arm problems!!!

[JPrelude]

I just started racing hare scrambles recently. Try dealing with arm pump for 1 1/2 hours. It's not fun at all. I've learned that foremost I need to stay relaxed. Also the tip about holding the bike with your legs more is right on as well. I have nasty scrapes on the insides of my knees from this last weekends race. As others have said, you have to ride quite a bit to alleviate arm pump which translates into becoming more loose and comfortable on the bike. Staying hydrated is very important and I've also been told that taking potassium supplements or eating a banana helps to keep your muscles from building up lactic acids(creating arm pump). Hope this summarizes

OOPS

 

[Max Factor]

Originally posted by Okiewan

The number one cause of arm pump comes from the death grip. Death grip is associated with nerves, how tense you are, the lack of being comfortable and loose.

How true.
I thought I had the arm pump beat. I've been excersing more, I've ridden the last 6 weekends in a row to shake off winter stiffness, drinking tons more water than EVER before and eating banna's like a monkey. When I've been riding in the woods, guess what, NO arm pump. :cool:

Rode my first race for the season on the weekend at the Sparta GNCC. Guess what. ARM PUMP. Couldn't believe it. In the heat of battle, concerntation and pushing hard there it was. It wrecked me. I faitigued so badly by the 1.5 hr mark I simply couldn't hold on. Lucky a tree plucked me off the bike so I could pull out ;)

As hard as it is, you just have to try to breath, relax the grip and enjoy. Just like riding in the woods.

Even the best pro's still get arm pump. Next time you read an article when they're describing getting arm pump and the race being ruined. I bet they didn't get it while leading by half a lap. It'd be when they're behind, stressed and riding tight.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Arm Pump, Death Grips, Varieties of Bikes, Riding Style, and Exercise

All will have an impact on whether or not your forearms pump up.

• If you ride a bike which has a an explosive powerband then you could be more prone to getting arm pump. Instead of using a Death Grip to prevent being thrown off the back of the bike; learn to lean forward a little as you gassit. That way when the bike leaps forward, you are pushed back to a more neutral riding position again. Pushing down on the front of your foot pegs and gripping your bike with your inner thighs will also lessen the need for the Death Grip
  
• If your suspension is improperly set up then you will most assuredly be prone to the Death Grip. You will be constantly fighting the front end.
  
• Learn to ride loose as much of the time as you can. I've been concentrating on this lately and have been amazed as to how often I was gripping tightly when it was not necessary. Let the bike do the work.
  
• The stick, rope and weight trick is the single best exercise IMMHO aside from rinding that is, that will build strength exactly where needed to eliminate arm pump. Hold your arms straight out at shoulder height and roll that weight up and down until your forearms and your shoulders burn. Then lower your arms to waist level and continue and then let them hang down and continue until you think your forearms are about to EXPLODE! :p then rest for a couple of minutes. Repeat this process a few more times and do it every day. If you can keep this up, arm pump should be a thing of the past. The neat thing is that you don't have to buy or use a steel weight. Water in a rinsed out milk jug works perfectly. That way you can easily adjust the amount of weight used; 1 gallon of water weighs approximately 8.345 pounds ;)
  

Joe

 

[Okiewan]

careful with the creatine...

In some people at least it can cause cramps... did me for sure. Last year's routine included creatine, great for the workouts, but when spring came and I started riding, cramp city... hams, fingers, you name it.

Asprin on the other hand is a good one. But really, it all comes down to relaxing, something that I am not good at :silly:

 

[buffmaster]

I was just at the store to get a pop and the MXA was out, so I snagged 'em both. Guess what was on the cover......'Arm Pump: When Good Forearms Go Bad!' You guys can pick apart whichever one's don't work, stink, whatever, but maybe they'll help;
1. Frequent riding
2. Staying relaxed on the track
3. Use your legs
4. Avoid heay weights in work outs
5. Emphasize wrist curls w/light weights & high reps
6. Lots of forearm & wrist stretching
7. Use aspirin as a blood thinner
8. Use nutritional supplements
9. Change your bar bend or position
10. Alter lever positions
11. Try different grips(sizes & densities)
12. Steering dampeners
13.Gripper seat covers
14. Acupuncture, magnetic therapy and crystals(psychological level)(not too hot on that last one, but it was part of the article).
These are just some ideas. Maybe one or more will work. Good luck.

