Forums > Social Chat > how do you keep your arms from feeling like jello after a couple hours of staff/poi?

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PsylentzSILVER Member
member
72 posts
Location: Manville, Rhode Island, USA


Posted:
my g/f and i just made my new staff, which is heavier than my last one, and i've noticed something about my arms after i've been poi-ing or spinning for an hour or soTHEY HURT LIKE HELL! so if anyone can recommend a good pain reliever, or at least some exercises to keep my shoulder muscles from feeling like gelatinous painful goo, i'd appreciate it...psy------------------~ Tiger, Tiger, burning bright... ~

"The Q is talkin' to me!!!"


Neph23BRONZE Member
member
62 posts
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA


Posted:
After a pretty strenuous workout i find it best to 'cool down' dont just stop what you are doing, keep moving but slow down, bring the heat rate back down and drink a lot of water. If that doesnt help, tiger balm is a good rub on.. Ive used it many times after a rough night at the center. Hot baths with sea salt I hear are good, but have never tried it.. Keeping yourself well hydrated is a big help with muscle pain.. And if worst comes to worst.. try Alieve, the stuff works wonders but will eat up your belly if you take it to often..

adamricepoo-bah
1,015 posts
Location: Austin TX USA


Posted:
Ibuprofin. Cyclists call it "vitamin I"

Laugh while you can, monkey-boy


DJ DantanaBRONZE Member
veteran
1,495 posts
Location: Stillwater, Ok. USA


Posted:
You could try stretching immeadiatly afterwards. Another trick is to just start doing pio again the next day. However, massage works realy good, too. Or, try going at a slower pace and attempy to keep your body relaxed, that way you won't build up as much lactic acid in your muscles, and you can give your body time to adjust its muscles. Your muscles can grow new blood vessles. If you go at a "semi-relaxed-pace" while swinging poi, and swing for a LONG time in each set, your muscles will grow extra blood vessles to improve the blood flow. The improved blood flow will allow you to twirl faster and still be able to go as long as when you did it slower. (in other words, keep up the good work, because if you are feeling it, then you must be doing something right! wink )

we eat and we drink and we smoke and we try!


yashiromember
77 posts

Posted:
Alieve.... it is good to get those great abs? six packs perhaps? hehe

CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
As already stated, cool down afterwards intead of stopping.Do some slow, generic aerobic work, for at least five minutes (keep it slow and precise) and then stretch again.My forearms get constantly sore when I do my fast moves with staff, but if I slow downa nd stretch them, they are much less painful and less likely to hurt for more than a day...------------------Charles (INFERNO)newdolbel@hotmail.comhttps://juggling.co.nz

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SickpuPpyNinja Rockstar!
1,100 posts
Location: Denver, Co. U.S.A.


Posted:
Unfortunatly, muscle soreness is part of the game, but there are plenty of things that help.Before you spin start with some "active" streching, this is more of an aerobic type of warm up. Since you'll be useing you arms and shoulders, start with big arm circles and swinging your arms behind your back at sort of an up swing and then crossing them over your chest (like you're trying to hug your self). One of my favorite streches requires a staff: put the staff over your shoulders and hang your arms on it in a jesus type pose. Rotate your upper body back and forth at the hips. Be shure to go through your full range of motion when doing your warm up streches. This type of "active" streching is best for a warm up because it streches your muscles and gets them warm at the same time. As said before in this thread, as you start winding down from your spin, do a little slow work, something easy and relaxed for a few minutes to let your muscles cool gradually and let your heart rate start to slow down to a more normal pace.After your spin do "static" types of streches. This is where you strech and then hold it (like bending over an touching your toes) These are better for cooling down as your muscles are already hot and this helps to keep them from cramping and tightening up too quuickly. Listen to your body, it will tell you how it wants to be streched.Also drink lots of water before, during and after, this helps combat the build up of the lactic acids that cause muscle fatigue and muscle soreness.Ibubrophen is a good pain releiver, but a lot of times just covers the fact that your muscles are dehydrated. So I would recommend something like tiger balm, or asper creme, while staying hydrated.When Npeh23 and I were in martial arts we were always covered in tiger balm. Thought about buying stock in the company.Do work out with your staff and poi as much as possible (with out over doing it, of course) soreness is a necessary part of building muscle, and it will pass in time.It's like the old saying, no pain no gain.Hope it helps.[This message has been edited by SickpuPpy (edited 17 December 2001).]

