Arm Pump

JW381
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Harrisburg, OR US
8/17/2012 1:13pm Edited Date/Time 9/19/2012 4:52am
Now that I'm back in the game, does anyone have any advice on how to fix or avoid arm pump? I know this topic gets talked about somewhat often, although not near as much as 2-strokes.

Also, does anyone feel like they get excessively bad arm pump? I swear that ever since I started racing at 16 that I get some type of special, extra debilitating arm pump.
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beamer
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8/16/2006
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Squaw River CA
8/17/2012 1:20pm Edited Date/Time 8/17/2012 1:23pm
When I was younger I never had a problem, but now in my 40's and limited riding and its really a issue. I found you really have to focus on trying to hang on to the bike fairly loose and gripping more with the legs/knees. Making sure your hydrated seemed to help me also. Other than that, I bought the forearm exercisers from Garry Semics a few years back not a bad investment as far as Im concerned. If a guy could ride every other day that would help but I dont have time for that anymore, so arm pump is always going to be a issue for me. Oh and trying to stay centered on the bike, without too much weight bearing down on your arms/hands...
mjskier
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CO US
8/17/2012 1:34pm
What works for me: Warming up before doing "fast" laps, and making a constant effort to staying lose.
That last part especially works because it forces you to have a better position on the bike. The handle bar is just there to hold the controls, not for hanging on for dear life.
KMC440
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US
8/17/2012 1:59pm
Have someone land on both wrists, dislocate and fracture them, when you're put back together again and healed up you won't have arm strength to get arm pump.

Bingo.

.... yes I have first hand experience at this. Sad
mx5471
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AL US
8/17/2012 2:05pm
This may sound stupid, but my son says,after the off season, that stretching before riding helps big with his arm pump at the start of the season. It also helps loosen him for riding. After he rides a few times, no more arm pump, but he still goes thru a stretching routine to loosen up. May be stupid, but it works for him.

The Shop

jeffro503
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St Helens, OR US
8/17/2012 2:05pm
I get plagued badly with arm pump as well. About the only thing that really helps is more seat time on the bike. And like what others have mentioned : warm up and try to stay loose.

For me personally......there always seems to be a 6 - 8 week barrier. If I can ride a couple times a week ( on top of my normal workout routines ).....around the 6 - 8 week mark , the arm pump for the most part goes away. There are some instances though that it just " Shows up"....for no apparent reason. After 30+ years in this sport......I would have to say it is the one and only thing that has bothered me the most.
Titan1
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Lehi, UT US
8/17/2012 2:06pm Edited Date/Time 8/17/2012 2:43pm
Breathing has helped me more than anything...in through the nose, out through the mouth...long consistent breaths. It was like a literal light switch for me. As I learned, even when you think you're breathing, you're not breathing at all or enough. I rode practice days where my entire focus was on breathing, and I couldn't believe how little I was breathing (and in some sections I was holding my breath).

Also, riding a lot helps. Staying relaxed while riding (property breathing helps with this). Proper hydration. Strong core. Gripping the bike with your knees/legs. The usual stuff.
JW381
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8/17/2012 2:14pm
Thanks for the tips, all. I hate when people say it's solely about your cardio ability. When I first got into racing, I was coming off high school basketball when I was in, hands down, the best cardio shape of my life. Definitely gotta work on breathing, staying loose, and gripping with my legs. Seat time isn't really an option. I wish I lived in Cali... damnit haha
jeffro503
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St Helens, OR US
8/17/2012 2:25pm
JW381 wrote:
Thanks for the tips, all. I hate when people say it's solely about your cardio ability. When I first got into racing, I was coming off...
Thanks for the tips, all. I hate when people say it's solely about your cardio ability. When I first got into racing, I was coming off high school basketball when I was in, hands down, the best cardio shape of my life. Definitely gotta work on breathing, staying loose, and gripping with my legs. Seat time isn't really an option. I wish I lived in Cali... damnit haha
JW....if you live any where close where you can just hop on the bike and put in 2 - 3 little 10 - 15 minute rides after work.....that would help tremendously!

Let me put it this way........if you had 4 spare hours a week to ride.....riding 4 times a week for 1hr.....will get you in shape WAY FASTER than riding once a week for 4hrs. You ride the bike when you're fresh and aggressive.....instead of one longer day where it just tears you up.

And your cardio work.......hit it a couple times a week if you can. Instead of sitting on the couch watching TV and relaxing.....get the motivation to punish yourself for about 30 min....2 - 3 times a week.

