Arm Pump

[Zero]

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for my arm pump problem. I have been idle from the motocross world for over 12 years, so I may just need some seat time to overcome this problem. However I am getting severe arm pump in my right arm, virtually nothing in my left arm in only one lap of hard riding. If I try to ride through it, it gets so bad I can't even hold on to the handle bar with my right hand. What can cause arm pump in just one arm? I have played with the adjustment of my brake and throttle position, but that doesn't seem to be doing the trick for me. I wish I could rotate my throttle further forward, but it hits the brake adjuster and prohibits me from moving it to far forward. (wish I could adjust it inside the throttle housing)

I used to NEVER get arm pump for 8 years of serious racing prior.

 

[bailout123]

Zero,
I think you are right... Seat Time will be what helps you the most, but this will help you too. Get you an old tennis ball, or racket ball, or one of the hand exercise things and keep it next to the TV or any other place you spend some time in, and of course
use it every time you get a chance. While riding, something that I found that helps, every time you let of the gas try to relax your fingers (Grip).

I hope this helps you,
Good luck,

------------------
Juan
Sun City, AZ

 

[TNTRASH]

Bailout123 is right.  Seat time and exercise.  Most of the time I notice armpump after a hard practice.  When I get back to the trailer I try to give my arms a rub down that helps.  I've had it so bad that I couldn't open my hands. That's when you want someone with you to give your arms a good rub.

 

[alee]

I started doing some training at the gym 1 hour every other day and 99% of my fatigue while riding is gone including arm pump. And as an extra benefit I'm getting a build

------------------
Arthur Lee
my 99 KX 125 Web Page

 

[DrtSqrt]

How can only one of his arms get pumped?  He must be single and left handed (it gets the exercise).

 

[ktm 550 mxc monster]

sounds like a bit of carpal tunnel to me,i get it really bad in my right hand(had surgery done on left,helps alil but not much)
if anyone knows a way to helpthis i am all ears too
by the way i am right handed but i am married and well serviced

 

[ktm 550 mxc monster]

sounds like a bit of carpal tunnel to me,i get it really bad in my right hand(had surgery done on left,helps alil but not much)
if anyone knows a way to helpthis i am all ears too
by the way i am right handed but i am married and well serviced

------------------
clay
93 ktm 550 mxc
99 ninja zx-7r
too fat and old but what the hell

 

[JG]

Here's my problem, after about 5 minutes of hard riding at the track my hands become so numb that I have to stop and wait till the numbness goes away. I literaly can't ride cause I can't feel the throttle. Any suggestions?

------------------
-John
99'RM300
Blackwood, N.J.

 

[CrazyTed]

Here's something I discovered by speaking to fellow club members.  We had a couple guys with the same problem you describe. (the numb hands)  We checked their gloves.  One guy had a set that were way too small.  When he gripped the bars, he cut off the circulation in his hands.  Another guy was pulling the velcro really tight on the gloves and that was doing the same thing.  We even had a guy with a cotton riding shirt that had shrunk so the cuffs on the sleeves were too tight and cutting off his circulation.  We just cut a little relief into the sleeves and that worked.  Maybe a couple of things you might want to check into.....

------------------
[email protected]

www.angelfire.com/va/CrazyTed
'98 KTM 250 EXC

Bad Cop!! No Donut!!

 

[Payday2]

Something that helped me tremendously is a product designed to help people with carrpal tunnel syndrome.  Go to www.backbenimble.com,  and look for the Flexgrip Dynabee (I think that is what it is called).  It was originally designed as a rehab device for people with CTS, but is an awesome forearm workout.  I use mine for a couple months straight before the start of the season, then about twice a week during the season.

It is basically a gyro inside a ball.  You have to grip the ball and turn your hand in a ceratin way to keep the gyro spinning.  As the gyro spins faster, it creates more resistance to the turning of the ball, which makes it harder.

It is a great device, way better than using a gripper ,which, worsen arm pump, IMO.

J&K

------------------

J&K Racing
     #1    
No Compromise.

 

[trailrider]

I do curls at least every other day and it helps with arm pump,I quit for a couple of months and the arm pump came back

 

[Guest]

Well I have the same problem. Except it was usually my left arm. From pulling in the clutch! Just from riding all the time it got less and less. I heard that If you eat bannana's that it will help arm pump. I am not sure, I haven't tried this myself, but you may want to try it....

------------------
    -racerx
     99YZ125
     West Virginia

 

[AP]

you should work out and ride to get your arm back in shape but make sure your ride right.  keep your elbows up and sit as forward on the seat as you can while under max acceleration.  if you are standing up lean forward unless you are getting over an obstical that requires you to move back.  also holding on as tight as you can will also tire you very quickly.  only squeeze the grips as hard as you have to.  by getting the right techinque down you can add a few extra laps of 100% energy.

 

[DrtSqrt]

Technique and seat time will help more than anything.  Life can get better through chemistry also..a few aspirins b4 the race and in your camelbak and believe it or not (don't let your buddies see you) a Mydol helps the cramping if taken 30 minutes b4. Curls and specifically forearm curls.  

 

[desert_racer]

I have used that gyro ball thing and it works pretty good. I think I got the one that I have at a local sporting goods store like Big 5.

Hope that helps

------------------
Shut up and RIDE!
District 37 - V122
'95 KTM 300 EXC

 

[bud]

Besides seat time and exercise, I noticed something similar to what "Crazy"Ted describes. When I've picked up my old gloves by mistake, I often get pain in my right arm. My old gloves seem to have shrunk with age. I also found that my left arm hurt more when I wear a watch.. maybe if I rode completely naked I wouldn't get any arm pump at all? It's 100 degrees here today, so I'll let ya's know

<p align=right>02-03-2000 :Edited

 

[wardy]

First and formost learn to RELAX and concentrate on that, your getting arm pump because for what ever reason you are over gripping.

also what usually happens is that if you pump the arms up real good like in practice or early in the day then take a break and let them set a while, then go back and ride it usually will be tolerable the rest of the day.

wardy

course you can do what i do and throw away the gloves but i don't recommend that to anyone

 

[gp]

I use the weight on a rope. Take a large dowel rod or broom handle and drill a hole large enough for a rope to pass through it. Tie a weight to the other end and twist the dowel lifting the weight, twist it palms down and palms up. I also do wrist curls, with a dumbell and arms to your side, palms facing inward. Twist your wrist inward, like turning off the throttle and then outward. Remember light weight and more reps. I usually do three sets of fifteen. This seems to work for me but, I do still get some arm pump when I'm real nervous.

 

[bweighmaster]

Exercise daily , fingers , wrists , forearms .. broomhandle rope and weight , about 5 lbs. Lots of reps . Up and down ... riding lots of different bikes helps me .... different bar set up is the key here . Not all bikes are the same .. working for a dealer , setting up and test riding is where I learned this ,, Also having lots of bikes is helpful ..... Sometimes softer grips , Lots of oranges , bananas , fruit juices , lots of water ....

 

[Motos]

I remember reading an article in a motocross rag many, many moons ago about Geoff Ward experiencing arm pump. He ate bananas on race day & claimed it helped.

 

[RM_guy]

I used to get arm pump, or so I thought. Turns out I had carpel tunnel in both wrist. Got that fixed and never had “arm pump “ again! Not saying arm pump isn’t real, a buddy of mine deals with it all the time.