Good Ole arm pump

[gsheff989]

I have been working out a lot and feel great, except for arm pump. Any suggestions on stuff to do during the week to help. Anyone ever use tennis or racquet balls for exercising the forearm?

 

[rm_racer]

Try to grip the bike more with your legs, less with you hands. It should help reduce arm pump. I, personnaly, use a hand exerciser for working my hands. (one of those things with grips and a spring on top.)

 

[Okiewan]

The only thing that helps with arm pump is relaxing on the bike, release the death grip. Doesn't matter how much you work-out.

Now if I could practice what I preach, had a massive case of it today and never could ride thru it.

 

[HajiWasAPunk]

I agree with Okie...

I've been working out minimum 3 times a week and it has helped prevent my shoulders legs etc from getting tired and sore from riding. But if I'm not purposelfully thinking about relaxing the grip (especially while turning) I still get arm pump so bad I have to stop riding.

I've been told riding more helps, but I believe that by riding more you become more relaxed and it's really the death grip that you must get rid of to stop this, at least in my experience.

 

[njkx]

I've heard of an "arm pump" surgery that you can have. Not that I am recommending or considering it, but I'm curious if anyone else knows exactly what this is.

 

[Okiewan]

The muscles in your forearm are contained in a membrane pouch of sorts. When they swell to the point that they do't want to fit in said pouch, the pain begins. The surgery removes or simply opens this pouch to allow more room. I've read comments from some pro's that had it done, some say it didn't completly "fix" the problem. Pretty drastic measures.

 

[Gibby]

I just tend to let loose of the bars while in the air.

 

[weez440]

i heard of a pill that you can take just for arm pump seen the advertisement on espn2 or something like that during motocross.

 

[the_monk]

Like what Okiewan says. It leaves WICKED scars too. Think of a drain snake. The go in and basically auger out the sheath that contains the muscles so the blood won't get constricted in your hands and forearms when your muscles expand.

Check out the one on DV's right arm: http://www.transworldmotocross.com/mx/gohuge/0,20859,747635_713661,00.html

 

[mxrider443]

One thing ive found it, is by working out a lot... it tends to increase arm pump (earlier in the moto and increases the tightness)...just something i have found out myself

 

[Masterphil]

Keeping your electorlites in balance will help too. Drink something like gatorade and eat a couple of banannas before you ride.

 

[oldfrt613]

I've found that if I strap my gloves on tight at all it seems to happen. I leave the straps really loose to allow for the "pump" before I start the ride, seems to really make a difference for me.

 

[c&b745XX]

jJust getting enough riding time in to condition yourself , then generally the arm pump dosen't pop up for me. I have found an exercise that's called "21's " that really helps . This exercise really gets my forearms pumped up and in turn makes my chances of arm pump greatly reduced . Like was said ,staying relaxed helps for sure .

 

[rm_racer]

How do you do "21's"?

I got arm pump playing volleyball in gym today. :laugh:

 

[dirtbikr99]

I had a big problem with this problem as well. I found the one and only thing to help was riding more. I found myself going out and riding say 10 laps but going fast, then relaxing and not staying consistant. I found later on that its best to go at a race pace for 3 laps as aposed to riding 10 laps not as fast. Then go out and do your 3 laps, take a 15 min break and go out and go for 4 laps and work your way up. Before you know it your doing 20 laps with no arm pump. But like i said, just ride as much as possible able and this will help arm plump. Also if u dont have time to do as much riding, then get a 5 or 10 pound weight and tie string to it. Then get a wooden pole about one foot in length, drill a hole in the center and tie the other end of the string to it. The string should be around 5 feet long. For the exercise, hole the pole in both arms out in front of you and role the string up around it like your twisting the throttle untill the weight gets to the top, and go the other way till you get the weight all the way to the bottom. You will get the exact feeling of arm pump.

 

[c&b745XX]

Well rm_racer , it's basically curls . But one set goes like this , curl the weights to your chest and lower down about half ( waist line ) x 7 . Then without stopping ,lower the weights down to your legs ( don't lock out ,keeping tension on ) and raise to your waist line x 7 . Again without stopping do 7 reps full range of motion . one set = 21 reps . Keep strict form , 2 seconds up and 4seconds down per rep. Hope I explained this satisfactory . You know how it goes , what works for one dosesn't allways work for another , rips my forearms up !.. I use a straight bar ....

 

[xr100ider]

rub icyhot over the affected area before and during each ride. everytime you take a break, or maybe every few times you take a break, rub some more of that stuff on. it'll keep you good to go!

 

[Jim98KX250kid]

USE HEAVYER WEIGHTS :laugh:

 

[motodawg]

i heard of a pill that you can take just for arm pump seen the advertisement on espn2 or something like that during motocross.

Maybe PumpX you were thinking of? I don't know squat about it and I don't recommend it. A young racer we know uses it and says it helps some, but he still has arm pump problems.
http://www.efitnessacademy.com/pumpx.asp has some info on it, sells it. Too expensive as far as I'm concerned. Some good info on the site though.