Help! Why can't I hold on?

[Guest]

So this is hard to admit... But for the life of my I cannot hold onto the handle anymore. I am a 21 yr old college student with a slalom addiction and all of the sudden when skiing my forearms start burning and I can't stand to hold on anymore. I bench 225 so I'm not convinced strength is the issue but I could be wrong.

 

Has anyone had this happen before?

[Rednucleus]

@BHarris Welcome to BOS! If you post a vid of your skiing you will get lots of good help here.

[Than_Bogan]

@BHarris Hopefully you're not using your chest muscles to hold the handle :).

 

It's easy to completely exhaust forearm muscles. If you have one completely failed grip (handle ripped out of your hands), it can take weeks for those muscles to work properly again.

 

As I've gotten older (now 50), my forearms have a little more trouble in general, and I definitely suggest experimenting with the handle style and diameter. You may even want to purposely use different diameters throughout the season.

[Skoot1123]

What @Than_Bogan said.

[Tracks72]

Welcome... you may be having symptoms of tendonitis lots of stuff out their on it.

[Mastercrafter]

I used to use a lot of biceps skiing, bent arms though the wakes. Getting rid of that habit as best I could sure helps with arm fatigue. Not saying that's what you're doing, but worth mentioning.

[UWSkier]

Try taking a week off from skiing. Pop an aleve every morning with breakfast for a week. If you have a theragun, use it on your forearm muscles. If not, get some good massage action. Ice massage would also be a good idea. Try some Clincher style gloves when you get back into it. Switch up your grip on holeshots especially so that opposite hands are over, or both palms are down. As mentioned, try a larger or smaller handle diameter.

[ScottScott]

Have you changed handle or gloves recently? Particularly going to a larger diameter handle can cause fatigue in forearms. A thicker glove, or adding palm protectors also has the same effect as a larger diameter handle. There are positives to a larger handle so it might be good to use, but could take some adjustment to get your muscles used to it.

[2Valve]

Pullups and chinups work wonders to develop a slalom grip.

[igkya]

How are you gripping the handle?

[Vernon Reeve]

One day a young girl was having trouble getting up on one ski, so I used two skis and held her between my arms to get her up on one ski. The pull was enormous but we got up. I couldn't even squeeze a stapler after that. Took about two weeks to recover.

[UCFskier]

Do you feel like you are trying to "Death Grip" the handle? Try moving the handle off the palm and to the fingers.

As well I noticed it was a lot easier to hold an anti-roll handle.... just some thoughts as you sound like a pretty strong person to begin with.

[Stevie Boy]

Hook the Handle, like a rock climber, there are other benefits as well typically if you hook the handle it is harder for you to pull your arms in, straight arms is like eating a Strawberry Sundae, Nice !

[skibrain]

Not all ski handles are created equal.

Not all gloves are created equal.

 

With a new grippy handle (Masterline, InTow) and good gloves, my grip is automatic, I don’t think about it. There is enough traction hat I use MUCH less grip strength than trying to ski with someone’s shitty handle.

 

[DHski]

My money is on you are over gripping the handle all the way down in the middle of your palm (I used to do this and can confirm it absolutely toasted my forearms). As mentioned above, you want the handle to rest basically at the first segment of your fingers, where your fingers connect to the top of your palm.

[r_maniak]

How much do you weigh? What size is your ski? How fast do you ski? If these numbers don't line up, you could be putting an undue amount of stress on your grip.

[jim_s]

Might consider trying something like the Radar Vice glove - it can help tired and/or cold fingers last a lot longer.

[MDB1056]

As a 21 year old that can lift and dust under a refrigerator there’s nothing wrong with your ability to grip. Yes video would help but my guess is like most iron man 21yr olds who just got hooked on slalom you’re trying to power (muscle) ski by WAY overusing your arms and playing rodeo with the boat, and FYI the boat always wins. Consciously try to keep your arms straight and cruise a bit without a death grip on the handle and you’ll likely be born again .

[RGilmore]

@BHarris You've heard the old saying, "Pain is just weakness, leaving the body"?

Well, in your case, pain is just GRIP STRENGTH leaving the body. The good news is, it can't stay gone forever. Give it a rest, literally, and it'll be back before you know it.

[Fastguy888]

I'm no doctor but have spent lots of time on this. Forearms that play a role in grip have unique anatomy I have learned as a NCAA Personal trainer, former Motocross Rider and slalom skier. The fascia that surrounds the forearm does not expand easily and can restrict blood-flow to the area. Despite any amount of raw grip strength, the limiting factor is usually getting enough red blood cells into the area with oxygen and co2 + lactic acid out to get the muscles to work. Rather than other parts of your body where your existing nervous system can grow in volume to accommodate the increase in demand, your grip needs to develop new capillaries and blood streams to get more blood in and out. Skiing more often, without going to grip exhaustion and ample time to recover will theoretically help your grip issue.

 

Lastly the right size handle and right gloves can make a huge difference. I switched to a larger diameter handle soon after getting back into skiing and almost instantly eliminated any issues with grip or arm pump.

