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5/12/2015
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IL
rzs
5/12/2015 12:32am
5/12/2015 12:32am
Edited Date/Time
5/13/2015 8:51am
Hi all,
I've been riding and training in the gym for a couple years now, although I'm not the fastest rider, I do have very good fitness on the track or the trail. I've been doing just basically normal gym stuff and trying to ride as much as I can, my hands never bothered me, I was always able to go on and on without feeling any pain or fatigue in my hands when gripping the handlebar - of course being loose up top and gripping with my legs.
The problem started in the last couple of rides - normal track, normal day, normal warmup, normal everything. but I just can't ride more than a minute or two without my hands fatiguing out. basically what's changed is my gym routine as I started crossfit just 3 weeks ago.
I have two suspicions basically:
1. Either I work out too much that my hands are simply tired, and a few days between crossfit and riding should make things ok (just like you'd let any muscle relax). this makes it almost impossible to build a weekly routine though..
2. the insane amount of hand/palm/wrist STRETCHING before every crossfit workout (which I do ~4 times a week) actually hurt my hand muscles. I know there are talks of stretching actually hurting performance.. but my crossfit coach insists that it's the best way to avoid injury (I think that science is against him in the last couple years on that).
Any information or thoughts will be greatly appreciated. I'm deeply frustrated from having my general fitness improve but my hands blocking me from doing my target sport.
Thank!
I've been riding and training in the gym for a couple years now, although I'm not the fastest rider, I do have very good fitness on the track or the trail. I've been doing just basically normal gym stuff and trying to ride as much as I can, my hands never bothered me, I was always able to go on and on without feeling any pain or fatigue in my hands when gripping the handlebar - of course being loose up top and gripping with my legs.
The problem started in the last couple of rides - normal track, normal day, normal warmup, normal everything. but I just can't ride more than a minute or two without my hands fatiguing out. basically what's changed is my gym routine as I started crossfit just 3 weeks ago.
I have two suspicions basically:
1. Either I work out too much that my hands are simply tired, and a few days between crossfit and riding should make things ok (just like you'd let any muscle relax). this makes it almost impossible to build a weekly routine though..
2. the insane amount of hand/palm/wrist STRETCHING before every crossfit workout (which I do ~4 times a week) actually hurt my hand muscles. I know there are talks of stretching actually hurting performance.. but my crossfit coach insists that it's the best way to avoid injury (I think that science is against him in the last couple years on that).
Any information or thoughts will be greatly appreciated. I'm deeply frustrated from having my general fitness improve but my hands blocking me from doing my target sport.
Thank!
b) have you increased your grip strength?
b. not sure how to judge that?
The Shop
BTW, Welcome aboard. Crossfit does cause a massive amount of injuries. Yanking too heavy a weight, poor form, all bad news.
Ever see a lion stretch before he wakes up from a dead sleep and bolts full sprint from a tree to catch a meal? No, they wake up stretch and go back to sleep.
Light stretching at the most, and 1-2 light sets(12-15 reps) before heavy work. That's all you need to warm up and get the blood flowing. Stretching is for girls, and gymnasts.
I see people go to the gym, stretch for 30 minutes, do 2 sets and leave. Waste of time. Ans Stretching makes alot of people weaker.
Don't waste money on BCAA's. Just get a good whey powder.
Not using Whey as well because I'm vegan. I have Pea protein powder which is just as good. other than that my nutrition is point on, checking myself on chronometer etc'.
So anyway... you made me more suspicious about the wrist stretching. I felt it was too much right from the first session. I already gave up on wrist stretching in today's session.
ts.p311 well you certainly have the right to think so. there are huge objections to almost any training regime out there, but I'm trying it out to see where it gets me. I'm definitely improving on different kinds of fitness and conditioning via crossfit.
bear in mind that almost all the pro MX riders are using some kind of circuit training, for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUxH7ARtvOI
this is not very different than crossfit.
Seriously though, it sounds like your stretching is a bit much. Rest the wrists up for a week or two and see where you're at.
and about the stretching, we do sh*tloads of these:
* well maybe not sh*loads but definitely more than I care for.
After longer gym period im riding not relaxed and hands get tired before i just ride more and get feeling back. Also had problems with right hand (too much gym+work+phone/pad) but after moved mouse to left hand, took some massages and hot/cold water treatment s to hand it did go away.
You could try to lighten up crossfit workouts just to get muscular balance right and after that add more weight and so on.
Regardless, I've been vegan for two years and only started having these issues in the last couple weeks since starting crossfit. regardless #2 - I hardly consume soy even as a vegan. probably not more than anyone eating an American diet.
I ask because a few months ago I cut gluten and processed sugar out of my diet. ( due to some other health issues). I was just getting back on the bike and I noticed my arms and hands felt great. Just over all fitness sucked. Well fast forward a few months later, I've been riding every weekend since and my stamina is great but my hands cramp up like a fucker. The only difference is this last month I moved and went back to eating like shit for about a month. Sugar, beer, bread all the shit I was avoiding. Can't say for sure if it has anything to do with it at all but I'm back on a clean diet so we'll see what happens next time I'm out riding, if it ever stops raining down here.
Years ago when I was racing I read somewhere, probably MXA, about cutting out processed sugar the week before a race to help with cramping. Seemed to help my arm pump alot back then, maybe something to it. Just thought I'd share my perspective.
Pit Row
Oy.
Dtat720 as I said I REALLY don't want to get into whether or not crossfit is good or bad, but all those replies are just too much. what we do IS NOT much different than any circuit training routine and the drills look a lot like what I see in other MX riders. this is what I did today.
Warmup:
300 m run
20 push ups
15 jump squat
20 back extension
15 v ups
50 jump-rope double unders (I suck so 100 normal ones)
Skill:
Power Cleans - really great exercise if you ask me. and no my form does not suck, it used to for the first time but then I got help and it's perfect.
Workout of the day:
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps of
deadlift
bench press
clean
yes, WOD included Deadlift and Bench press. yes, it was in 10-9-8... routine instead of 3*3 (which is basically for BODY BUILDING) so what are you crying about son?
And again cause I have to keep this at the bottom of the thread - just looking for advice regarding degradation of hand endurance as a result of training routine.
I do CF and have nothing but positive things to say about my results and personal fitness gains. I come from a background as a trainer in both World and Golds gyms so I have a bit of insight into training.
If you're new to CF I'd say that's a pretty high load and would expect your grip to be pooched. This cleans are putting a load on your forearms and wrist that are new and you may not have the mobility you need there. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you're doing it "right".
CF doesn't require "hyper mobility" it requires proper mobility. Just because you can't comfortably get in a correct position doesn't mean it requires hypermobility.
How many days of the week are you doing a CF workout? Given the unusually high metabolic demands, more that 3 days a week the first month or two is crazy IMO.
Post a reply to: Did crossfit demolish my hand/palm endurance?