[QUOTE=Kellen Bassette;1221691]I have been trying to drop a weight class for a while, but I am having no luck. I’ve been within a few pounds of 145 for about 9 months now.
When I first decided to get into fighting shape, I weighed about 165, I dropped to 145 like it was nothing and have been stuck their ever since. I’m 5’6" and most of the guys fighting at 145 go about 5’9" or 5’10" it seems like. I don’t want to deal with the reach disadvantage and I’m trying to get to 135.
I’m working out about 4 hours a day, 5 days a week right now. On Saturday I do about 2 hours and I take Sunday off.
I’ve recently started replacing foods with lower calorie versions; i.e. changed 2% milk to 1%, white bread to a lower calorie wheat bread, replaced most of my snacks with fresh fruit…but I’m still stuck between 143 and 145. If I eat any less than I do now I’m always hungry.
Anyone got any advice on this? I really don’t want to cut weight. I would like to be at my target weight or within 2 pounds. It’s too stressful for me to worry about making weight when I want to focus on training. I feel like 135 isn’t extreme at my height and body type, but my weight has barely moved in 9 months.[/QUOTE]
I’m assuming we are talking weight cut for an actual fight (boxing, kickboxing or MMA) not a tournament (jiu jitsu or karate)?
Weight cutting should be easy and stress free. I see so many guys following bad advises or just plain don’t have the proper knowledge to make it successful.
If you’re doing an 8-10 week training camp leading up to your fight, all your work is done in that 8-10 weeks. Meaning, with the amount of training you’re currently getting, your metabolism should be very high by the time cut/fight week rolls around.
First, it is going to be very difficult to maintain high enough energy levels to properly train and recover from training with a low calorie diet during your fight camp. With your goals of competing at 135lbs you should be training at 155-165lbs.
Cut/fight week. Let’s say you have a fight on a Saturday night, your training camp should end the previous Saturday. There is no benefit of full out training during fight week. You could end up tired/drained, even more nervous and end up psyching yourself out, or injured and have to pull out which would be a waste of all your hard work. Fight week is reserved for not only dieting down and cutting but more importantly recovering and relaxing.
Dieting down. Again, basing this off of an 8-10 week camp of 5-6 days per week at 4 hours per day with a fight on a Saturday night. Your diet starts Monday morning. For the entire week you can eat nothing but fresh fruits and vegetables, egg whites and lean, skinless chicken breasts. You can only drink water (we’ll come back to this). This diet can get very rough very fast if you’re not creative with the food options. Use as much seasoning as desired on your vegetables and chicken. Bake or grill the chicken. Brush them with a bit of olive oil.
Avoid/cut out:
- all dairy products
- yokes from the eggs
- condiments and toppings
- breads and grains
- as much sodium as possible
- all fats
Yes the diet can be very boring and bland, but the weight will easily melt off.
Water. your goal is to try to consume between 1 1/2 - 2 gallons of water per day. Your trying to do whats called super hydrating. Consume large amounts of water right to the point where the body feels it’s taking in too much then when you actually cutting the water weight will come off easily.
You can supplement a low/no fat/carb high protein shake throughout the day as well in between meals.
By Thursday you’ll notice most of your weight has come off in the form of body fat and now it’s time to start the actual cut. Let’s say you have a same day weigh in at 4pm on Saturday. You’re going to do a 40hour water cut, meaning starting at 12am Thursday night/Friday morning you stop all water consumption. Your body will naturally expel the rest weight you need to come in on target.
It is okay to swallow your saliva. You don’t need to spit, the water will go away, don’t worry.
To help speed up the process a bit, go to a sauna, do 15 minute intervals on, 15 minutes toweling and cooling off for 2-3 sets on Friday.
Do not be stupid and jump on a treadmill in a sauna suit for and hour, you’ll only risk injury and fatigue.
Starting Friday at 4pm you’ll do a 24hour food cut, meaning you’r now consuming absolutely nothing until after weigh-ins.
Check your weight Saturday morning, you should be within 3-5lbs of making weight. You can do another session in the sauna but be careful to only do 2 sets tops this time or your risk fatigue or possible injury.
After you’ve weighed in consume a bottle of Pedialyte (or the eqaute brand). Keep it on ice cause it tastes like crap warm. Eat a little bit of carbs and protein. Avoid fatty or greasy foods cause you’ll either want to vomit or crap yourself. Don’t eat and drink until full, eat just enough to curb the pains (you can pig out after you win your fight). Stop eating and drinking at least 1 1/2 hrs before show time, not before your fight, before show time.
During cut/fight week it’s good to warm up a little and stretch but remember you’re supposed to be recovering and reserving your energy. Avoid sparring and classes, at this point your not going to master anything and get any better before your fight anyways. That work should’ve been done during the training camp.
Recover, recover, recover, that is your goal. Get as much sleep as possible during fight week. Take naps throughout the day.
This is a general run down of dieting/cutting, there is a ton more detail to get into.
