Focus on grip strength

[jarredtaylor]

To decrease forearm pump, focus on exercises which strengthen the forearms, as well as the triceps and rear deltoids.

The most effective exercise I've found for increasing grip strength are barbell shrugs without using hand-straps, and pull ups without hand straps. Dips and french presses are also good.

You also need to focus on stretching. When you work out, your muscles tend to srhink in length, placing stress on ligaments, you need to make sure that you stretch these out.

 

[Jon K.]

Jarred; I am borderline needing carpal tunnel surgery. My understanding (someone correct me if I am wrong please) is that to increase the strength of the forearm would build muscle and pinch that darn nerve more. Perhaps a better approach (for some of us) would be lots of reps and very little weight.
I have found that aerobic exercise alone helps me more than weight training on my forearms. I save the weights for the lower body.
Gripping correctly, staying loose on the bike, breathing correctly and being in good aerobic shape (do as I say do, not as I do :eek: ) is the ticket for these particular forearms.
Arm pump seems to stem from white knuckles. $.02

 

[Anssi]

Originally posted by wfo74
I am borderline needing carpal tunnel surgery. My understanding (someone correct me if I am wrong please) is that to increase the strength of the forearm would build muscle and pinch that darn nerve more.

That's a misconception. There is no muscle you can build in the carpal tunnel. Very few people have problems with the muscles actually being too large anywhere.

The rest of what you say is, IMHO, correct. Except that doing a lot of reps on the wrist can actually aggravate CTS if you do them incorrectly.

 

[erblr]

As far as improving grip strength, theres a product called motogrip that works for a lot or people for injuries like carpal tunnel and stuff. It also just plain gives you a lot more grip strength. A friend of mine owns the company and I have used one. You'll be cracking walnuts in 2 weeks.The web site may not be 100% functional yet,(www.motogrip.com) but you can take a look. He hopes to have it ready by jan 24. I think you can still order them with paypal for now though.:D

 

[Jon K.]

I happened to be at the MX track this weekend with a 20 year old friend. He is very fit and has forearms like popeye. 14 inchers! They froze up on him after two laps and we had to pry his hands open with a tire iron! Well. . .Almost.
Funny, his 43 year old dad is horribly out of shape, fatter than me, :eek: and has this uncanny ability to ride loose on his (antique) bike. Lap after lap after lap. Doing the doubles and everything! Laughing his arse off at his boy!! :)

 

[Hondaman_06]

From that last post i just read it seems to me you don't need to have massive forarm strength you just need to go out thier relax and don't have a "death grip" on the bars and you should be fine. i can say that i've never had arm pump pains when i'm relaxed just out having a good time but when i get that death grip going on it kicks in and before long my arms are so tired i can barely move them. I mean the answer seems simple to me no speical works outs nothing just go out relax and have fun.