[C5Quest]

1. Straight arms….if you think they are straight be straighter

2. Clincher style gloves

[C5Quest]

 

[vtmecheng]

Not sure I would recommend clencher gloves to someone newer to the course. That seems like a good way to cause shoulder injuries. First for me would be to make sure his gloves are good quality and fit really tight. Second is to check that his handle is good enough quality with a grip in good condition. After that it’s up to some recovery time, evaluating his grip method, and keeping arms straight.

[C5Quest]

Just a suggestion. Helped me . Not perfect but leaning away with straight arms using the pro lock gloves transfers the pull to shoulders. Keeps me from using biceps. Recovery time is key as well.

[bkreis]

@BHarris that burning is not good and may be coming from your neck. I’d check you’re spine and you may find the answer.

[Jmoski]

The muscles involved in bench pressing are all push oriented versus the pull orientation of skiing.

 

Skiing in itself is like a heavy weights work out session, so if you don’t have rest days your just tearing yourself down.

 

How far are you skiing before your forearms fail you? If it’s immediate that sounds like you pinched or hurt something.

 

I used to only get to ski in the slalom course one week every summer on vacation. So during that week I would try to ski as much as possible, skiing 3-4 sets a day, everyday. The problem was i completed destroyed myself in the process and by Thursday I couldn’t ski at all and the rest of the week was shot.

 

Now I do a better job of pacing myself by building in off days for recovery.

 

While waiting for your forearms to cam down try adding core strength exercises, lat pulls, hangs, pull ups/chin ups, etc to your “off water” training.

 

Hope you get it figured out.

[aupatking]

I’m pretty sure you used the “bench 225” as an example of being strong, not to draw a link to skiing. Obviously, with that example, you are strong. Do not underestimate what these guys have said about handle diameter being a huge help. I typically use a 1.092” inch diameter handle. I once bought a boat that the previous owner left an almost new .888 inch handle in. I tried it, just to feel what such a small diameter handle would feel like. It was eye-opening! It changes so much of how you hold the handle and the muscles involved. I went immediately back to my handle and now would only consider going larger (I have big hands) (not a Gov Cuomo joke).

If you look at the Masterline or In-Tow websites you will see many different handle diameter options. Give your arms a little rest and then try the largest handle one of your ski partners has and see how it feels, skiing, not on the dock. It may help you in a direction you haven’t yet tried.

[MDB1056]

Strongly recommend against clincher style gloves . Very rarely needed and they present documented risk.

[KRoundy]

@MDB1056 Almost everyone I ski with uses clinchers and I know of no problems that anyone has had with them. From old guys to kids. They work great.

[gsm_peter]

@KRoundy

I have used CLINCHERs for many years.

Had a severe accident last year

Pull my upper arm bone in pieces, damaged both arm nervs so I lost muscle function, broke my neck.

Will never use them again!

[ScottScott]

I'll add to the crowd highly recommending AGAINST any type of clincher gloves. If you take too much load/bad position out of a turn, you want the weakest link to be your hands that will just pull the handle out of your hands....not stressing arm/elbo/shoulder/back etc, or preventing you from easily letting go resulting in a nasty wipeout across the wakes. Especially for someone young and strong...there's no need.

[Killer]

Handle diameter, bent handle, grip. Great stuff but that's not what causing the issue and are bandaids.

 

The fact you can bench a lot of weight is great but I see so many people inured from bench pressing. It's not necessary to bench big weight for skiing and I see big muscle guys struggle more than skinny guys because they want to curl the handle when you need straight relaxed arms that can take a load and transfer it to your core.

 

Listen to @bkreis and @Fastguy888 they're trainers.

 

Go to a physiotherapist to diagnose what's up.

 

Bent bar and a fresh rope can help while you rehab. Don't hold onto slack and don't pull with your arms, lean.

 

 

[scoke]

OP you NEED CLINCHERS!!!

 

https://i.imgur.com/7wC0HdN.mp4

[swbca]

Long Duration Exercise

Because of a torn bicep years ago, I can't do any dynamic strength training with my right bicep without the old injury feeling like its going to pop. Plus, your not supposed to pull in with your bicep when you are accelerating in slalom. (hook and chain)

 

So I bought a 62 pound kettle bell and do 50 single arm kettle bell swings with each arm - 2 rounds - usually twice per day. This has strengthened by grip substantially and for some reason is great therapy for my lower back degenerative disks and old shoulder joints.

 

Grip strength may not be your problem, but you may not have any other on land long duration training for your forearms.

[UCFskier]

I agree with @ScottScott not a fan of the ol' clincher. too cumbersome. get a good fitting glove, not too tight. relax your grip to the finger curl and have a go. its like hanging from a pullup bar.

[ISP6ball]

Farmer's carry with 45lb plates using your finger tips will help build forearm and grip strength.

[B_S]

38 Special really said it best: Hold on loosely, but don't let go.

[scuppers]

Clinchers for 30 years - no problem

[scuppers]

PS not a great skier these days but made nationals ten years running through M3 & 4

[Jordan]

What do you weigh? What size ski are you on?