Thread: Cutting Weight

Let's talk cutting weight. It's never been a factor for me until this weekend past. Much as we would like to avoid doing it, it is becoming apparant to me that it is all part of the sport of boxing.

Last week right before my tournament, I realized I needed to drop a category in weight to get my fight. This meant dropping nearly 7 lbs. Was a bit worried I'd have a prob. doing so, as I don't have much fat to burn to begin with. Basically what I did was run twice a day, prob. 3-4 miles and avoided much water. just enough to keep me from feeling faint.

As well I stayed away from carbs, and only really ate proteins and lean foods. I think it was Tuesday I started, thinking I might be fighting as early as Friday. I was targetting 154 lbs or 70 kg. First day lost 2 pounds. Next day at end of day, was down to about 157. Woke up the next morning, Thursday...and there I was...at 153. I was feeling a bit weak, so then started to eat better and just kept a close eye on weight until fight.

As it turned out, I wasn't fighting until Sunday. Woke up for weigh ins on Sunday morning, and was at 156 & 1/2. Coach made me do a quick sauna w/spit cup...and weighed in a few hours later at exactly 154.

After that loaded up on liquids, largely gatorade (2 of them) with lots of
electrolytes, and had a very big breakfast at around 10 o'clock. By shortly after noon I was in the ring and felt very good and strong.

This was my first time having to do this, and it was easier then I thought it would be. Curious if others have had experience with doing it...how you did it, how it worked out, how it felt etc. Is good I believe if we can share our experiences and thoughts.

My conclusion to this is that losing in the area of 6-7 pounds is easy...very easy to do. Getting a start on it 4-5 days before the fight also I think helped prevent fatigue.

Anyone else had some experience doing this. Anyone,anyone...Bueller?

Screw it,maintain a steady diet when you know you have to fight.
Andrew never did before I got him,and had to sauna suit himself down against Dumas and was completely gassed for the fight.
Oddly enough,now that we've tweeked his diet repeatedly,his metabolism is running high enough,we have to fight to keep weight on him

Originally Posted by Trainer Monkey

Screw it,maintain a steady diet when you know you have to fight.
Andrew never did before I got him,and had to sauna suit himself down against Dumas and was completely gassed for the fight.
Oddly enough,now that we've tweeked his diet repeatedly,his metabolism is running high enough,we have to fight to keep weight on him

I think you are missing the point. I was carrying my correct weight. I had to drop down a weight division if I wanted a fight. I've been building muscle for a while now, eating properly, having good recovery and building muscle everywhere I wanted, including the legs which I think added a lot of less noticable weight. Then at the last minute...boom...lose the weight and drop a division or have no fight. There wasn't really an option if I wanted to compete for a gold medal and fight in front of the national team scouts and the boxing commision...not to mention fulfill a dream of mine. It was a no brainer.

Originally Posted by Youngblood

Originally Posted by Trainer Monkey

Screw it,maintain a steady diet when you know you have to fight.
Andrew never did before I got him,and had to sauna suit himself down against Dumas and was completely gassed for the fight.
Oddly enough,now that we've tweeked his diet repeatedly,his metabolism is running high enough,we have to fight to keep weight on him

I think you are missing the point. I was carrying my correct weight. I had to drop down a weight division if I wanted a fight. I've been building muscle for a while now, eating properly, having good recovery and building muscle everywhere I wanted, including the legs which I think added a lot of less noticable weight. Then at the last minute...boom...lose the weight and drop a division or have no fight. There wasn't really an option if I wanted to compete for a gold medal and fight in front of the national team scouts and the boxing commision...not to mention fulfill a dream of mine. It was a no brainer.

Yeesh,didnt your trainers have a guy lined up,or was it a sudden cancellation or something?

Originally Posted by Trainer Monkey

Originally Posted by Youngblood

Originally Posted by Trainer Monkey

Screw it,maintain a steady diet when you know you have to fight.
Andrew never did before I got him,and had to sauna suit himself down against Dumas and was completely gassed for the fight.
Oddly enough,now that we've tweeked his diet repeatedly,his metabolism is running high enough,we have to fight to keep weight on him

I think you are missing the point. I was carrying my correct weight. I had to drop down a weight division if I wanted a fight. I've been building muscle for a while now, eating properly, having good recovery and building muscle everywhere I wanted, including the legs which I think added a lot of less noticable weight. Then at the last minute...boom...lose the weight and drop a division or have no fight. There wasn't really an option if I wanted to compete for a gold medal and fight in front of the national team scouts and the boxing commision...not to mention fulfill a dream of mine. It was a no brainer.

