PLEASE READ! - cutting weight

[Jance Footit]

This specialty topic will be handled mainly by John Connor, one of the original course conductors for Poliquin who now handles this material with many top MMA fighters, including Connor McGregor" to "one of the original course conductors for Poliquin who has worked with many top MMA fighters and boxers, including Connor McGregor, Carl Frampton, George Groves, and Josh Taylor. Nothing in the forum is to be taken as medical advise and you should always consult your physician before trying to cut weight to rule out any contraindications.

[Deidre Hamaguchi]

I am so glad the topic of cutting / making weight is being addressed!

Do you recommend:

A) cutting weight slowly to hit fighting (contract) weight BEFORE the weigh-in for a pro fight (weigh-ins the day before the fight)
OR

B) keeping a few pounds on above the fighting weight until just before the weigh in, and SWEAT OFF the final pounds (plastics, sauna, hot bath, etc)

What is your opinion of using a water-loading method (2 gal, 1 gal, 1 gal, 0.5 gal, 0.25 gal) to make weight?

Thanks for your help!

Deidre

[Joshua Delgado]

Would love to hear the answer to the same question as above. And do you guys recommend any online nutritional coaching for this sort of thing?

Thanks for the guidance.

Josh

[John Connor]

Hey Deidre,

The following is based off a day before weigh in (example: Friday weigh-in, Saturday fight)

I recommend that you "cut" to the official fight weight. The "cut" should be a max of 8-10% above official fight weight. So a 70kg fighter should cut from a max of 77k.

This 77kg is a fully hydrated, fully carved up fresh fighter. If the weigh in is Friday then the fighter is 77kg waking up on the Monday after they've been to the bathroom.

There is one study on water loading by Reid Reale showing it to be an effective means of dropping more weight with no negative consequences.

I hope this helps

[John Connor]

Here is the link for Reid Reales paper on water loading

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ian_C_Dunican/publication/337209299_Issue_5_s1_OPEN_ACCESS_Journal_of_Exercise_and_Nutrition/links/5dcb82c092851c818049f5b4/Issue-5-s1-OPEN-ACCESS-Journal-of-Exercise-and-Nutrition.pdf

[Deidre Hamaguchi]

Thank you, yes, this helps and I will plan accordingly!

[Martin Jahn]

Keep in mind, that you can't cut water from body fat, so the fighter/athlete should be in decent shape stepping into fight prep. I like BW max 15% above scale weight. Later the BF% must be relatively low going into the final phase of the prep (fight week).

7-10 days prior weigh-in you start the final procedures like water-load, carb-depletion, sodium restriction, hormonal balancing (Vasopresin, Cortisol), food intake -> finally emptying digestive track...

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