UNcomfortably numb- arm pump and similar probs

**Crasherfromwayback** · 17th November 2006, 15:12

Originally Posted by Joni

Yeah I reckon one will help for sure.... strenghthen your muscles using it and then apply the other suggestions made here and I reckon you would be in a stronger place on the track

Every bit helps I reckon...

It takes some time to get used to the thing and to really get it moving... just keep at it, oh and get one of the "heavier" ones, ours goes to 12kg's, I think its perfect for me, but too light for Kick.

Actually Joni, I hate to say this, but they're the last thing someone with arm pump needs. Building up muscles is not the go......being limber and relaxing the grip on the bars will help....big forearm muscles will make things worse.

**Joni** · 17th November 2006, 16:14

Originally Posted by Crasherfromwayback

Actually Joni, I hate to say this, but they're the last thing someone with arm pump needs. Building up muscles is not the go......being limber and relaxing the grip on the bars will help....big forearm muscles will make things worse.

I apreciate your experience in this, so I wont argue, but will ask for your reasoning.

I was not suggesting he build muscle at all, I was suggesting a bit of strenthening of the muscle groups, however as I said also take all the other advice into consideration, relaxation and not gripping the grips is a huge part I agree, seeing Tony races maninly at Ruapuna the advice DP gave was great...

So if I am agreeing with you but did not voice what I was saying properly apologies... if you still dont agree with me I would love to know why, it would be educational for me as it does not make logical sence.

**TonyB** · 17th November 2006, 17:44

What he means is that arm pump is often caused by over developed muscles squashing the nerves in the carpal tunnel, or in other areas. Read Kenny Roberts' book- he had arm pump and assumed he was too weak, so he did more and more strength training, only to find the problem got worse and worse.

**Joni** · 17th November 2006, 17:50

Yes I get that Tony, I was never suggesting over developed muscles... anyway I will shut up now, obviously Im putting my point across well.

Good luck with your problem...

**TonyB** · 17th November 2006, 18:37

sweet. I should add that in my case I think some strength training would fix most of the problem. And time on the bike will help too, cause i'll be a whole lot more relaxed.

**Crasherfromwayback** · 18th November 2006, 08:18

Originally Posted by Joni

Yes I get that Tony, I was never suggesting over developed muscles... anyway I will shut up now, obviously Im putting my point across well.

Good luck with your problem...

Yeah sorry Joni....I was taking it as you were suggesting building the muscles up in the forearm...a no-no.
I raced moto-x on 500cc 2 strokes from a young age, and being a runt of a man always struggled with arm pump. I read a lot about it and just about every book by the moto-x greats advised against forearm excercises of any sort. Learning to relax your grip and hold the bike with your knees/legs was the simple answer. If you have a look at the moto gp bikes, alot of the smaller riders have a huge foam pad on the rear cowling to hold them in place under accelleration. This stops them having to hang on with their arms inducing arm pump.

**Shaun** · 18th November 2006, 08:34

Originally Posted by Joni

I apreciate your experience in this, so I wont argue, but will ask for your reasoning.

I was not suggesting he build muscle at all, I was suggesting a bit of strenthening of the muscle groups, however as I said also take all the other advice into consideration, relaxation and not gripping the grips is a huge part I agree, seeing Tony races maninly at Ruapuna the advice DP gave was great...

So if I am agreeing with you but did not voice what I was saying properly apologies... if you still dont agree with me I would love to know why, it would be educational for me as it does not make logical sence.

Your advice was based on info you have been given, but perhaps that info was not givin to you clearly enough, nor explained well

Exercise for these muscle's is Perfect! But it must be the correct type of exercise!

PUSHUPS Tony, and exercise that actually works and stretches the muscle at the same time is the go, purely building muscle mass will compound the issue, you must exercise, but 100% critical that you do an exercise that really stretches the muscle at the same time.

Try to avoid doing anything with that arm that would or could be to repetitive, ie hammering etc, make sure you Hydrate well, get some Vultarin cream and rub into the arm at least 1 hour before riding ( Anti Flam ajent)

Go talk to Vaughn about health based products that may help

**TonyB** · 19th November 2006, 09:51

Its interesting that the subject of stretching has come up. The natural relaxed position for my hands when my arms are by my side is kind of hook shaped. The ends of the fingers are often at 90° to my palms. I normally do pressups on my knuckles with the hjands in a fist, cause doing them palms don is pretty uncomfortable. Looks like stretching is the go.

**laRIKin** · 19th November 2006, 17:44

These may be worth a try.

http://www.fuggles.netfirms.com/

PS: It's a NZ site

**TonyB** · 27th February 2007, 11:48

Problem solved!
I had so many people telling me "you need to relax", "you're holding on too tight", "it's all in your head" etc that I had started to believe they were right.

BUT- after the last have a go day, I sat down and had a bloody good think about it. I had gotten much worse- to the point where my entire arms were completely stuffed after 2 laps. Not just the wrists and forearms, but the ENTIRE arm. Think about it- if you grabbed a pair of handlebars and grabbed them with your arms tensed up, would YOUR arms become completely exhausted after 4 minutes??? I mean exhausted to the stage where you struggle to pull in the brake lever, or hold your body up, or even twist the throttle?

So I analysed it.

The problem has gotten progressively worse.
I never used to have this problem- not like this, yes I had pins and needles in my hands after a long ride, but not this.
I used to ride 100's of kilometres a day at speeds I'm not putting on here- never had this problem.

The only things that were different were-

the new bike
newish leathers
and the fact I'd gained a fair bit of weight.

I had experienced a milder version of the problem when I had the FZR on the track, wearing the same leathers. But I was also lighter then.

So the only truly new variable was the extra weight. I decided the leathers could be too tight and cutting off the circulation to my arms. So I rang Dangerous and borrowed his. The jacket was a size or two bigger, and much more comfy.

I hit the track, and lapped for 20 minutes in the rain, holding on too tight, with no sign of the problem!!!! The relief was .... indescribable. I was VERY happy. So happy in fact, that when Dangerous said "Are you sure it's not all in your head- you are expecting it to work, so it did", I didn't attempt to kill him!