WHY DO FIGHTERS CUT WEIGHT?

In weight classed sports like Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA and boxing, fighters are classified by weight and experience to ensure a fair fight.

Fighters usually try to get to the lowest possible weight where they can still perform at optimum level so they have height and reach advantages.

In Muay Thai, fighters either weigh in the day before fighting or in IFMA amature competitions and some professional fights in Thailand on the same day.

The key is being able to cut weight and then rehydrate and perform well in the competition. However, if done incorrectly weight cutting can actually impede performance or even endanger the fighters health.

Ideally, fighters hope to replace body fluids, electrolytes and glycogen (the stored version of carbohydrates) in the brief period between the weigh in and competition. Re-establishing bodily fluids however can take a minimum of 24 hours and up to 72 to replenish glycogen stores. If you have not supported your muscle tissue adequately during the weight cut, you may have incurred tissue damage which can take even longer to fully recover.

RISKS INVOLVED WITH WEIGHT CUTTING

Water cutting in general is not safe but a necessary evil in today’s weight classed sports. Side effects such as cramping and low energy are manageable. Severe dehydration however is much more serious and should be treated as such.

It’s important that people know that as you lose valuable fluids, your blood thickens and your heart begins to pump harder. Your blood with eventually get too thick for your kidneys to filter, and without rehydrating, you could suffer permanent renal (kidney) failure, brain damage and ultimately go into complete circulatory collapse. In the worst case this can result in death.

SWEAT SUIT & EXERCISE

Sweat suits do not burn fat, that’s a common myth. Running in a sweat suit will cause profuse sweating as the core temperature of the body rises. In Thailand this is the preferred and common approach, and I have seen people lose up to 4kgs with a 30 minute run. While you are in the suit, temperatures can climb up to 100+ degrees within Thailand heat.

Pros: Running is simple and easy to do

Cons: The act of inhibiting your skin to breath and release heat through the use of a sweatsuit while exercising is energy consuming and dangerous. The combination of core body temperatures reaching upwards of 100+ degrees, excessive fluid losses and exercise can result in severe muscle cramps, dehydration, heat stroke or worse. If you have a coach who demands you run in a sweatsuit while training hard this is quite uncomfortable and dangerous, thus should be monitored very closely.

Tips: Do not drastically cut food intake if you are going to use this method. The point of running in a sweat suit is to lose water weight, there is no need to combine this with a starvation type diet. The body uses up to 90% of all energy to regulate itself and maintain safe temperatures so it needs a steady supply of nutrients to keep up with these dangerously high demands.

How to enhance the process: Dropping your carbohydrate intake will help lose excess water weight and avoiding salt will help too. After each session in a sweat suit you need to replace the vitamins and minerals lost via sweating. This is very important and a high quality multi vitamin is a good option for this. Electrolyte powders are to be avoided as they contain mostly salt.

METHOD BASED ON FLUID MANIPULATION PHYSIOLOGY

A bit more technical but much more efficient way to cut weight is water manipulation based on fluid balance – water consumption and excretion. This method involves increasing your water intake over short periods of time which then will lead to an increase in fluid losses via urine for several days.

Essentially, a fighter will increase water intake and then reduce it each day until intake is zero by weigh-in day. In order to increase fluid losses from the body, salt and carbohydrates are also lowered and monitored.

Pros: A safer way to lose water weight. You are at less risk of heat stroke, less muscle tissue damage and less muscle cramping. There is no need to run in a sweat suit as your body will do most of the work itself, this saves you a huge amount of energy. This method is generally prefered if you are spending time travelling to fight, living in cold conditions, or if you prefer to rest in the days before the fight.

Cons: It can be dangerous if done incorrectly. Drinking large amounts of water can lead to hyponatremia, this is when you have too much water relative to sodium levels. With this method you really need to be tapering off your training.

Tips: To finish off this method of weight cutting, on the day prior to weigh in you can do a couple of short sauna sessions to finish your cut. You can usually lose the last 1 – 1.5kg in a 20 to 30 minute sitting. On the day of weigh in, use the sauna as needed to make weight. When doing a cut like this, it’s important to ensure that you keep vitamin and mineral levels topped up each day. There is no doubt you’re going to feel tired and drained, but the healthier you are, the better and faster you can recover with quality sleep and good nutrition in place.

EXAMPLE OF STRATEGIC FLUID MANIPULATION

● Monday – 7.6L water, no salt, low carbs
● Tuesday – 3.8L water, no salt, low carbs
● Wednesday – 3.8L water, no salt, low carbs
● Thursday – 1.9L water, no salt, low carbs
● Friday – 0.95L water, no salt, low carbs, sauna
● Saturday – No water until after weigh in, no salt, no carbs & sauna as needed

Weight cutting can be a tricky part of the build up to a competition, it can be too easy to get it wrong and potentially do yourself harm. It may be helpful and beneficial to do a ‘test weight cut’ far before having any competition booked to test and see how your body reacts to the process. This way you can try it without the pressure of a fight looming. It also gives you the benefit of knowing how you will feel during the weight cut and any issues that arise can be looked at and fixed prior to the real pre competition weight cut where you do not want any surprises.

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