managing Arm Pump Part 1: Riding Technique

Gripping with your legs can be helpful for taking some of the weight off the upper body.

Anyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle at an amateur or professional level, whether it be supercross, arenacross, motocross, or woods racing, has likely encountered a common, glaring issue: ARM PUMP.  This dreaded problem can cripple even the most experienced racers.  In light of the many recent requests on how to address this age old problem, I have decided to share some insight into the things that have helped me manage arm pump over the course of my career. This will be a multi-article series that will cover the solutions to “arm pump” from multiple modalities.  These articles will address riding technique, nutrition, warm ups, interval training, practice intensity, endurance, strength training, and bike setup. Understanding that there is no one miracle cure to this issue, but rather utilizing these strategies simultaneously, will help you move the needle in the right direction!

I have personally struggled with arm pump throughout my professional career.  You name it and I’ve tried it in the name of the pump!  From avoiding red meat and weight training to only training the aerobic system, relaxing the hands in the air off jumps, arm pump surgery, and more arm pump “tools” than you can imagine.. I’ve tried it all.  Throughout this trial and error process, I have had the perfect “test lab” for being able to actively manage this problem, and now I would like to share these tips with you.  Learning to handle arm pump will not only increase your longevity in this sport, but also decrease risk of injury and significantly improve the enjoyment factor.

Riding Technique:

When you break down the process of riding a motorcycle, it is actually a very complicated task!  In a single lap, riders are shifting gears, going from sitting to standing, using the clutch, hitting the brakes, seat bouncing a jump, wheeling a bump, swerving for a downed rider, and the list goes on.. who said this sport was easy?!?  Having proper riding technique will allow you to execute the obstacles at your local track more safely, effectively and with increased confidence.  It’s all about the fundamentals!

While most riders may not consider technique as something malleable, it is essential that you take the time to analyze your own riding technique and identify specific areas for improvement. You may be surprised that the little things are the big things. Some of these tips include having your elbows up, gripping with your legs, looking ahead, standing on the balls of your feet, focusing on breathing, and relaxing your grip on the handlebars. Although these tips seem basic in nature, they can significantly alleviate arm pump when executed correctly.  

ELBOWS UP: Having your elbows up  will give you increased control of the bike at all times; allowing you to corner faster and help you in high speed situations where you may be susceptible to “headshake”.

GRIPPING WITH YOUR LEGS: The quadricep muscles are some of the biggest muscles in your body, which means they can put in much more work before tiring when compared to your upper body. Gripping with your legs, standing in rough areas of the track, and standing in kinked, rutted corners will allow you to minimize the energy required of your upper body.  After all, energy is a finite resource, so save it for the parts of the body that can utilize it most effectively, and give your arms - and shoulders - a break!

BREATHE: We all have the tendency to hold our breath when navigating a tricky section of the track. Actively telling yourself to breathe can be a massive help in delivering fresh oxygen to those muscles you’re working so hard.  Have your mechanic or friend put on the pit board “breathe” so you can have a visual reminder (biofeedback) while riding.  You can even put a message on your bar pad via a bit of duct tape for a quick reminder before you go out.  Riding is hard enough let alone when you’re starving yourself of oxygen. In Supercross, I remind myself to breathe every time I go through a whoop section and off a Supercross triple. By the end of a 15min + 1 lap moto I am thinking about my breathing roughly 30 extra times! 

Breathe!

LOOSEN YOUR GRIP: Although this sounds super simple, I make a mental note to relax my grip on almost every part of the track including Supercross whoops, jumps, rutted corners, choppy corners, and straight aways. You’d be surprised how tight you may be gripping the bars at times,  but similar to breathing, having key areas of the track where you make a mental note and work on your grip will be very helpful over the course of your race or practice session.

These are just a few of the things that I have learned over my years of racing. If you’re interested in learning more about how to ride and train, or looking for guidance on the topic of motorcycle racing, hit up the team we have created at Troll Training so we can help you achieve your riding and fitness goals.  Stay tuned for more information on this topic in the coming weeks!! And please leave your comments down below.

Thanks for reading!

Alex Martin