If you are reading this you must be looking to start cutting weight for your upcoming bout or just trying to be ahead of the curve.
Below you will find ways to cut weight safely.
We DO NOT suggest this without first consulting your doctor, trainer and/or coach.
To cut a lot of body weight some say is very dangerous and as easy it is to put the weight on people that have to cut weight will tell you it’s a bitch to take off! Be it the time factor of the weight cut to difference in body size. Cutting weight is different for everyone. If you are lucky enough to have a nutritionist or personal trainer on your fight team, you are all set. For those who don’t they may take to the internet to see what they should do. Even if it’s not the right way to do it. For those that have cut weight in the past they will tell you it may be the worst time to be around them. They are hangry, they are thirsty and are just plain tired at this point. So if a fighter is saying they are cutting weight, just be aware they may jump down your throat and exit somewhere down your lower bowel area.
Now down to weight cutting. Below you will find some articles the we believe will help you obtain your goals as well doing it safely! Remember fighters, don’t lose the fight before you even step into the cage.
*All methods have not been proven by Warriors Instinct MMA or Cage Wars and as always consult your doctor to be sure you can cut weight safely.
How To Lose 20-30 Pounds In 5 Days: The Extreme Weight Cutting and Rehydration Secrets of UFC Fighters by Tim Ferris
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters put it all out in the open for the world to see: they kick, punch, laugh, cry, and bleed in front of thousands of arena fans and millions more watching at home.
But even if you’re a hardcore fan who knows all the stats, there’s something behind the scenes that you’ve probably never seen in full: world-class weight manipulation…
Done right, it can significantly increase a fighter’s chances of winning. An athlete will artificially lower his weight for pre-fight weigh-ins, then show up to the actual fight 10, 20, or even 30 pounds heavier than his opponent. It’s a game changer.
Done wrong, it can make even the toughest guy lose his edge… and probably the fight. There’s serious risk of organ failure if done haphazardly.
As you can see Tim’s article dives right into the good and the bad. At the amateur MMA level it is very important you don’t suffer injury in or out of the cage and defiantly not weight cutting.
Next up we have an article from MenMen’s Journal by Bradley Popkin:
How Fighters Aggressively Lose Weight Before Weigh-in
According to Lockhart, the problem begins in a fighters’ camp. “Camps have them cut out salt and carbohydrates three weeks out. They will lose a lot of weight initially,” says Lockhart. That, however, only hinders the body’s ability to sweat, because it will start to retain water. Keeping both water intake and sodium levels balanced is the key to a healthy weight cut, Lockhart says.
Some say cut the salt early. I personally know if I were to do that I would be in trouble as I tend to sweat standing still and that would be very dangerous for my body three weeks out.
For the female fighters some believe they have an easier time with weight cut but that isn’t all true.
Women have it even tougher. Women generally can’t cut weight like men can, mainly because of their higher estrogen levels. “The female body doesn’t have the same amount of muscle mass and ability to pull water,” Lockhart says. “If you stick a pretty lean man and woman into a sauna or hot tub, that man will lose significantly more weight in the same amount of time.”
One more great article I would love for you take a look at is by By Iain Kidd from Bloody Elbow.
The details of nutrition & weight cutting for MMA with George Lockhart
Fat is burned the slowest out of any macronutrient. So the week of the weigh-ins we decrease the amount of carbohydrates and increase the amount of fats. Because your calories are restricted you want all of your calories to last as long as possible and fat lasts longest. As you get closer to the actual weigh-ins we cut back on fat and start incorporating frozen fruits. Something I use a lot is pineapple. The reason is dietary fibre will hold water. If I put a bunch of water into a bowl and the lettuce is brown and wilted, within the next day it will absorb the water via osmosis and be good lettuce again. When guys are near the end of their weight cut they are cutting back on how much water they take in, so they don’t have to worry about the body absorbing the water. That means we can give them the fruit, which is going to help fuel the brain.
As we have pointed out even though weight cutting is a necessity there are different ways to do it and being safe is what it’s all about!
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