Cutting Weight for a fight...

[Zaraki Kenpachi]

Triangle got me thinking about this as he was talking about his return to competing.

I have ranted several times about weighins as I think they are done too early before a fight. It seems to me that fighters should be weighed in right before the fight regardless of whether or not they were weighed the day before.

So this begs my question of how do you cut weight and why do you cut weight. It seems that you would have more strength at your natural weight and it would be less stress on your body leaving you fresher and energized.

Of course this is assuming said weight class doesnt gain 15 lbs (just throwing out a number here, have no idea how much comes back) overnight before the fight due to cutting weight.

When I'm about 10% body fat I weigh 190lbs I couldnt imagine how weak and pathetic I would be at 170lbs.

Triangle I aint picking on you or anything, you just got me to wondering about the whole deal.

[JaysonEmo]

the standard at my gym is 15 pounds. Most guys walk around 15 pounds heavier than what they fight at

[Zaraki Kenpachi]

But what is the point?

[complete]

I think the point is, people tend to fight at lower weight than their natural weight. So, if you are walking around at 205lbs and can easily the make the weight for the light heavyweight division, you'd be fighting guys that normally weight more than 205lbs, who just make the weight at 205lbs the day before the fight, and you'll be smaller than most light heavyweight division fighters. So, they try to fight at 185lbs and try to cut weight just for the day of the weigh in. This is not unique for MMA, it applies to any competition where there is a weight class.

Now, as you said, if the weigh-in is at right before the fight, this wouldn't be possible. The fighters will be dehydrated and not in the best shape for the fight, if they cut their weight too drastically for the fight.

[JaysonEmo]

cutting weight just gets rid of water weight...as my old wrestling coach would say "Water don't rassle"..You get that weight back by rehydrating before the fight..

[Zaraki Kenpachi]

So essentially everyone in UFC that fights at a certain weight class really weighs 10 to 15 lbs more than that when the fight starts?

Then what is the point of a weightclass if no one is ever actually fighting at that weight?

[complete]

Originally Posted by drallig9399

So essentially everyone in UFC that fights at a certain weight class really weighs 10 to 15 lbs more than that when the fight starts?

Then what is the point of a weightclass if no one is ever actually fighting at that weight?

Yes, most of them.
But you still have to make the weight, even if it's a day before. There has been many fighters who failed to make the weight and had to give up portions of their earnings. For a championship bout, if one fails to weight the weight, it no longer becomes a title match. Few have been kicked off the UFC for not making the weight, e.g. Gabe R.

[Zaraki Kenpachi]

Oh I was def thinking of that dude as I was writing.

"put my back in there bro, just put me back in"
-those words are infamous

And BJ was killing me, that season was utterly hilarious.

[TRIANGLEFROMGAURD]

For me I have three different weights. My natural weight would probably be some where around 158lbs but, due to the fact that I weight train I have more mass then the average person my size and height. So I have a natural walk weight of around 200lbs. My training weight is 10lbs lighter then this at 190lbs. My competition weight is 170lbs (welter weight). The idea of cutting weight is very simple I want to be at the top of my weight class pound wise not at the bottom I am less likely to give up any strength if this is the case.

My natural walk weight would put me at light heavy weight which I am far to short for. My everyday training weight would put me at middle weight which again I am far to short for. So I cut to welter weight because it where I can perform at my best. My speed, power,cardio and reach(although I'm still a little short at welter) are at their optimum levels.

Now as far as weighing in the night before for someone like me I love this because at weigh ins I'm close to dehydrated and my body has no carbs or sugar in it for fuel. So I get to refuel from my training before I fight. So now for the big controversy how much do I weigh on fight day. After eating and drinking I generally weigh in somewhere between 173lbs and 176lbs. So really not that much above my required weight class.

So why cut? When I compete my body runs at a much higher rate. Due to the level of stress I am putting on it and because of the adrenaline that is going through my system. Training at this level all the time would eventually either shorten my career or kill me. Your body needs rest.

Cutting weight allows you to maintain a normal healthy life style while still be to athletically compete at your best. A lot of people look at it as cheating the system it's not really that though it's about not cheating your self.

P.S. my fat weight right now because of surgeries and what not is 235lbs

[Zaraki Kenpachi]

I cant +rep you but very well said.

My next question is why do you say you are too short? I mean people have been riding me the last 2 days about experience and technique overcoming stuff. So why does your height bother you at certain weights? How are you going to go about losing enough weight that you can get down to your training then competing weight...and still have some strength when you get there?