Yeesh,didnt your trainers have a guy lined up,or was it a sudden cancellation or something?

It was our provincials. The same as your state Golden Gloves, and yea...I had people in my age and weight category cancel on me...so ended up having to fight a guy from an older class, but at his lesser weight (66-70kgs), where I was naturally 70-75. It all worked out okay...KO'd him early in the 2nd, got me my gold...but came to realize that I may be facing this sort of thing if I want to get fights in. It really wasn't too tough, but I imagine it would tougher if I had to drop more weight, if not dangerous.

Youngblood how old are you.

Originally Posted by Scrap

Youngblood how old are you.

just turned 14 Scrap.

Originally Posted by Youngblood

Originally Posted by Trainer Monkey

Originally Posted by Youngblood

I think you are missing the point. I was carrying my correct weight. I had to drop down a weight division if I wanted a fight. I've been building muscle for a while now, eating properly, having good recovery and building muscle everywhere I wanted, including the legs which I think added a lot of less noticable weight. Then at the last minute...boom...lose the weight and drop a division or have no fight. There wasn't really an option if I wanted to compete for a gold medal and fight in front of the national team scouts and the boxing commision...not to mention fulfill a dream of mine. It was a no brainer.

Yeesh,didnt your trainers have a guy lined up,or was it a sudden cancellation or something?

It was our provincials. The same as your state Golden Gloves, and yea...I had people in my age and weight category cancel on me...so ended up having to fight a guy from an older class, but at his lesser weight (66-70kgs), where I was naturally 70-75. It all worked out okay...KO'd him early in the 2nd, got me my gold...but came to realize that I may be facing this sort of thing if I want to get fights in. It really wasn't too tough, but I imagine it would tougher if I had to drop more weight, if not dangerous.

Well that just about sucks doesnt it?
Scrap asked a very pertinent question,when your younger its easier to let your metabolism do the work,as you get older and your metabolism goes down a gear,that can get really risky

At your age, doing what you did can have affects long term. Its not something I would recomend, but I dont know you or your circumstances. I taking it your coaches know what they are doing, Hopefully. At 14 you are growing, stressing your Liver and Kidneys at your age isnt a good thing, Having said that I dont know you as an indevidual. Its not something I would recommend as a long term practice at a young age.

Originally Posted by Scrap

At your age, doing what you did can have affects long term. Its not something I would recomend, but I dont know you or your circumstances. I taking it your coaches know what they are doing, Hopefully. At 14 you are growing, stressing your Liver and Kidneys at your age isnt a good thing, Having said that I dont know you as an indevidual. Its not something I would recommend as a long term practice at a young age.

Thanks Scrap.

Yea, I understand this. Like I say, it certainly wasn't the game plan. But was no way in hell I was going to miss this opportunity. It was everything I have and do work for. Now I am being moved up to Open Class through the boxing commission early after them seeing me fight...so hopefully now I will have less problems with it. Not this weekend, but next...I have a fight scheduled against a 165 lb'er. Then after that...on the 30th...I will again compete, but this time for the Open Provincial Championship. I now am the Novice Champ. Then after that...in the New Year, are the Nationals. Also we are having our club show on November 22 weekend. So where I once couldn't get a fight, now I am getting lots of opportunity...but yea...cutting weight was unfortunateloy a part of it.

Congratulations, be carefull.

Great job my little bro' Youngblood Keep it up

Don't mean to criticise, but that was a dodge move by your coach, putting you in a sauna the morning of the fight.

The first fluids a sauna removes from the body are those in the cranium.
Thats why a sauna always helps in "clearing your head." They're easily replaced, but maybe not on the day of a fight.

Originally Posted by hitmandonny

Don't mean to criticise, but that was a dodge move by your coach, putting you in a sauna the morning of the fight.

The first fluids a sauna removes from the body are those in the cranium.
Thats why a sauna always helps in "clearing your head." They're easily replaced, but maybe not on the day of a fight.

Do you have any references for this donny? I've been looking up information and don't see a lot regarding 'loss of cranium fluid' related to sauna use. Also though, are you referring to sinus mucous and such when referencing the clearing of the head feeling? I have found some medical notes in regards to intercranial CFS reduction, but not so much as to make it alarming unless one might be practicing weight loss long term.

Here`s an interesting link below related, although not referencing intercranial CFS loss per se, to many facets in regards to sports and hydration and dehydration.

http://www.aitests.com/PDFs/Articles...ydration06.pdf

There is alot of info. in there. It is particularly good I found in exploring how it pertains to distance running hydration.