gets thicker when your riding etc so thinning it only thins it back to normal viscosity? so you might bleed the same as if you had a gash from falling over on the drive or something

I think he's getting confused with Aspirin which is commonly used as a blood thinner, Paracetamol (Panadol is a generic name for the same drug) is a similar pain killer but works completely differently and is not prescribed for blood thinning.

Magnesium tablets are useful for reducing lactic acid build up though if you really want to pop pills.

If you want to use medications to treat arm pump though it's far safer and probably more effective to use the Moto 911 spray or a similar topical analgesic.

However, as other posters have indicated ride fitness and good hydration are probably the most natural ways to get rid of it, at least in most normal peoples cases.

[oldskool]

lol I could suggest a more natural way of conditioning for arm pump and that involves a good girly magazine and a daily visit to a dark room with a lock on the door but I'm sure most of you guys have already thought of that! :gob::whistle:
But seriously if you aren't getting arm pump then you probably aren't enjoying the sport as much as you did, or not challenging yourself enuff anyway! So yeah I agree with the poster who said you're gripping too tightly, so enjoy the ride and keep shitting yourself! :Punk:

[noobi]

lol I could suggest a more natural way of conditioning for arm pump and that involves a good girly magazine and a daily visit to a dark room with a lock on the door but I'm sure most of you guys have already thought of that! :gob::whistle:
But seriously if you aren't getting arm pump then you probably aren't enjoying the sport as much as you did, or not challenging yourself enuff anyway! So yeah I agree with the poster who said you're gripping too tightly, so enjoy the ride and keep shitting yourself! :Punk:

have i told you i think your a bit strange before?

[oldguy]

only get arm pump when on the road bike, riding in the rain, trying to keep the thing from sliding down the road.

[clmintie]

only get arm pump when on the road bike, riding in the rain, trying to keep the thing from sliding down the road.

Don't you dare think about sliding that gorgeous beastie of yours down the road. It's one of the few M/Cs that could temp me back to tar...

[mattwood]

I think he's getting confused with Aspirin which is commonly used as a blood thinner, Paracetamol (Panadol is a generic name for the same drug) is a similar pain killer but works completely differently and is not prescribed for blood thinning.

oh yeah shit, now that i think about it im pretty sure it was asprin, didnt realise they did different things :pinch:

[clmintie]

Of course there are no Aspirins in the forest, the parrots eat em all........... :whistle: