Posts
280
Joined
3/17/2022
Location
USA
I wanted to share some techniques I recently started employing that really helped me with arm pump. For reference, I raced for about 15 years, was a top B rider locally, and almost always got arm pump. Didn't ride for eight years, and have not gotten arm pump once in the six months since I started riding again.
The main change I made was focusing on only using my index fingers for the clutch and brake, and keeping these fingers extended out on the lever as much as possible. I've found that by keeping my index fingers isolated, the muscles in my forearms use less energy because they are separated into individual tasks. Hold your arm out in attack position, and flex your fingers; you should be able to clearly feel the different muscles on the bottom of your forearm that contract when you flex your index, middle, and ring fingers. Keeping my index fingers out on the levers allows those muscles to say relaxed until I need them to pull in the levers, while my other muscles are focused solely on maneuvering the handlebars, instead of being constantly contracted and extended from being involved in pulling levers.
Another change I made that helps a lot is I moved my levers way in on my bars so that I am pulling from basically the very end of the lever. It gives a much much easier pull, I can still modulate pressure with one finger, and it just makes using the clutch and brake easier. Jett Lawrence runs his levers like this, I am surprised it hasn't caught on more. And I haven't tested it out yet, but I would assume running my levers like this would result in less chance of bending a lever in a crash.
Just thought I'd share!
The main change I made was focusing on only using my index fingers for the clutch and brake, and keeping these fingers extended out on the lever as much as possible. I've found that by keeping my index fingers isolated, the muscles in my forearms use less energy because they are separated into individual tasks. Hold your arm out in attack position, and flex your fingers; you should be able to clearly feel the different muscles on the bottom of your forearm that contract when you flex your index, middle, and ring fingers. Keeping my index fingers out on the levers allows those muscles to say relaxed until I need them to pull in the levers, while my other muscles are focused solely on maneuvering the handlebars, instead of being constantly contracted and extended from being involved in pulling levers.
Another change I made that helps a lot is I moved my levers way in on my bars so that I am pulling from basically the very end of the lever. It gives a much much easier pull, I can still modulate pressure with one finger, and it just makes using the clutch and brake easier. Jett Lawrence runs his levers like this, I am surprised it hasn't caught on more. And I haven't tested it out yet, but I would assume running my levers like this would result in less chance of bending a lever in a crash.
Just thought I'd share!
There is a downside to running the clutch way in. It is harder to get to the air valve and bleeder screw on an AER fork.
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
Post a reply to: Arm pump, fingers, and levers