Pro Fighter Weight Loss Techniques

Many pro fighters are faced with the challenge of trying to shed pounds before they weigh in to meet their particular weight class restrictions. The smallest of these happens to be the mini flyweights with a maximum weight limit of 105 pounds. The largest of these is the heavyweight classification for those fighters weighing in at over 200 pounds. With as many as 15 other classifications between these two extremes, many fighters find themselves looking for ways to lose weight in order to meet their maximum weight allowance for their particular division.

  1. Fluid Restriction

    • One of the most effective ways of losing weight is to severely limit your fluid intake. Since your body is constantly losing fluids, if you do not replace it, you will lose weight. In fact, you can lose as much as 5 to 6 pounds in a 24 hour time period if you stop drinking. Don't go more than 24 hours without drinking, though, since you can get dehydrated quite easily. The best time to stop taking in fluids is exactly 24 hours before you weigh in. Before that, the fighter should drink liberally--2 gallons a day a for 3 to 5 days before the weigh-in, and one gallon two days before.

    Sweating

    • Another way for a fighter to lose weight is by sweating it off. In a very short amount of time, 5 to 10 pounds can be dropped through this method. Unfortunately, sweating also usually means you are burning energy, something a fighter doesn't want to do before a fight. Therefore, a sauna would be more advantageous than a rigorous workout for getting a fighter to sweat, simply because it requires a lot less energy.

    Bowel Emptying

    • If you empty your bowels before you weigh in, you can lose another few pounds with relatively little effort at all. The key is to start eating less a few days before the fight, and then the night before you weigh in, take a very gentle, all-natural laxative. If you use anything too strong, it can hurt your performance during the fight. Bowel emptying should only be used when a fighter is in danger of not making his weight.

    Other Options

    • As a last resort, try natural diuretics to help you lose fluids. Since this method can be dangerous and lead to both electrolyte imbalances and decreased performance, you should use something like dandelion root, which acts as all natural, gentle diuretic. Take it the day before the weigh in if you are really desperate to shed those last few pounds. Of course, you will also have to watch what you eat. You have to make sure that your blood sugar levels don't plunge during the weight loss process; otherwise, you will lose energy and feel terrible. Power bars or energy bars can be beneficial in keeping your blood sugar up while you are still eating very little.

    Caution

    • The method you use to drop weight before a fight can determine how well you will perform in match. If you lose too much too fast, eat the wrong foods, or don't hydrate properly, you may find yourself weak and off your game. Before you attempt quick weight loss, you have to keep in mind that you need to be within 10 to 12 pounds of your goal weight before you start trying any of these techniques in order to be successful.

      Also, make sure you are keeping track of your weight using the official scale; otherwise, you may find that the weight you think you are and what you actually weigh in at don't match. Once you have reached your goal weight, don't do anything else to try to lose more pounds before the weigh in since what you want is to be as close to the maximum weight allowed as possible.