[TRIANGLEFROMGAURD]

Originally Posted by drallig9399

I cant +rep you but very well said.

My next question is why do you say you are too short? I mean people have been riding me the last 2 days about experience and technique overcoming stuff. So why does your height bother you at certain weights? How are you going to go about losing enough weight that you can get down to your training then competing weight...and still have some strength when you get there?

Thanks man and I like your questions.

I'm 5'9" and to be honest it's not so much my height as it is my reach. For the way I fight I like to be on the inside of my opponent, an opponent that is 6'2" while they would actually be easier for me to take down it will be harder for me to close the distance. With an opponent more in line with my height we have about the same ranges and, I can utilize my strengths more readily.

As far as the training and fight weights go, when I train for a fight I train 5 to 6 hours a day as well as work a full time job. My girlfriend would kill me if I did this everyday and that is the whole reason

My return to fighting is something I've been thinking about for a while. At the age of 33 I realize that my glory days are pretty much done and, I'm some what civilized now so I don't have dreams of UFC gold or anything like that. Plus I love my role as a coach, I like helping young guys learn to fight and one thing since I don't focus on my training I can really focus in on theirs. I'm a low level pro fighter with a bum knee and, I'm cool with that. But to be honest with you I feel like I have 3 or 4 fights left in me and I have a few things left that I'd like to accomplish.

I don't know if I answered your questions or just ranted. Hope I answered at least part of them.

[Joemoplata]

Triangle is the expert on this so I will leave any information on the hows and whys to him. But I will throw this in:

Cutting is actually a part of the game, it's a strategy just as much as anything else. As you can see from Triangle's post, he has very sound reasoning why he cuts and he can tell you...it's not easy. It's one of the worst parts of training for many. So those that can do it sort of deserve to get the advantage during the fights. Anyone not willing to do it isn't as committed, in my opinion.

[complete]

Originally Posted by TRIANGLEFROMGAURD

For me I have three different weights. My natural weight would probably be some where around 158lbs but, due to the fact that I weight train I have more mass then the average person my size and height. So I have a natural walk weight of around 200lbs. My training weight is 10lbs lighter then this at 190lbs. My competition weight is 170lbs (welter weight). The idea of cutting weight is very simple I want to be at the top of my weight class pound wise not at the bottom I am less likely to give up any strength if this is the case.

My natural walk weight would put me at light heavy weight which I am far to short for. My everyday training weight would put me at middle weight which again I am far to short for. So I cut to welter weight because it where I can perform at my best. My speed, power,cardio and reach(although I'm still a little short at welter) are at their optimum levels.

Now as far as weighing in the night before for someone like me I love this because at weigh ins I'm close to dehydrated and my body has no carbs or sugar in it for fuel. So I get to refuel from my training before I fight. So now for the big controversy how much do I weigh on fight day. After eating and drinking I generally weigh in somewhere between 173lbs and 176lbs. So really not that much above my required weight class.

So why cut? When I compete my body runs at a much higher rate. Due to the level of stress I am putting on it and because of the adrenaline that is going through my system. Training at this level all the time would eventually either shorten my career or kill me. Your body needs rest.

Cutting weight allows you to maintain a normal healthy life style while still be to athletically compete at your best. A lot of people look at it as cheating the system it's not really that though it's about not cheating your self.

P.S. my fat weight right now because of surgeries and what not is 235lbs

Very well put.

[complete]

Originally Posted by Joemoplata

Triangle is the expert on this so I will leave any information on the hows and whys to him. But I will throw this in:

Cutting is actually a part of the game, it's a strategy just as much as anything else. As you can see from Triangle's post, he has very sound reasoning why he cuts and he can tell you...it's not easy. It's one of the worst parts of training for many. So those that can do it sort of deserve to get the advantage during the fights. Anyone not willing to do it isn't as committed, in my opinion.

Another well put statement. Proper weight cutting and still be on top of your game / peaking at the right moment is part of the fight game, and also come from experience.

[GoddeBPM]

Originally Posted by Joemoplata

Triangle is the expert on this so I will leave any information on the hows and whys to him. But I will throw this in:

Cutting is actually a part of the game, it's a strategy just as much as anything else. As you can see from Triangle's post, he has very sound reasoning why he cuts and he can tell you...it's not easy. It's one of the worst parts of training for many. So those that can do it sort of deserve to get the advantage during the fights. Anyone not willing to do it isn't as committed, in my opinion.

What happens if you're natural weight is in the middle of a range? Will you put on and lose?