Working out now I get arm pump bad..

[YamahaRob]

I bought a Wieder work out machine. This one looks just like a bowflex. I have been working out for almost 6 months 2-3 times a week. I'm only working on weights, no cardio.

I have a mini program setup with low weight and high reps. i.e. 3 reps of 20.

I'm only doing 4 arm exercises and 1 leg exercise and I can see a difference since I started.

However, I have also noticed in the last 2 months I'm getting really bad arm pump. To the point were I have to stop. That has never happened in the last 3 years. Normally I can work through it.

I only race Hares scrambles so I'm on the bike for some practice then a full 2 hour race.

Anyone else with this problem? I’m sure it is because of the weight training.

Rob

[AKColby]

Originally Posted by YamahaRob

i.e. 3 reps of 20...........

I think you mean 3 sets of 20 reps...

[schwen_108]

I would eat some bananna's the night before you go out to the track. On the way to the track/harescramble, eat them after the practice.. and eat them after the race..(sounds like alot of banana's...I'm saying about 10 bananas total.) Only eat like 2 in between thought....

[530Racer]

try not to hold on so tight if u do. Also try pinching the seat with ur knees

[YamahaRob]

Originally Posted by 530Racer

try not to hold on so tight if u do. Also try pinching the seat with ur knees

I am getting more aggressive and moved up a class. Perhaps I'm holding on too tight. Not sure. I will have to check when I ride next time in January.

I will try the banana thing too,,,

rob

[Kirtwell]

You're doing the right thing by working out. However you really need as much cardio training possible.

You're body is a machine and if you put garbage (fast food) in your system it will give you that level of performance. So your diet is essential.

No caffeine or salty foods like chips....and drink as much water as you can.

Most people get arm pump from holding on too tight and not breathing...so next time you go out to ride...do some laps...practice breathing (not huffing and puffing...but large deep breaths) and loosening up on the grip...it will work...I promise.....until you get into a race and then...nothing above applies

[jct404]

Originally Posted by Kirtwell

Most people get arm pump from holding on too tight and not breathing...so next time you go out to ride...do some laps...practice breathing (not huffing and puffing...but large deep breaths) and loosening up on the grip...it will work...I promise.....until you get into a race and then...nothing above applies

Exactly!

[04whyzee]

Something to try that can really decrease the arm pump is to try static weight lifting. Grab a 5 lb weight in each hand and hold your arms straight out in front of you for as long as you can. I started out I could only do a minute max, but now i'm up to almost 3 minutes and am starting to notice a lot less arm pump. Adding muscle mass is only going to add to your arm pump problem.

[RICHIE500]

I agree, Eating and drinking the right stuff before and during the ride helps alot.

Bananas

[DPW]

Arm-Pump is from holding on for dear life and letting the bike pull you instead of the bike push you.

If it was me hit the cardio for a good month and see if that makes a difference. Everybody is a little different when it comes to arm-pump solutions. For example bananas do nothing for me. Has anything else changed like on your bike...bar postion or different suspension settings?

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[egoallenpoe393]

Originally Posted by DPW

Arm-Pump is from holding on for dear life and letting the bike pull you instead of the bike push you.

If it was me hit the cardio for a good month and see if that makes a difference. Everybody is a little different when it comes to arm-pump solutions. For example bananas do nothing for me. Has anything else changed like on your bike...bar postion or different suspension settings?

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

DPW
for me I get rid of arm pump by screaming like a raped ape, It gets the adrenlin going and keeps my mind off the narrow misses

Actually I read an article on Arm pump, seems there is a liner that wraps around the muscles, this liner is not as flexable as muscle is. As your muscles grow / heat up this liner restricts blood flow causing Arm pump. SOme Athlets have this liner cut or opened.