One more thing........the older you get , the tougher it gets....and the harder you have to push yourself! Gets harder every year for me.....but it's a challenge and I look forward to it.
newmann
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8/17/2012 2:53pm
I used to be on a bunch of sinus meds year round that screwed me up pretty good. I would be on the side of the track trying to pry my cramping hands off the grips on the first lap. Total lock up! Got to the point that I would find a warm up spot off track and crank out a few laps to get the muscles warmed up and ready to go.
JW381
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8/17/2012 2:59pm
JW381 wrote:
Thanks for the tips, all. I hate when people say it's solely about your cardio ability. When I first got into racing, I was coming off...
Thanks for the tips, all. I hate when people say it's solely about your cardio ability. When I first got into racing, I was coming off high school basketball when I was in, hands down, the best cardio shape of my life. Definitely gotta work on breathing, staying loose, and gripping with my legs. Seat time isn't really an option. I wish I lived in Cali... damnit haha
jeffro503 wrote:
JW....if you live any where close where you can just hop on the bike and put in 2 - 3 little 10 - 15 minute rides...
JW....if you live any where close where you can just hop on the bike and put in 2 - 3 little 10 - 15 minute rides after work.....that would help tremendously!

Let me put it this way........if you had 4 spare hours a week to ride.....riding 4 times a week for 1hr.....will get you in shape WAY FASTER than riding once a week for 4hrs. You ride the bike when you're fresh and aggressive.....instead of one longer day where it just tears you up.

And your cardio work.......hit it a couple times a week if you can. Instead of sitting on the couch watching TV and relaxing.....get the motivation to punish yourself for about 30 min....2 - 3 times a week.

One more thing........the older you get , the tougher it gets....and the harder you have to push yourself! Gets harder every year for me.....but it's a challenge and I look forward to it.
I wish I could find somewhere like that! just somewhere to ride around and hit a few berms.

I workout pretty well, I'd hardly classify myself as a couch potato. Just don't get to ride all that often.
DrSweden
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Stockholm SE
8/17/2012 3:10pm
jeffro503 wrote:
I get plagued badly with arm pump as well. About the only thing that really helps is more seat time on the bike. And like what...
I get plagued badly with arm pump as well. About the only thing that really helps is more seat time on the bike. And like what others have mentioned : warm up and try to stay loose.

For me personally......there always seems to be a 6 - 8 week barrier. If I can ride a couple times a week ( on top of my normal workout routines ).....around the 6 - 8 week mark , the arm pump for the most part goes away. There are some instances though that it just " Shows up"....for no apparent reason. After 30+ years in this sport......I would have to say it is the one and only thing that has bothered me the most.
Word. No quick fix around it. Seat time seems to solve it in a majority of cases, which should indicate what's it's all about. If still confusing, and an urge for surgery or something else less thoughtful (my opinion), consider why previous settings didn't work following season...Whistling
onetimepost
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South Strafford, VT US
8/17/2012 4:19pm
I've said it once already http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/arm-pump-nerves-HELP,1236… but no one listened to me, so I'll say it again:

"Arm pump" takes place when the blood flow entering your arms is greater than the amount of the blood flow out, this creates a backlog of pressure … so my theory is that you should re-direct your blood flow somewhere else. And what better than an erection that we could call "dick pump". So 5 minutes before your moto, log onto some porn website and attached a photo of boobies on your handlebar, so the erection will last the whole moto. You may also want to try Viagra (last longer, might be an option for hare scrambles) … Problem solved. Cool
Katoom72
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BE
8/17/2012 4:29pm Edited Date/Time 8/17/2012 4:29pm
My right arm turns 'popeye-mode' after 3-4 laps. Have had it since day one and it never got better. Also had it on trackdays so i can't brake properly at the end of a session.

FML Sad
8/17/2012 4:35pm
i also found riding slower then my actual ability when starting back up helped a lot. dont focus on going balls out and maybe ride at 75% the first few weeks. probably wont seem as exciting, but it also helps you stay more relaxed when you do get back up to full speed.
MX45
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Phoenix, AZ US
8/17/2012 5:04pm
The advice I was given a long time ago was to eat a banana right before you ride. Bananas are high in potassium, but the body metabolizes it very quickly (sweats it out when exercising) so you can also get over the counter potassium supplements that will help maintain your potassium levels during the whole day.

