Arm Pump Bluez

[ETP]

Anyone have ideas on reducing handlebar vibration on the WR450F to help with arm pump fatigue? I am getting mixed opinions about what to buy. Has anyone out there tried something that works on the WR or any bike?

Thanks,

Ted ?

[ddialogue]

I wonder if an aftermarket triple clamp with rubber handlebar mount bushings would help? ?

[Tony426]

I would suggest push ups , no really I am not being a smart ass but I do alot of push ups and although I am not by any means "buffed" I never experience arm pump. ?

[ETP]

I am in pretty good shape, plus I have been training with hand and arm strengthening exercizes for years to minumize the problem, but I am just prone to arm pump. Some of the pros have had vien re-routing operations, so I have read. None for me thanks... There is company out there that makes some modular bars, but they are pricey and heavy.

[Indy_WR450]

I have a rubber mounted triple clamp handle bar mount and it works very well to reduce vibration to a lower frequency and intensity. As far as arm pump I think the two are unrelated. Putting in more miles seems to be the best solution to reduce arm pump. ?

[endurodog]

I have 2 things that help with arm pump. First and most important for me, stay hydrated. I know if I don't get enough water I have a horrible time with it. 2nd is make sure you grip the bike with you legs, takes some of the stress off your arms. If your comin off a 2 stroke I think this is a common issue. The 4's are heavier up front and can't be muscled around like a 2's.

As far as things to buy that may help, new grips. New grips have softer rubber, not all hardened, and fresh gripping surface, you can hold on easier with out having to grab so hard. You can try a Protaper type of bar, they are said to flex a bit since they don't have a cross bar and this is suppose to help with fatiuge

[Motorod]

All above are good ideas, I also take a potassium ? supplement the night before riding.

[ThumperWR450F]

i just eat 2 banana's about 2 hrs before i go riding. ?

[wr250rr]

Great Ideas above. I used to get major arm pump.

Lots of water days before a race, (a gallon a day) 2/3 bannanas 1 hr before, and 1 quart of V8 30/45 min before the start. I also put Universal Victory supplement drink in the V8, and I no longer get arm pump.

[HighPlainsWR]

These are good ideas - water and postaaium. Another is to take a couple of aspirin with your meal to thin the blood prior to riding. Ibuprofen and acetaminophin work as well, but plain aspiring hits the bloodstream faster and is cheaper.

[Wicked_Crash]

In addition to everything above, you might want to start saving up for a damper, they practically eliminate arm pump. I was a little sceptical last year before I got my GPR, but now I will always have a damper on any bike I have.

[Lon13]

A freind of mine constantly complains about arm pump.I rode behind him one day, and he almost NEVER gripped the bike with his knees. When I asked him about it, he told me he always grips the bike with his knees. I don't eat bananas, I work out with weights, but NO fore arm work. I've always gripped the bike with my knees. I think the best thing You can do is to Grip it with your knees. The only time I ever had a problem with arm pump is when I had an RM 125. I'm slightly bow-legged, and the Rm is a pretty thin bike. I had to make alot of adjustments to my riding style to be able to grip it. most of the time, it just wasn't worth it so I rode it like my mountain bike and got a little arm pump. Physiology has a lot to do with it. Don't work your fore arms too much in training though, they are relativly small muscle groups and take a while to recover. This could exaggerate the problem.

[Superbike]

I used to grip the bars real hard. That seems to make you pump up faster than anything. I am a leg gripper but always had the death grip for some reason. Now my bar grip is looser and I feel like I can go forever. It is also early in the year. I always get a sore lower back for the first ride or two (after riding) and then not at all. Same for a little arm pump. I also pump my bars full of silicone caulk, it really helps with vibration. Bannana's help me with cramping a lot! Drink, water, Blah blah blah! You know that though! ---Mike

[MxnDoc]

Fellow TTer's the correct medical term for "arm pump" is "Acute Compartment Syndrome". Just FYI if anyone wants to do a search on the topic. Medline has some info. on the topic. ? :D

[KRobWR250]

I'm surprised no one has brought it up yet, but I rarely get arm pump, but when I do it's almost always associated with nerves. Maybe a new race I haven't been to before, new class, season points title on the line etc. Anything that takes me out of my normal flow. I almost never get it when just out riding (I always ride at or near race pace).

Knowing that doesn't help you get rid of it unless you can convince yourself to forget everything and just relax, but like someone else mentioned it usually goes away after I settle down into a flow and get concentrating on just riding and forget the other stuff.

BTW, you might try a bar snake for vibration.

[HareAndHound98]

I agree with what everyone else was saying. I think arm pump can be managed/defeated mentally. I think when you get out of your groove and you get into the choppy stuff you tend to put a death grip on those bars. Sometimes I catch myself doing it. So I lighten up my grip and my arms feel better. I think to myself "Have those bars ever flown out of your hands...no they have not. Ease up."

[Oasis_Flame]

Besides the fact I bench 317 and leg press 450, I would say check those front forks to find a possible problem. Or start packing the weights on the bar and make it hurt. Arm pump has not been factor anymore. Breaking bones has been! ?

[WINGNUTT]

i agree with krobwr250, you need to ride loose, and ride alot, the more you ride the less arm pump you will get, also drink lots of water.

[jmp]

All great ideas but the best idea yet is ride more!!!! The more comfortable you are on your bike, the less arm pump you will experience.

Oasis, just curious as to how you got "exactly" 317lbs. on a bench press. That must be one weird weight set!

[WINGNUTT]

jmp, I benched 318 twice. ?