Jesus helps me trick people.


CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
SP, I wish that comment was true for my fast figure 8's and BTB pinwheels.No matter how much I stretch and cool down, those two moves always get me sore for at least 24 hours. Then again, I am getting a bit long in the (????) winkTOOTH! I meant TOOTH!!!! shocked

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SickpuPpyNinja Rockstar!
1,100 posts
Location: Denver, Co. U.S.A.


Posted:
How much water do you drink?[This message has been edited by SickpuPpy (edited 17 December 2001).]

Jesus helps me trick people.


Amanjiramember
6 posts
Location: Fairlight, Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
Wobbling piles of jelly eh?? Hmm, normally, I keep spinning till either my arms literally drop off from exhaustion, or otherwise, then do as most of the others have said and do a stretch of some sort, may it be of 5 to anywhere to 15 mins, but yea, warming down is a good way to prevent injury.... one way to stuff yourself damn quick, is using 4 poi at the same time, 3 point weave, with two poi in each hand, now thats a killer!!------------------Twirl hard, or go home...

Spin hard, or go home...


CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
your arms LITERALLY FALL OFF?!?!?!I'm kinda confused, coz you just said your arms actually fell off, and were no longer connected to your body. shockedAnd that this happens everytime you spin??? rolleyesPlease, please, if you are a giant newt or salamander that is into poi, don't tell me.I'd rather not know... wink------------------Charles (INFERNO)newdolbel@hotmail.comhttps://juggling.co.nz

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* Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
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PsylentzSILVER Member
member
72 posts
Location: Manville, Rhode Island, USA


Posted:
thanks for the advice guys... ba dum *ching*i use tiger balm... but it doesn't help with the really deep muscle stuff... like my shoulders hurt for two days after... lol... but then again i'm a staff newbie... is there anything stronger than red tiger balm?ps - is alieve better than advil?

"The Q is talkin' to me!!!"


MiSsFrOgmember
187 posts
Location: Oceanside, CA USA


Posted:
IcyHot? what about Motrin? that stuff will cure any pain
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Its not easy being green....


Whiffle Squeekaddict
416 posts
Location: Hartford, CT USA


Posted:
the longer you twirl for, like months total, the more you build up the muscles and the less it will hurt, its like lifting, its always mroe painful in the begininng...

Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


Teinemember
74 posts
Location: Asheville, NC


Posted:
whiffle's right. i started out spinning for an hour every other day and built up from there. this lets your muscles rest on off-days, and you strengthen the muscles in question instead of running them into the ground. i'm up to about 1.5 to 2 hours at a go now. grin (i'm also being a nut and using rigid conduit...5' 5-lb. steel staff for practice...my wicked staff is MUCH lighter.)------------------"life begins between the night and the light."

life begins between the night and the light.


AnonymousPLATINUM Member


Posted:
I have to agree with those who have said - no pain no gain, and a decent training regime is the best way to twirl better longer.When I first started twirling doubles I couldnt even get through a burn...now I seem to be able to do it all night long. I guess the thing is twirl regularly (not just at parties for eg) and that way your body with adapt to the extra expectation. Regularly twirling with the tools you use is the number one way to develop your strength and tool familiarity.Josh

Chakanmember
68 posts
Location: Hazleton , Pennsylvania, USA


Posted:
Like most things in life the more you do it the easier it becomes (least thats what I heard anyway... not sure how true it is)If you stick to a routine I find it does becomes easier and you can usually do it for longer. I do climbing as well and I stick to a every tuesday and thursay training routine which also helps with poi.