Also, for me personally, I had to drink only water on race day. Save the gatorade for after.
JW381
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Harrisburg, OR US
8/19/2012 9:00am Edited Date/Time 8/19/2012 9:01am
I read a tip once that you should also apply more grip pressure with either the inside or outside part of your hand, like first three fingers or last three fingers. Can't remember which it was.

I also read an article with Paul Whibley, I think it was but i could be wrong, and he had a fairly long routine before races but it easentially eliminated arm pump for him. He would use stress balls I think to get his arms real pumped up, then had some type of stretch and repeat routine. I'll have to see if i can find it.
MotoMalyDad
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Santa Maria, CA US
8/19/2012 9:26am
Anyone tried HemoFlo ? I bought a bottle for thigh cramps I have when I ride all day on my KTM 950 Adventure. I took it for 2 weeks before a trip to Colorado and 2 weeks during. I still had one cramp , but normally I get those a lot during a 10 hour days back to back. They have a money back guarantee . It was 60 bucks,,, https://www.actionetix.com/store/purchasehemoflo
machine
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Collettsville, NC US
8/19/2012 9:29am
Gripping the bike with your legs to take pressure off your arms and riding enough to feel relaxed without a death grip on the bars are the most important things.
MX558
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US
8/19/2012 5:20pm
I get arm pump looking at the damn bike. I think hydration is the most important and riding loose and a lot. I also lift heavy weights and I know that doesn't help for sure, oh well I'm 47 so just have to ride more is all.
9/13/2012 7:33pm
I'm an Integrative Neurosomatic Therapist at the St. John-Clark Pain Treatment Center in Clearwater, Florida and I'm looking for volunteers in the Tampa/Clearwater area to participate in a new therapy for Arm Pump.
This is a non-evasive therapy involving soft tissue manipulation with the intention of widening neurological and vascular pathways and increasing the space in the fascial compartment. I'm looking for 15-30 qualified volunteers. If you are a regular rider that experiences frequent arm pump, you may qualify for this therapy free of charge. Therapy would consist of treatments up to an hour long once or twice a week for six weeks.

If you are interested in taking part in this study, please email me at mimiflower80@gmail.com

Integrative Neurosomatic Therapy has been pioneered by Paul St. John over the last 30 years. It is a results based, structural therapy modality that works to resolve chronic pain and dysfunction issues without the use of medications or surgery.

http://www.stjohn-clarkptc.com/
9/14/2012 3:46pm Edited Date/Time 9/14/2012 3:47pm
JW381 wrote:
Thanks for the tips, all. I hate when people say it's solely about your cardio ability. When I first got into racing, I was coming off...
Thanks for the tips, all. I hate when people say it's solely about your cardio ability. When I first got into racing, I was coming off high school basketball when I was in, hands down, the best cardio shape of my life. Definitely gotta work on breathing, staying loose, and gripping with my legs. Seat time isn't really an option. I wish I lived in Cali... damnit haha
Your fitness/nutrition/training/stretching/hydration/supplementation all have a lot to do with this situation! Best advice I can give you is pretty simple but focus on your training/injury prevention and stretching in the gym. Also "relaxing" your hands along with proper breathing (this is usually the culprit) in the air helps.
Flatliner
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CA
9/14/2012 6:34pm
Few keys in my opinion. Seat time, your overall level of physical fitness, and trying to ride smooth. The second I get all aggressive I end up gripping too tight and the arms pump up. Even being 220 on a 125 I've figured out how to hold speed and avoid the stop and go that ruins my arms.
Rmzmoto
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NJ US
9/14/2012 7:00pm
Katoom72 wrote:
My right arm turns 'popeye-mode' after 3-4 laps. Have had it since day one and it never got better. Also had it on trackdays so i...
My right arm turns 'popeye-mode' after 3-4 laps. Have had it since day one and it never got better. Also had it on trackdays so i can't brake properly at the end of a session.