 

[KXKen]

Gary Semics has a video where he gives a forearm work out for armpump. I've done it and it seems to help. I'll try (or should I say attempt) to explain it.

You take 2 - 20lb dumb bells and grip them with your hands hanging down next to your legs. Next you twist both weights (kinda like twisting the throttle) for 20 reps. Immediately after you roll the weights down to the end of your finger tips and bring them back up do this 20 reps. Then take the weights and shake them back (using just your hands) and forth 20 reps. This whole thing is one set and you do 3 sets. Believe me you will really feel it.

I hope this helps somebody. Properly done it should.

 

[Saratoga]

KXKEN
I have been wondering what that G. Semics video is like. Thanks for your reply. I am unclear on your explanation though.

Are there three different exercises?
When do you rotate arms?
Which way do the knuckles face?
What do you mean by "shake the dumbells?"

 

[KXKen]

Originally posted by Saratoga
KXKEN

Are there three different exercises?
When do you rotate arms?
Which way do the knuckles face?
What do you mean by "shake the dumbells?"

Saratoga,

I'm sorry man, getting my thoughts on to a keyboard (or into words) has never been one of my more developed talents.

Are there three different exercises? yes but they are done one immediately after the other. All 3 make 1 set.

When do you rotate arms? You don't. Both arms are done simultaneously

Which way do the knuckles face? They face out. If your standing in front of a wall they are facing the wall your standing in front of.

What do you mean by "shake the dumbbells?" I could show you this in 2 seconds but I really can't think of a good way to explain it. If your gripping your handle bars on your bike and trying to bend them down (this would be the first direction) the other would be to try to bend them up. These are both done quickly with your hands at your sides.

Hopefully I didn't confuse you even more than you where. The video is not that great but the forearm exercise and the supplement section is good. This is my OPINION take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Saratoga]

KXKEN
Thanks, I understand your explanation clearly. I already fit these exercises into my training. You saved me $20.00 by not having to buy the video!

 

[KXKen]

Glad I could help

 

[MoO_coW]

When im going at 110% fully blown never gone that fast before speed I get cramps in my fingers and they hurt bad. All I can do is bend them out the opposite direction and wait for it to go away. I havent had armpump as described though.

 

[KXKen]

Moocow,

I've had a simalar problem. When I don't get arm pump I get cramps in the top of my hand (instead of the fingers) I'm not sure if we are getting the same thing or not but when I get this it's almost as bad as arm pump. I don't know what to do about it but hope it doesn't happen again,

 

[n1wrc]

Heres a couple of ideas-
Take some quality potassium supplemenets (non walmart stuff)
Drink as much water as you can handle- you should have to pee about every 90 mins.
Hows the suspensiosn et up for you? its possible it may be too stif and is jarring you too much- which might be the case going from a 4st. to a 125 mxer.
Also- train buddy- you have no idea how much trainig will help you out. You'll shoot through classes liek, nothing if you do it hard enough. I went from local 250C to overalling local HS/ CC's ina year- just by training like
Bailey or O'Show.
Hope this helps- anyone esle got training questions? i can help :p

 

[KDXDan]

Arm pump

I didn't see this mentioned anywhere but I raced my first race Friday night and after the practice and first moto my forearms ached bad! I almost didn't run the main. On the first lap of the main i realized that 1) I was not using my knees off of the jumps and I was shutting off when my front tire went off the jumps and this shot my weight forward on my arms. As soon as I squeezed my legs together and pegged it off of the jump the bike seamed to go much smoother. I also sit alot when I ride and think that the position of my levers was way to high for arenacross where your out of the saddle. Make sure your levers fit you standing.