Posts
116
Joined
3/14/2015
Location
ZA
Edited Date/Time
12/31/2015 9:29pm
Hi Guys
I've had this problem for a couple of years now, I would ride hard for 1 lap (yes 1 lap) and then i can't simply hold on anymore. My arms feel like there's cement in them. I went to a Specialist and asked for some help to which he replied " I'm not doing the right exercises", which is weird because I am fit and go to the gym 3 days per week and do exercises that will help me with riding.
This is really beginning to frustrate me because of the amount of money I spend on my bike, but I can't even ride for 10min.
I'm 20 years old , I am no slouch to riding , I want to race so bad but it doesn't make sense to go race because I know I wont be able to finish the race, and I'm scared of whiskey throttling of the track and hurting someone else, that's really my worst fear.
I'm not physically tired or anything I simply cant hold on anymore if I go hard for a 1 lap.
Its so f*cking irritating that I cant ride to my full potential
Some details just in case :
I started riding at 7
Broke both my arms . (Left arm twice) (Right arm once)
I am a IT engineer so Im behind the keyboard the whole day ( Don't know if that can be a factor)
I've heard a lot of good things about carpal tunnel surgery thing, should I go for it ?
Any help will be appreciated !
Thanks Guys
I've had this problem for a couple of years now, I would ride hard for 1 lap (yes 1 lap) and then i can't simply hold on anymore. My arms feel like there's cement in them. I went to a Specialist and asked for some help to which he replied " I'm not doing the right exercises", which is weird because I am fit and go to the gym 3 days per week and do exercises that will help me with riding.
This is really beginning to frustrate me because of the amount of money I spend on my bike, but I can't even ride for 10min.
I'm 20 years old , I am no slouch to riding , I want to race so bad but it doesn't make sense to go race because I know I wont be able to finish the race, and I'm scared of whiskey throttling of the track and hurting someone else, that's really my worst fear.
I'm not physically tired or anything I simply cant hold on anymore if I go hard for a 1 lap.
Its so f*cking irritating that I cant ride to my full potential
Some details just in case :
I started riding at 7
Broke both my arms . (Left arm twice) (Right arm once)
I am a IT engineer so Im behind the keyboard the whole day ( Don't know if that can be a factor)
I've heard a lot of good things about carpal tunnel surgery thing, should I go for it ?
Any help will be appreciated !
Thanks Guys
The Shop
edit: Oh didnt read the last part haha
I'm 6'2" andI had huge problems when I started riding again as an adult, 2 laps is what I managed before I became a danger to myself and others.
Years later I thought I had to try something before I sold my bike. So I bought an adjustable top clamp, lower footpegs, tall seat and thicker grips. That changed everything.... HUGE improvement! Way more natural feeling on the bike and didn't have to hold on as tight.
-Be properly hydrated. The more the better.
-Experiment with different grips. Smaller diameter seems to take less effort for me to grip, I'd find that some of the larger diameter ones would make me pump up quicker. Currently using Tag soft half waffle.
-Ride more relaxed. Loosen your grip in the air. Breathe. Don't try to ride wide open for the entire track. Yeah its racing but if there's a section that you can ease up on and save yourself some pump/stamina, its worth it if it allows you to last longer.
-Previous suggestion on body position is very important. You should be forward enough so that the bike feels like its pushing you from behind instead of dragging you from the front- this will help tremendously if you aren't already doing it.
-Try pushing for a little longer each time you start to pump up. Even if you have to slow down a little to stay in control, force that next half lap and eventually you'll make it longer before it sets in.
Even some MotoGp riders have been treated for it (Pedrosa, Hayden,...). I don't think they lack fitness and technique.
If you're fit and can't seem to battle it with anything then go see a specialist for it. They'll measure pressure at rest and at load and they'll diagnose it way better then some random internet person can. The procedure to treat it is called a fasciotomy:
I suffer from it to but havn't got treated. But i'm thinking about it. My lower arms are wider then popeye's upper arms after 3 laps. It's not only the pain, i can't even open a bottlecap fir the first 15 mins... Pretty dangerous to keep on riding to since the control of my fingers is totally gone. No grip strenght + no control of fingers is not something you wan't to have on a motorcycle. I got the same issue on trackday riding but only on my throttle side due to the hard braking and only for the first session. After i'm warmed up it's gone.
For MX i tried everything from training to gels and technique changes but nothing seems to help. MX just is rough on the arms and wrists and the blood flow in my arms can't seem to cope with that. Have to add we don't have any flat tracks here, every track nearby is sand and becomes busted up quite fast.
Ended up having surgery on both my forearms and i wish i had it done sooner. It is not completely gone, still get a bit of armpump when i start riding again after a injury or something like that but when i ride a few times a month i don't have any armpump.
A friend of mine is having surgery on both his arm tomorrow, here in Holland it is quit common to have surgery. Most of the doctors have no idea what you are talking about, you need a doctor who has some knowledge about this problem.
I'm a desk jockey also. My arms have progressively felt more and more like I'm getting carpal tunnel syndrome. I'm not ready to get the procedure yet though but I can imagine that sitting and typing all day will make your carpals start to creak. Arm pump comes and goes for me. The cooler the weather, the better my arms do.
Try warming up.... roll the track for a few laps, check the track out, look for lines, it will help with the warm up process
Instead of doing 1-2 fast laps, do 5-6 at half or 3/4 of your ability, its a building process
as mentioned, experiment with grips, are levers at comfortable reach? throttle maintenance?
gym does help but there is no substitute for seat time, again, its a building process
Also, I think finding the right handlebar/grip combination is critical. Once I found the right combination for me, arm pump nearly disappeared and I never get blisters.
Oh and I run a keyboard all day at work and never had issues related to that..
Pit Row
Being in very good overall physical shape off and on over the years. (had no effect)
Eating bananas
Hydration leading up to and on race day
I took Aspirin for a short time but got worried about internal bleeding if I had a big get off (didn't help anyway)
Stretching
Massaging
Heat rub
I drank something high in Magnesium for a while (forget what it was)
Slow laps to warm up. (still got arm pump by the end of the lap anyway)
Gripper step seats
Literally not holding on as in the whole track I'm constantly thinking about a loose grip.
PHDS handlebar damping system
3M stick on grip on the side of the bike
Skinny grips, fat grips. (made no difference) I settled on pillow top pro taper grips because of the surface area in contact with the glove purely to help me hold on when my hands were literally slipping off.
A short pull throttle, (so I could still get full throttle with arm pump lol)
That gyro ball thing among many other arm strengthening exercises
I once had a smooth sand track I'd do 35 minute motos on. I'd get really bad arm pump after 5 minutes and keep hammering through as there were no bumps, the bike didn't hook up in the sand and the front brake wasn't needed. (It didn't change anything, I did that based on everyone saying I need to ride through it more)
Surgery to relieve the compartment syndrome in 1999. It wasn't extensive enough but I did notice my left was better than my right due to the surgeon cutting each arm slightly differently, (It made the biggest difference of all but not enough)
Adjusting my riding style by sitting more and leaning over the front more as well as the obvious gripping with my legs. (always felt I had a good smooth style anyway)
I went from riding nearly every day for a few years to riding once a week or once a year and arm pump was the same no matter what.
(Best it ever was was after a break from riding)
I probably forgot a few things as this was over 20 odd years of trying. Sorry no proven solution here. Maybe do all of the above and it will help though. I'm probably just venting out of frustration lol. It bugs me a bit when others say they have arm pump when they are probably just tired lol. I'm not sure everyone knows what arm pump is.
I totally know where you are coming from. I spent hours and hours training on and off the bike but it doesn't matter if you can run a marathon if you can't physically twist the throttle.
So my advice: have the surgery but watch out with the computer work. Once it goes bad it's almost impossible to turn it around.
PS i'm 23 years old....
Hydrate properly
Avoid sugar drinks
Proper technique
Breath (long slow deep breaths the ENTIRE time you ride...even if you think you do this, you probably don't...especially if you are trying to go fast, you are probably holding your breath more than you'd think)
Ride more (go slow enough to use proper technique and focus on breathing)
When riding focus on riding NOT on the arm pump. Stop thinking about arm pump, focus on the corner ahead, the next obstacle, etc.
This is part of proper technique, but relax not just your grip on the bars, but your arms and shoulders, and grip the bike with your knees.
Stretch your arms, and warm up (jumping jacks, etc.)
I had major arm pump issues (similar to what you described)...doing those things fixed it. I very seldom get even minor arm pump any more.
Watch how you are living. Bulking up is essentially giving you arm pump
Stay really hydrated.
Concentrate on your knees and feet. Focus on gripping with the legs and relaxing when possible.
Pick spots on the track to take deep breathes. For example on jumps, into corners etc.
Let the bike work beneath you. Don't try to muscle it everywhere.
Technique is a major deal, focus on proper footwork on the pegs and being neutral on the bike.
Breath
Don't hold on as tight.
Open your hands while you are in the air.
Post a reply to: Severe Armpump