Arm Pump

[NortyKTM#147]

Just try loosening up your grip on the bars and grip the bike with your knees, but like DDMX said it's pretty much all in your head.
Quote from Tye Simmonds
"I suffered from a lot of arm pump during the Pro Lites racing at this year's motocross championship, and I put that down to the pressure i placed on myself. I never got arm pump as a junior, probabley because racing came so naturally to me, but also becuase I didn't have such intense competition as I do now that I'm competing as a senior.
There were times during the moto when, while leading a race, my forearms would lock up as soon as i heard Mossy or Luke on my tail, but then the muscles relaxed when i gapped them. It goes to show how much arm pump is in your head, so I seriously need to work on that becuase it impacts on my results."

[motomaniak]

well I moved to a 125 also..at first I got alot of arm pump but now I can ride 30 minutes without getting arm pump (and getting tired)

[mx4Him]

Just curious, has anyone on here had the surgery? I don't personally know anyone who has had it done, but it just seems like an over the top solution personally.

there is a surgery to fix arm pump?

[chris465]

Yes there is a surgery but it is a little extreme! Here is an exercise that helped me in the past. Take and old broom handle and a 2.5 ft length of rope. tie one end the the middle of the handle and tie about a 5-10 lbs weight on the other end of the rope. Then with your arms reached out in front of you rotate the handle in your hands to wrap the rope up on the handle and back down again. Hope you understand what I mean, it worked for me.

[wheels1758]

I dont really seem to get "Arm Pump", but i have had an issue with "Finger pump". My pinkie and ring finger on my left hand seems to to cramp up around the bars and I have to find some time to take them off while riding. And then for like two days after riding those two fingers are sore. Think im just gripping to much with the hands and not enough with the knees.

[mikez#411]

armpump blows, during my 1st season of racing I had armpump every weekend, after that I never had it again since I started going to the gym

[ddmx]

if you are getting pumped up on race day, there's a simple quick relief to get the blood flowing out of your forearms. since armpump is essentially your body pumping blood into your forearms, and not being able to get all of it back out.

*doctor recomended
outstretch your arm in front out you
keeping all other fingers straight out, extend your middle finger back towards you using your other arm
do this for about 15 seconds

what it does, is it "opens the valve" letting all the blood flow out of your forearm faster

[JB323]

Just curious, has anyone on here had the surgery? I don't personally know anyone who has had it done, but it just seems like an over the top solution personally.

yes i know about 11 riders that have, depending on your skin health you can reallllllllly screw up the way your appeal, doesn't look good if your scar tissue sucks.


Theres lots of ways to reduce arm pump but the only ones im going to say that are relative to people on here is types of liquid drinks and nutritions/diet you can buy. Theres more intense ways to train your muscles and to do things but if your worried about a 125 giving you armpump you got other problems to worry about. Learn to setup your suspension right too is a big step.


listen to ddmx though, those grips will only hurt you, the more muscle mass you have in your hands and forearms is the worst thing you can do. Armpump is because of those muscles expanding so why would you want to make them more dense and bigger ?

[mxer_25]

I was talking to Josh Readman the other weekend about arm pump, and one simple way to get rid of, or reduce arm pump, is to loosen your gloves up a bit. It may not work for everyone, but i know there a fair few people out there that it helps.
And for those of you who get finger cramps.. If you tend to stretch your fingers and hands before riding, try riding without stretching. Its rare for it to work, but there are a few pro's that this actually works for.

[dearnhardtfan7]

i have heard of the loose gloves theory as well. I don't know if it really helps or not, but I have started riding with my glove straps unfastened. I can't really tell a difference though. I have never been one to get arm pump really. I get the hand cramps. Around the base of my thumb is where I get it the worst.

[mxer_25]

yeah, apparently it works, but I've never gotten arm pump to try it. I suffer from finger cramps really bad, and I'd have to say, not stretching helps a little bit.. I have no clue how it works, but it does a little bit to reduce it..