FML Sad
X2 I only get it in my right arm as well...gets so bad I can't even pull the brake in...
JB 19
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Marion, OH US
9/14/2012 7:19pm
Quit looking for the magic bean......................put the time in. If you have no time then ride slower. Smile
9/17/2012 9:13pm
I still think there's a good chance my co-workers and I could find a way to fix this issue. It's exactly the type of thing we do on a regular basis... I've seen much worse issues worked out. So, how do I find even 5 people in my area to try working on? Anyone have any suggestions for finding local riders with arm pump?
I should mention, there is no risk here... Like, none. It would be a modification on how we go about treating severe carpal tunnel and thoracic outlet syndrome with serious fascia release through the entire upper limb. Soft tissue manipulation. Think massage on steroids. lol. Hurts like hell. You'll love it. It may be the magic bean. We'll never know unless I can find some riders.
Any ideas? Help me out. I'm doing this as a pet project because my brother rides... in Moab. Moab is not in Florida. I need Florida riders.
Mr. G
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Riverside, CA US
9/17/2012 9:57pm
Super high reps. Back when I was young and raced a lot I was also in a drum corp. We did one hour long practice sessions where we would play as hard as we could as fast as we could non stop. I never once got arm pump racing. Jump ahead 25 years later and 22 years of heavy weight lifting, I get massive arm pump now. So what worked for me was the super high reps. I remember Andre Malerbe used to do a training regimen where he would do at least 60 reps per set, but that may be low as he was bigger than us skinny Americans back then.
justme
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Southern Texas, TX US
9/18/2012 4:20am
I've said it once already http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/arm-pump-nerves-HELP,1236923 but no one listened to me, so I'll say it again: "Arm pump" takes place when the blood flow entering...
I've said it once already http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/arm-pump-nerves-HELP,1236… but no one listened to me, so I'll say it again:

"Arm pump" takes place when the blood flow entering your arms is greater than the amount of the blood flow out, this creates a backlog of pressure … so my theory is that you should re-direct your blood flow somewhere else. And what better than an erection that we could call "dick pump". So 5 minutes before your moto, log onto some porn website and attached a photo of boobies on your handlebar, so the erection will last the whole moto. You may also want to try Viagra (last longer, might be an option for hare scrambles) … Problem solved. Cool
"Arm pump" takes place when the blood flow entering your arms is greater than the amount of the blood flow out, this creates a backlog of pressure


This right here make sense in my case because I have never had any issues with arm pump even in the slightest. I have what is called Raynaud's disease and at times I have fingers go numb and turn blue to black and it is 80 deg outside. After 6 plus years off a mx bike and track I go out and run 20 minutes and jump most jumps and had a blast without one hint of armpump at all.
pmorris
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3
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9/18/2012
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Santa Maria, CA US
9/18/2012 3:50pm
justme wrote:
"Arm pump" takes place when the blood flow entering your arms is greater than the amount of the blood flow out, this creates a backlog of...
"Arm pump" takes place when the blood flow entering your arms is greater than the amount of the blood flow out, this creates a backlog of pressure


This right here make sense in my case because I have never had any issues with arm pump even in the slightest. I have what is called Raynaud's disease and at times I have fingers go numb and turn blue to black and it is 80 deg outside. After 6 plus years off a mx bike and track I go out and run 20 minutes and jump most jumps and had a blast without one hint of armpump at all.
I've found that using an electric muscle stimulation device works well with faster recovery time from arm pump. They can be a little pricey. I personally use the Marc Pro because I used at a sports chiropractor I used to go to, but there are other ones on the market. It's a weird feeling at first with your arm twitching on it's own, but feels like a massage afterwards. It basically engages your muscles which helps the blood get flushed out of the area.

If you have the money for an EMS device, I highly recommend it.
9/18/2012 7:41pm
Anyone tried HemoFlo ? I bought a bottle for thigh cramps I have when I ride all day on my KTM 950 Adventure. I took it...
Anyone tried HemoFlo ? I bought a bottle for thigh cramps I have when I ride all day on my KTM 950 Adventure. I took it for 2 weeks before a trip to Colorado and 2 weeks during. I still had one cramp , but normally I get those a lot during a 10 hour days back to back. They have a money back guarantee . It was 60 bucks,,, https://www.actionetix.com/store/purchasehemoflo
The stuff works...One of my riders Collin Jurin has been using it and he notices a huge difference in a good way. The owner is a super good guy and is willing to answer any question you have about it. His facebook page is under Action Brands also.
9/19/2012 4:52am Edited Date/Time 9/19/2012 4:53am
Hey guys, this is a big problem that we have dedicated the last couple of years to studying and fixing. MotoMaltDad posted above and sent a link to our site ACTIONETIX.com. We make the product HemoFlo to help with arm pump. I'm not here to sell anyone on the product, but to offer each of you a free copy of the ARM PUMP ELIMINATION SYSTEM eBook. You'll get a whole new perspective on how to manipulate your physiology to combat this condition. Just send me an email at info@action-brands.com and let me know that you want a copy. I'll have it sent to you.

All the best in training and racing.

Craig
Founder and CEO

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