If this is correct, Pehaps then your work out regimine is incorrect for you body style, I would consult a PT or ?? to see if what you are doing is correct. Perhaps you have simply not allowed for the Sheath that covers you muscles to grow at a rate that compensates your work out regime. As Kirtwell Stated Cardio is imorpant as well, and I believe this is the Remidy,


Here is the Artilce I read [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[joe346CBMX]

Doing cardio 3-4 days a week(minimum 20 minutes with heart rate at 70-80% max), staying well hydrated and taking a good multi-vitamin are good places to start. cardio helps your body become more efficient at getting blood and oxygen into and out of the muscles. Their are supplements for this too but I'm not here to sell you anything.

I've worked out for about 20 some years now and sell and use supplements. Something I found when I started riding, basically common sense, was to be sure I did not train with weights the day before a race/ride. Cardio is fine but weights, especially back or biceps that incorpoarte forearms in the exercise, will cause those muscles to be less than fully recovered before you ride the next day. So you are putting yourself in a position where the muscles are not 100%. Pushing moves such as bench press, shoulder press, dips... use less forearm but still fatigue chest shoulders and triceps. again if you are going to be riding for 2 hours, you need to let your muscles rest the day before, and maybe even 2 depending on how well trained you are and your own ability to recoup.

One other thing are you using any supplements now? I found using creatine was great for getting stronger and bigger and getting a great pump in the gym but was the last thing I needed when riding because my muscles would get too pumped.

try it and see if it helps. Joe

[twoofeach]

I was fixing a fence on Saturday and doing mostly manual labor. Well, I was all pumped up to go out and tear it up today. After :30 I was dead. I tried to go out again and could release the clutch slow enough and I kept on stalling. I tried again a little after that and same result. It was embarrassing. Now, I'm ready for bed at 7:45 PST.

[Coach Seiji]

One thing you can pay attention to is trying hard not to grip harder as you increase your effort. The natural tendency is to grip harder when you get to the end of the set and it is harder and harder for you to finish a repetition. If you keep doing this you reinforce the motor pattern of gripping harder as your exercise intensity goes up which will then transfer on to the motorcycle. Really pay attention and relax your grip even though you are expending more effort at the end of the set so that you re write the motor pattern to relaxing when your grip as your exercise intensity goes up. The more times you repeat the motor pattern, the more engrained it gets in your motor cortex of your brain and it becomes more and more automatic. You have to repeat the relax your grip motor pattern over and over so that it becomes automatic just like it was on your motorcycle before you started lifting weights and rewriting the incorrect motor pattern. Something you can at least try!

Good luck!!

[Imahoot393]

Very interesting Coach. Does it help to do a smaller number of reps vs. sets too?

[Coach Seiji]

The reps/sets depends on what specifically you are trying to accomplish (strength, muscular endurance, power, etc.) but as far as writing a correct motor engram to your motor cortex, no matter what rep/set combo you use the more times you do the motion correclty (relaxed grip when things get harder) the more likely it will be that that motor pattern will be used automatically. I suggest starting at a ligher load, more reps at first until it is not such a struggle to NOT grip tighter as the set goes along and then work up to where you were in your training. You know the engram is pretty well in place when you are in a very heavy set at low reps that requires maximim effort from repititon number one and you don't have to concsiously tell yourself to relax your grip. Just hold on only as tight as you need to not to drop or let the weight twist in your hand, just like on the motorcycle. Remember that the point is to write the correct pattern in your motor cortex so that when thing are really rough, out on that track at the end of the moto and you cannot spare any concentration points to purposely relax your grip that your brain will whip this automatic, grip relaxing pattern out without any voluntary effort on your part. Same theory as repeating a golf swing a zillion times so that it's automatic every time you step into the tee box. Hope this helps!

[dirtdemon4life]

Stay hydrated and have a healthy diet. A lot of people think drinking a gallon of water the morning of the race or the night before will cut it, but it doesnt. You NEED to be thoroughly hydrated which means having it throughout the week, having a healty balance of sugars and such as well. Peanut butter sammiches and bananas is great to, but don't expect for it to work out right before the race. Needs to be a steady constant flow of nutrients.

-Max.