how do you get rid of arm pump ?

[HondaRider18]

how can i get rid of it, i get it pretty bad in a short amount of time riding.

[dxcody]

You don't..

It goes away with riding experience..

Just remember not to to grip tight... Keep a loose posture and BREATH..

A steering stabilizer helps a lot with arm pump.. But other than that just ride ride ride. In my opinion.

[CJM]

Ride more.

[MX MaNiAc 06]

I just take ibuprofen and it thins out the blood. It helps but you also have to ride as much as you can, also.

There is a new supplement to reduce arm pump they're selling for $60 a bottle on motosport. Has anybody tried it? I can't see what drugs can help other than a blood thinner.

[trailrider894]

Work-out, ride more, ride more, work-out, ride more, ride more, work-out, work-out, ride more and oh yeah... ride more. But for real, arm pump is a thing of the past for me, the key was riding more and working out.

[rbgnwa45]

After riding my friends 450r for 10 minutes I realized I could not get rid of it. My thumb had zombified stiff and I was done for the day. 25 years old.

[trailrider894]

Yeah but do you guys think the pros just quit when their thumb got sore??? I used to ride till I couldn't walk because all I wanted to do was race. I remember in my beginning days when my thumb was " sore ", I would stop, shake it out, and find a way to make it work. Thats what you got to do, its just a thumb, your not battling cancer, man up.

[dxcody]

exactly..

And one thing I have found is... It feels better if it is off the throttle or pushing the throttle wide open..

So it helps you go fast! lul

[HondaRider18]

how long does it take to get rid of, and how long does it take for you to get arm pump

[CJM]

IDK, I find the trick is to just ride more and try and be limber.

1st few times out in the season Im sore, but after that Im good to go.

I dont exercise, I dont work out, I dont lift, I just ride and I ride hard for at least 4 hours every sunday for the past few years. I ride what many would equate to a mix of desert and gncc.

[MX MaNiAc 06]

Originally posted by trailrider894
Yeah but do you guys think the pros just quit when their thumb got sore??? I used to ride till I couldn't walk because all I wanted to do was race. I remember in my beginning days when my thumb was " sore ", I would stop, shake it out, and find a way to make it work. Thats what you got to do, its just a thumb, your not battling cancer, man up.

Sick brag, bro!

[dxcody]

Originally posted by HondaRider18
how long does it take to get rid of, and how long does it take for you to get arm pump

I have rode 2 times this year.. Once at the FL GNCC Opener.. and Saturday I rode..

In FL I got arm pump 3 miles into the track.. I hadn't rode since November.

Next time I ride it will take longer to get arm pump until eventually it is just gone... as long as I keep riding every weekend and get used to putting so much stress on my arms..

Everyone is different though. I mean my arms themselves never really get too bad.. It is just my thumb.

[HondaRider18]

i work out my hands with a hand excercise thing, you squeze it. my hands dont get worn out to bad its just my arms.

[wfo4rv]

Work out, ride, bananas, water.., like start drinking 50-100% more the week before a race

[ben300]

masturbation. large amounts of masturbation..


...wait, what?:huh






in all seriousness, you can do as many grip strengthening exercises as you want, but you have to ride and just get used to it. try not to have death grip on the bars. you more than likely are gripping way to tight, not loose enough, and are not breathing enough. just relax and ride

[MX MaNiAc 06]

Originally posted by HondaRider18
i work out my hands with a hand excercise thing, you squeze it. my hands dont get worn out to bad its just my arms.

How strange the muscles in your hands don't wear out.

[HondaRider18]

they used to and i started working out my hands and it helped alot, they still get worn out but it takes alot longer.

[sexysilverado45]

Not a pro, but I have been racing a few years. Heres what I've learned from listening to people over the years, and what has seemed to work for me with decent results.

1. Ride, Ride, Ride.
2. Relax when your riding lossen up your grip. Use your legs more. It will be hard at first but after some seat time you will learn what to expect and in turn relax.*
3. Aspirin, ibuprofen, seem to help me if I take it 30-45 mins before a moto.
4. tums will slightly help out on cutting down lactic acid if taken before a moto.
5. bananas eaten 2x a day starting 2-3 days before a race.
6.pasta, spagetti, anything with noodles the night before a race seem to help me out a lot.
7. cut down on pop(other bad food) about a 1-2 weeks prior to a race.
8. play with adjustments of your handle bars postion, throttle position, clutch position, brake position till you find out what is most comfortable.**

*suspension and an aftermarket seat can really help out in this department. Although expensive it makes a big difference.
** different kinds of handle bars, different grips, and length steering stems will also make a difference here as well.

I don't suggest riding(pushing it too hard) while your thumb is going numb or you have arm pump as it increases the chance of loosing control. Remember your racing to have fun not to earn a paycheck. Its better to error on the side of caution and go back out and do it again the next weekend. Then to try and be a B.A and injure you self badly.

REMEMBER THIS IS JUST MY TAKE ON IT AND WHAT I'VE LEARNED/HEARD OVER THE YEARS. I'M NO EXPERT.

[01boneless]

flex ars, anti vibe stem, stabilizer and a bannana and 2 tylonol's before you ride will do away with it....

[rf928]

Hang on with your legs more helped me, I haven't ridden since September and just a relaxed grip helps me. I rode with wrist braces too tight once, I had such bad arm pump I actually couldn't move my arms, my thumb was stuck on throttle and I couldn't let go of the bars nor steer. During a race, it was fun :P went straight through the bush.

[BlasterEaten250]

Eating bananas as part of my breakfast before a ride and taking ibuprofen helps me the most. To all the people saying don't be a sissy and keep riding, I sure hope I'm not on the same track as you when you lose control. Obviously you have never experienced actual arm pump.

[HondaRider18]

thanks for all of the info, i will try all of the things that help you guys and see how it works.

[slightlybent47]

Arm pump is mostly caused from gripping too tight and cutting the blood flow in the arms. Your muscles start starving for oxygen and that’s where the pain comes from.
Learning to relax your grip will do the most in reducing arm pump.
You should absolutely never ride at full speed after arm or thumb pump has set in.
You can however reduce your speed and back down till you recover.
Thumb pump is caused from two separate things. One is lack of seat time, and the other is having the throttle set too high and your thumb is not in the correct place for a comfortable ride.

Remember never ride when sever fatigue has set in.

[phreak]

drinking cytomax before and during riding helps keep lactic acid levels down.

[Balaz_73*00]

My old mans a pharmacist and says taking asprin is the best. But it wont help if you take it only on race day. The 3 xc races ive done this year I take 2 asprin every morning the week leading up to the race. That give your body the time it actually takes and the amount it actually takes to thin blood/reduce arm pump. I havent rode at all since the fall other than 3 xc races this year. No pump. I do work out regularly tho..

[K-Dub]

I did not get arm pump until I came down with diabetes 5 years ago. Since then I battle it hard.

This is what I found really helps me.
I get a 10# dumb bell and do wrist curls 3 different directions, back of the hand up, thumb side up, and then palm up. I start in feb usually with 3 sets of 50 every direction, by summer I am doing 150 every direction. Also using a hand griper exercise. I also use the hand griper with just my thumb to build it up also. Hope this can help you also. I do the banana's and asprin also, plus I take the gripper to the track and do 20 each hand a few minutes before my moto to warm up my fore arms.