Reducing Arm Pump
- Thread starter gascanuck
- Start date
stainlesscycle
Site Sponsor
this is what works for me
before race
warm up
massage forearms
take 2 aspirin
eat banana
during race
breathe
relax
try not to death grip
before race
warm up
massage forearms
take 2 aspirin
eat banana
during race
breathe
relax
try not to death grip
stainlesscycle
Site Sponsor
once you get it you will never forget it
http://www.racerxcanada.com/recent_updates/040921_ArmPump.html
Yanni23
New member
+1 for the Pro Grip Rally grips. They are pretty big and help me alot. I have girl hands too (S/M gloves). Breathing like at the gym really helps, as well as holding with my legs more. I tend to get armpump the worst in the first 30 minutes. If I get it at all, it doesn't go away so I try to fight it off altogether.
Arm pump is just the muscles in your arms and hands getting cramped, burning, sore, numb, and really tight when riding. Like others have said it usually happens early and as you warm up it eases off. I think in my case its usually from the death grip because as soon as I ease off I can almost feel relief immediately as the blood leaves my arms and hands.
Lately I have really been trying to hold on more with my legs and less with my hands. I thought about taking an anti-inflammatory as some have suggested, but I worry about bleeding due to blood thinning in case of a bad crash because it allows more blood flow (this is what gives the desired effect to reduce arm pump). I am talking more head or internal injuries, not worried so much about lacerations. I may be paranoid and some may not be as bad as others, and arm pump usually happens in tough, slower sections where the risk of a high speed crash are much less.
nambo-trev
New member
a while ago i came across a product that attaches to the back of your pegs that your boot rests on. it looked pretty silly but i guess you never know till you try them. has anyone ever tried these things im talking about? i cant recall the product name sorry?
firffighter
New member
All great info here on reducing arm pump. Relaxing, especially at the beginning of a ride/race is very important and letting the bike do the work.
One point brought up was bars. For me, the biggest difference over the years has been bar width. Although Gasgas comes with nice bars, they are too long. I now run 29 1/2 " width bars and this has helped reduce arm pump for me more than anything else.
One point brought up was bars. For me, the biggest difference over the years has been bar width. Although Gasgas comes with nice bars, they are too long. I now run 29 1/2 " width bars and this has helped reduce arm pump for me more than anything else.
wence
Bronze Level Site Supporter
Steg Pegz?
nambo-trev
New member
yup thats them except the ones i was talking about were the american version called leg pegz but they dont make them for gassers i checked there home page legpegs.com . dont know if theyd work anyway but would be very curious to here from someone who has tried them
boostedte37
Silver Level Site Supporter
i dont so much get arm pump rather my hand or hands going to sleep
stainlesscycle
Site Sponsor
are these the 714 (holes) or 737 (wavy) rally grips y'all are talking about?
Sounds like you got a bad case of Carpel tunnel.i dont so much get arm pump rather my hand or hands going to sleep
gg3
Silver Level Site Supporter
A Jersey Shores thing.
BELLY FROM OZ
New member
When your feet move around on the pegs its harder to grip the bike with your knees so you hang on harder with youre hand and you get arm pump. Its easy to say just hang on with youre legs more but you can't do that effectively without your feet in the correct spot. So the most imprtant part is to have those feet and ankles locked right in hard up against the frame. Thats step 1 and will allow you to hold on with youre legs better and reduce your reliance on youre arms and hands to hold on tight hence reduce arm pump. Unfortunately as we ride hard our feet move on the pegs over time and the whole problem starts over again and arm pump is the way we find out that our feet have move and were not holding on with our legs. Its usually too late to find out then so step 2. is , evey time you have 5 seconds for a relax, make it part of your routine to re lock your feet back into the frame and start the correct process happening. Once again, every time you relax make the feet lock PART OF THE ROUTINE. It works.
