Cutting Weight For a Tournament

Cutting Weight

Back in high school wrestling I used to always make weight at one weight class, but I almost always ended up wrestling up a weight class (I wasn't that good, and that was the only way I was always going to have a slot on the Varsity Team).  I never really had to struggle with cutting weight like some of the real small kids did though.  I had NO problem making weight at 172 (and wrestling at 189), and I remember distinctly how much some of the other guys had to put themselves through just to make weight at 103, 112, and some of the other weight classes.

Now that I'm an adult, and involved in grappling again, I've started to see the real value in being the big guy in a smaller weight bracket.  A year ago, I was weighing about 225.  My Jiu Jitsu, and other motivating factors, has brought me down to a walk around weight now of about 195.  Obviously, losing those thirty pounds has really helped out my health, and helped me get better in my Jiu Jitsu as well.  But I've found myself in between weight classes.  Typical cutoffs are 190 and 205.  Now, weighing 195 (NOT at all "cut") going against guys that are walking around at 225 and cutting to 205, makes for a pretty tough fight. 

I've got a tournament on Saturday, and I'm trying to cut to 181 lbs.  I have to tell you though, that I didn't realize that the weight class required me to get to 181 until yesterday.  So basically, while I had been working on it, I wasn't quite prepared for the extra 8 lbs that I suddenly needed to lose.  DISASTER was my immediate reaction.  I thought about giving up on the cut, but instead I've decided to re double my efforts.  So, we will see on Saturday morning whether or not I make the weight. 

So you might be wondering how I'm going to lose that much weight, that quickly.  Well, the truth is, that it will not be a permanent weight loss by ANY MEANS.  And it will not be the healthiest of weight losses either.  Basically, at this point, the plan is to dehydrate myself to the point that I make weight.  I'm spending a lot of time outside in the heat, doing lots of cardio, continuing to train, eating VERY little, drinking VERY little, and taking salt-water baths.  Basically all the things that make you sweat and pull the water out of your body.  The good news is that up until this point, I have been very well hydrated.  I make it a point to drink AT LEAST 1.5 gallons of WATER a day.  Right now, I'm down to about a quart per day, and if I have to tomorrow, I will completely stop taking in liquids.

Obviously, this is NOT what you would consider a typical weight loss scenario.  In fact, it's pretty hard on the body, very difficult to maintain, and can be down right dangerous.  It's VERY important that if you've never cut weight like this before (I have done it a couple times before), that you don't try to do more than you can handle.  It is possible that you could literally kill yourself in the process.  So no, I don't advise doing it this way.  If I had been paying better attention to the weight classes for this specific tournament I would have done this smarter, and actually tried to lose the weight in a more healthy manner.  I have a tournament coming up in august actually that will require a similar weight, so for that one, I will take my time and do it right.  Basically, starting now. 

Well, that's all, I just wanted to write quickly about cutting weight because my mood is not currently very good, and I needed to do some venting.  If I can offer any advice, it is this:  Pay close attention to the weight classes in tournaments you plan on competing in.  But it sure will be nice to be one of the bigger guys in the weight class. 

Remember, your support is motivating!

Update as of 16 JUNE.

I made weight.  It was a good feeling to make the weight.  What I didn't talk about earlier, was how to recover from something like this quick enough that you have a little energy during the actual competition.  Of course, adrenalin helps a lot, but it's not enough by itself. 

What I did was eat a small "Balance" bar every hour.  I think these have a VERY good mix of nutrition and the calories come from a variety of places.  The calories come from a pretty even mix of fats, proteins, and carbs, so your body gets everything that it needs.  Also, by eating bars, one at a time, over the course of several hours, you get small, easily digestible meals that your body can use without the feeling of a brick in your stomach.

To rehydrate I drank LOTS of water, and a little bit of watered down powerade.  I drank about a gallon between 7:00 and 12:00.  So I was ready to go when it was time.  Good luck to all those cutting for ANY competition.