Fighting weight

meganpettigrew86

How important do you think it is to be a competitive weight for an amateur fight?
My first is Nov 11, I was hoping to be 60kg for it, can't dehydrate as they weigh just before. It is a true novice fight (shin pads, 16 oz gloves, no winner, fight is stopped if someone dominates). My weight loss has slowed, I was losing 1kg per week but I have stalled at 68kg, think I have kicked the loss back into gear but might only get to 62kg at a push by then without compromising my training.
My big fight is Dec 9th, I'm tracking (trend line based on overall loss) to be 60kg by then but need to be 57kg. It is a full contact fight, elbows the lot, except elbows are padded. It is meant to be amateur level but the gym hosting is known to mismatch, i.e. I told them I have one year experience they might put me up against a fighter with 2 years. But my trainer thinks even in that case I'd be fine. I can dehydrate for it, but only if I reach 60kg.
Do you think it is realistic to lose 8kg over 11 (with 5 days of dehydrating) weeks and still be able to get effective training? Or should I be telling them to adjust my fighting weight a little?
I'm 163cm the top fighters in muay thai fight at low 50s, I watched some amateur fights recently, the heaviest were low 60s but one was matched against someone a head taller because of it !

Brabo_Grip

For IBJJF Master's Worlds I dropped a full weight class down - 14lb difference. I was having problems with the last 4 or so lbs - I know now I was retaining water. I made weight (weigh-ins were about and hour before your first match). I was not too too dehydrated, but I certainly wasn't at my best. Would I make the same choice again? I don't know. It is a fine line to walk whether a size/strength advantage is worth the potential gas tank hit. Same day weigh-ins compound the issue.

Whatever you decide we will be here to offer support and encouragement!

Out_of_Bubblegum

I recently fought at a tournament during a cut.... and here are some thoughts from the process, the training and the result.


Some fighting advantages I've noticed to dropping weight:

1 - My kicks are faster
2 - Dodging is easier/faster
3 - Endurance is better (maybe?)
4 - Balance is better

1 disadvantage though, is that I get pushed around more during a clash

And not sure if it's an advantage or disadvantage, but my power base has started to shift from mass to speed... Meaning that if I want to hit hard, I have to crank up the speed, as I can't depend on the extra weight to get the "umph" behind the technique... This has a side effect on endurance, and can more than offset the endurance boost that you get from moving less weight around, especially if you are an aggressive fighter who is throwing offensive moves often.

I would put the focus on training, and slowly let the weight drop as a byproduct of eating well and training hard, rather than going to more extreme cutting techniques, as that will directly affect your training, which can have another side effect of a confidence hit as you watch your training suffer.

As long as you make weight to qualify for your match, good technique, power endurance will likely have a larger influence on the outcome of your fight than a few kg.

meganpettigrew86

I've lost 9kg so far, my ideal weight based on bmi taking in body frame is about 60kg.
I have noticed the increase speed and ability to move easier around the ring. I have also noticed kicks to the mid-section hurt more without my padding!
The problem I've found with losing weight is my ability to recover is compromised and my energy levels are not great.
So maybe I'll get what I can off up until two weeks before? My bruises do heal better when I'm eating more lol.

meganpettigrew86

Talked to my coach, he said the week of the fight live on chicken and broccoli if need be... provided the weigh in is the day before.

shadowbaby4

I guess for me it would depend on why I was there. To win? Maybe cut weight and see if that helps. To have fun and learn something? Probably not worth it.

My mentor's mentor's mentor told me he only cuts weight if he's five pounds or less over the cutoff, so that's what I plan to do when I compete.

Geocitiesuser

Lower weight typically means more speed. Higher weight typically means more power. It's usually the most advantagous to fight at the top of your weight class. So if for example welterweight is 130lbs-160lbs, weighing in at 159 would probably put you at the top end of both strength and reach in your division.