Weight Cutting Part 2
Within our second installment of our series on weight cutting Dr. Austin and I (Alex) dive deeper into our personal experiences cutting weight, and the whole logic of the process. We heavily question the underpinnings, reality, and perceived performance advantage that rapid weight loss has on MMA competition.
0:25 Introduction to part 2 of weight cutting, and review of last week’s Weight Cutting Part 1. Autoethnography, what the…?
2:04 Alex’s Thesis “Starved Performance” an Autoethnography which investigates rapid weight loss from an academic as well as practical lens. How to marry academic research, with coaches and athletes practice of cutting weight.
4:00 Missing weight. Why are you so proud of that? Discipline. Does making weight = good character? What is the social value of making weight and cutting weight? The academic literature does not transfer. Dan Gable is more influential that the Journal of Sports Medicine.
6:35 2:30 am, cutting weight and I psychologically broke. Setting yourself up for failure by cutting weight. Making weight becomes the goal more than winning. The dreaded scale.
8:55 Anecdote about Bryce Brill within Illinois wresting. Wasting the ability to get better at wrestling by focusing on the weight cut during practice. How much better could you be at the sport if you took all the energy that goes into cutting weight and channeled it to technique or strategy.
12:24 Senior year, and the motivation beyond competitive success, and making weight. Why do you do what you do? How much has the toxic culture of cutting weight and the “embrace the grind” mindset driven athletes away from wrestling.
14:50 How can we as health care professionals, coaches, and dieticians be effective working with MMA athletes and wrestlers. Learn the sport, understand the culture, and care. Athlete health has to be the number one goal, overall optimization of health and performance, cutting weight doesn’t fit.
18:01 What are the steps forward, specifically within MMA? Rules and regulation – day of weigh-ins. Day of weigh-ins have been beneficial within reducing the magnitude of weight cut within the NCAA. Rules and Regulations are a first step, but not the endgame.
22:11 Meet in the middle, change the rules for a immediate step, but influencing the culture is the endgame. Weight cutting is outdated. Trepanning!!
24:34 Austin says “I gotchu fam.” which he should be embarrassed about.
25:17 A few tips to start this transition to understand the inefficacy of rapid weight loss process. Come into your water cut 5-8% of body weight within your weight class. Gradually descend to during camp and before your water cut.
29:35 Critically think and question the process. Have a rehydration plan. Dietician vs. nutritionist. Get the right people in your corner!
Alex: IG strong_a.f email: afriedman.strong@gmail.com
Austin IG warriorsportswellness email: austin@warriorsportswellness.com
