Arm Pump

[jesseweaver]

what is it? ive heard a lot of people talk about it and how to prevent it and stuff, but i never really knew what it is. i guess i should know now that im starting to ride at tracks a lot more

[gncc025]

its when your arms start to fatigue and get tight. makes it hard to keep a grip on the handle bars. it will mess with your thumb too. it can definitely hold u back.

[05Z400rdr]

Yeah, and if you notice yourself getting arm pump, I highly suggest investing in a steering stabilizer; it makes a huge difference.


Landon

[flauge]

Working out helps a lot too, even if its just lots of pushups. Arm pump is not really a problem for me in races, but thumb fatigue is what kills me. At the end of most of my races, my thumb gets weak enough to where I cant hardly even mash the throttle.:mad: . Whats the best way to help that btw?

[gncc025]

Originally posted by flauge
At the end of most of my races, my thumb gets weak enough to where I cant hardly even mash the throttle.:mad: . Whats the best way to help that btw?

ive started using these and it seems to help a good bit. all it is, is a spring loaded clamp like whats used with weights.

http://www.ironcompany.com/ProductImages/troy/troyspringcollars-sm.jpg

[YFZ450Ridr]

i used to get arm pump sooo bad but ever since i installed a dampner and bought some flexx bars for myself, i can ride like a champ!;) when we ride at st joe, i purposely charge through whoops and rough sections and the bars and dampner really do a great job!!

[jesseweaver]

yeah, i was riding at the rocket all day saturday, and my arms were kind of sore while i was riding but what hurt the most was my fingers from them being bent the whole time i guess. my thumb really hurt too then, and i was getting lazy toward the end, and not jumping some of the stuff as far, and going slow through the whoops. now today, my hands and fingers feel fine but my arms are tight and sore and it hurts when i bend them a lot.

[GPracer2500]

I use "arm pump" as a generic term for all hand and arm related fatigue issues. Usually it's really more my hands that fatigue, not my arms. But I still call it arm pump.

When I'm dirt biking in the desert and trying to keep up with a desert racer friend of mine, arm pump is what usually limits me speed. Actually, it's my control which becomes limited and that is what forces me to slow down.

Good suspension, conditioning, and riding "smooth and loose" are the most effective means I know of for combating arm pump.


An off-shoot of "arm pump" is a funny term called "whiskey throttle". To me, whiskey throttle is when you loose so much control of your hands from fatigue that you can no longer control the throttle properly. You've gone "whiskey throttle" when you loose control of the machine because you just couldn't back-off or dial-in the throttle as necessary to avoid a wreck. It can also happen when you just have terrible throttle control and goose the gas by mistake, even if you're not fatigued.

[Punk'd]

Its not bad if you've been riding for a while. I can run a stock setup and barely get it (if at all).

Arthritis is what gets to me.

[MX300ex]

Originally posted by jesseweaver
yeah, i was riding at the rocket all day saturday, and my arms were kind of sore while i was riding but what hurt the most was my fingers from them being bent the whole time i guess. my thumb really hurt too then, and i was getting lazy toward the end, and not jumping some of the stuff as far, and going slow through the whoops. now today, my hands and fingers feel fine but my arms are tight and sore and it hurts when i bend them a lot.

the last time i rode that was my problem...i got finger pump u dont notice it till u try to adjust ur hands and ur hand is stuck...but usually i get arm pump...people tell me not to hold on so tight but i can help it im deff going to try a stabilizer on my 250f

[jesseweaver]

yea, your fingers get like locked on. that happened to me the last 2 times i was at the track. when you go to take your hand off or something, your fingers hurt so bad and its much easier to just keep them bent like that.

[Bradracer18]

from my experience......steering stabilizers, flexx bars(or any aftermarket bar)...and even anti-vibe stems help with this stuff. Also, believe it or not.....your grip choice helps a LOT. I personally like the spider grips.....


What I do to help beat it, physically.....ride, ride, ride. If you can't ride...then use the spring hand things(as mentioned above)....as well as just lifting. Also, I do the steel bar(or broom stick) with a rope and a weight on it....and your twist it up, and back down....


And, finally.........I also believe a lot of arm pump can be beaten(or held off for a little bit anyways)....by drinking a lot of water. #1, your muscles are hydrated, and won't cramp as easily....and #2, you have to pee so bad, you are only thinking of wetting your pants(because all the cool kids do it).

[gncc025]

just ran across this in the gncc section of the forums.

http://www.racetrainer.com/

[Bradracer18]

Looks just like something you could do without buying that thing.....


I used to know an older guy, who arm wrestled(and won, a lot!).....he always told me to take an old towel, and "wring it out" as many times as I could...then switch directions.....

[flauge]

Originally posted by gncc025
ive started using these and it seems to help a good bit. all it is, is a spring loaded clamp like whats used with weights.

http://www.ironcompany.com/ProductImages/troy/troyspringcollars-sm.jpg Dang man, my bro just sold his weight set about a month ago. I should have snatched one off before he got rid of it. :o lol
GPracer hit the nail on the head with the whiskey throttle. .Around the last lap of some of my xc races, my thumb is soo weak I have to control the throttle with my palm part below my thumb.:grr: It slows me down big time!