Maximusmember
250 posts
Location: Upland, CA., USA


Posted:
While I agree with most of the advice being offer here--stretching beforehand, cooling down moves, and hydrating especially--I would caution against taking gobs of ibuprofen. Bad for the kidneys. Rotate your anti-inflammitants--aspirin, ibuprofin, and acetaminophen. Or take an herbal anti-inflammitory tea like white willow bark or wild yam.But the question was specifically about the jelly-like feeling in the arms after a strenuous workout. That feeling is lactic acid and nobody has mentioned the specific thing you can take to mop it up: creatine.Creatine is found in the human body (in sperm, and elsewhere) and buffers the lactic acid, turning it into creatinine and taking it to the kidneys where it is dumped into the urine. Several sports drinks contain creatine. And you can buy supplements. I suggest trying one of the sports drinks during and immediately after a workout/performance.Maximus

SickpuPpyNinja Rockstar!
1,100 posts
Location: Denver, Co. U.S.A.


Posted:
Maximus brings up an exellent point that I neglected to mention. Most pain killers play hell with either your kidneys, liver, or stomach. Asperin and Ibuprophen are the least harmful to the liver, I think, but they are horrible for your stomach. Acetaminophen (Tylonol) is extreemly bad for your liver, and is very easy to over dose on. I was watching a bit on the news a week or so ago about how you shouldn't take tylonol with cold medicines like Ny/Dayquil that already contain Acetaminophen because of the high risk of over doseing. Also, never never never take Tylenol with alchohol. Unless you'd like to die young from serosis of the liver. I read some where that taking Tylonol with liquer once is the equivilent of a month and a half of heavy drinking.I like the creatine Idea, but haven't tried it yet.As for stronger balms, try "Super blue stuff" if you can find it. I think it's kind of pricey, but I've heard it works wonders.------------------If you love something, set it on fire.[This message has been edited by SickpuPpy (edited 22 December 2001).]

Jesus helps me trick people.


NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
Everybody keeps talking about these muscles you get from poiing.... er... Nope. I'm still a scrawny little punk. smileI absolutely must strech out before doing anything serious, I'm horribly tight most of the time. A few weeks back I didn't and did a few quick burns and hurt for a week.I guess it's the weight rather than the motions because I can glowstick forever but a few burns with some jarring wraps and I'm feeling it.I try not to take pain killers because I'm not that sensitive to pain. The few time in my life that I've actually done some damage I thought "well it doesn't hurt so it can't be bad right?" and kept on going. It was hard for me to rehab my blown knee because I kept overdoing it and my Dr. would say "I told you to stop when it hurt" and I'd say "IT NEVER HURT!"My point is, sometimes when you're sore it's because your body is trying to tell you something. Overdoing it can lead to serious injury. I'd hate to mess up a shoulder perminantly because you pushed yourself on a given night. Cuz then you'd hurt every time you spun and that'd just be sad. frown

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


SickpuPpyNinja Rockstar!
1,100 posts
Location: Denver, Co. U.S.A.


Posted:
Building muscle does not always constitute building muscle mass. Working with poi and staff, even for hours a day, isn't going to give you body builder style muscles. More like olympic swimmer muscles. Poi will give you tone and endurance, but not boulders for biceps (unless your poi are insanely heavy). But who really wants to swing 50 pound poi?The best way I've found to build muscle endurance and tone is, when your musles are all sore from the privious day's workout, go and work out while your muscles are still sore. It's gonna suck for a week or two but after that it really is worth it.NYC has a good point about over doing it. It's so very easy to get hurt doing stuff like this, and pushing yourself too hard is a great way to do it. A lot serious injuries won't hurt right away, and it may not be untill hours or days later that you realize how badly you've messed youself up. So do listen to your body. If your shoulder hurts try to figure out if it's the muscle or the joint that hurts, and pay attention to how it hurts. A stiff kind of burning pain in the muscles is normal (just a build up of lactic acid) and it's good to exercise while you feel this. Sharp stabbing pains in your muscles or joints, A feeling that you've torn some thing, A feeling that there is gravel in your joints, these are all bad and you should see a doctor if you get any of these during or after you work out. It may be serious it may not, but if YOU don't take care of yourself who else is going to do it for you?------------------If you love something, set it on fire.[This message has been edited by SickpuPpy (edited 23 December 2001).][This message has been edited by SickpuPpy (edited 23 December 2001).]

Jesus helps me trick people.



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