Hey guys- I'm wanting to compete in bjj in April after having an injury induced hiatus since Christmas. What's concerning me is I'm currently looking at a weight cut from 100kg to 88.9, having not really had to cut weight before (my previous/first comp i was quite close to the weight category i chose so I just shaved off a couple of kg). Is this considered an achievable weight cut or am i better served going for something closer to what I'm weighing now?
Are you going to try and cut 11kg, as in take that weight off in the last couple of days before the competition, or gradually lose the weight over the next couple of months? If it's the first, don't do that, that would be a pretty big cut for pro MMA where they weight in the day before. For a day-of weight in with multiple matches it would somewhere between unwise and dangerous. If it's the second, that's a pretty quick weight loss schedule, normally people will recommend you try and do about a pound per week, if I was you I'd go into 94kg instead.
Personally, I don't support cutting weight in bjj. I think the practice in general has diminishing returns and especially in a sport that weighs in on the day I don't think it really has any positives. If you're losing a little bit because you're cleaning up your diet beforehand then cool, but purposefully cutting weight for the sake of cutting weight I, personally, don't think is worth it. If you are set on cutting, then as PointyShinyBurn said, that's way too big a cut for the time you have left. It's not impossible, but it wouldn't be done safely and definitely wouldn't add anything productive to the competition. You'll feel like crap on the day, perform terribly (take it from someone who has done a stupid cut), and the time and energy to cut will take away practice time before the competition which will serve you far better than the possibility of a small weight advantage.
I'm trying to lose the weight gradually sorry for the confusion, 94 does sound more achievable,I can always work down to 88 later in the year.
I'd say just lose weight over time and fight at your walking weight post-breakfast and hydration. They changed the rules so now you can only weigh in half an hour max before you compete. Lose weight but do it very slowly and safely.
Having reviewed how tough it's been losing my Christmas weight I think 94 is definitely the best call XD, that being said I'd like to be down to around 88 by the end of the year.
Pending how my knee is...might see you there! I have cut down 12kg in 2 weeks before and its not a good idea. My walking weight was about 93-95 and I had to get down to -84. Things I did - Cut all carbs (including all root veg, carrots, onions etc) - As little sugar intake as possible - Watery fruit was allowed - all food was grilled to minimise fats etc. - No junk food at all - 25g carb in the morning as first meal (powdered oats mixed into protein shakes) - Nothing but cardio / sauna / sparring - wearing hoodies and sweaters - except during sauna - My workplace is 5 miles away...so I walked, jogged. Weigh in, was the morning before and up in Birmingham. So I didn't have breakfast and pretty much went 18 hours without food. By utter chance, I bumped into the Ref at the hotel, who recognised me from another comp, he said I looked like death and hope it wasn't because of the comp, so I told him my dilemma. So the Ref took me to where the Weigh in would be, and let me weigh in early with the other Refs and another team's coach present. I was 83kg. Dumped my stuff in the hotel room and went straight to the carvery. And scared the hell out of the staff with the amount of food I ate. And then I fell ill. I didn't do well at the comp, I was so aching from the cardio and weight drop, I had lactic acid in my delts, lats and thighs before I even started the event. Won 1, lost 4. I think.... Anyway... do the weight loss slowly. I usually just cut junk food out and take away a vice each week. That way I don't have cravings. 12kg is completely do-able, if you think of it as 2kg per week over 6 weeks.
That's a big weight cut for that time frame. It depends also on how your body deals with weight loss, some lose easier than others. I lose weight fast and gain slowly. The standard clean diet and cardio is a solid plan. You might want to consider the impact on your training from increased cardio, as you ramp up the load there will be an increase in fatigue in training, which may affect how well you learn in BJJ, higher risk of injury. You can phase it, so that there is a week after a few, or even half a week, when you reduce the cardio to give your body time to adjust. Also in the run up to the competition it is probably a good idea to not over do it in an effort to shed the last few pounds. Probably better to set a target weight for the week before the event. Do you know if you have to register for a weight class on the day or before? And if before how long before?
All done by the smoothcomp app, so you can sign up now and have to choose the weight but I think can only change the weightclass once before a deadline. However..... I have seen weightclass swaps due to missed or under and they just swapped. Otherwise its a DQ if over. Heaviest miss I seen was like 5kg lol!
