Weight Classes in Sport
mattymatt121
Running head: RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
The Effects of Rapid Weight Loss: Ramifications and Solutions
Philip Ross, Student #4738352
Dr. Ali Boolani
American Military University
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Abstract
Rapid weight loss (RWL) is a tactic employed by weight class athletes to gain an unfair
advantage over the competition by being bigger and stronger than their opponent. There
is no other sport where this practice is more prevalent than in the combat sport arena.
Other groups affected are other weight category and athletes that require certain
aesthetics, obese and overweight individuals. Death can be the result of RWL, commonly
known as “cutting weight,” for combat athletes. There are far less severe side effects of
cutting weight than death and they are numerous and potentially life changing. Those
who engage in cutting weight experience eating disorders, clouded thinking, obesity,
organ failure and tissue damage at varying levels. Some athletes are affected more than
others due to mitigating circumstances; duration of the cut, percentage of weight cut,
method employed, how long the athlete has been using this practice of weight cutting and
how much time between weight cuts. Furthermore, performance can be adversely
affected by this practice. Instead of focusing on training, honing their skills, getting
stronger and preparing for their opponent, the athletes are concentrating on losing weight.
Overweight individuals tend to regain the weight they’ve lost.
Keywords: Rapid Weight Loss, Adverse Effects, Solutions to RWL
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Table of Contents
Purpose Statement……………….…………………………………………………...…4
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….. 5
Chapter 1: The Who and Why in Regard to Rapid Weight Loss
Literature Review…………………………………………………………….……...... 10
Who does Rapid Weight Loss Effect? ..............................................................10
Why do People Engage in Rapid Weight Loss? ..............................................12
Personal Experience……………………………………………………………16
Chapter 2: Industry Interviews
Industry Survey…………………………………………………………………19
Interview with Nick Lembo…………………………………………………….22
Chapter 3: Methods and Effects
Methods of Rapid Weight Loss………………………………………………...25
Adverse Effects of Rapid Weight Loss……………………………………...…26
Chapter 4: Fighter Specific
Fighter Comparisons………………………………………………………...…35
A Tale of Two Welterweights………………………………………………….37
Optimal Fighting Weight………………………………………………………39
Chapter 5: Solutions and Recommendations
Summary and Healthy Solutions………………………………………………42
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………....45
References…………………………………………………………………………….…47
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Purpose Statement
Rapid weight loss (RWL) has many far reaching effects on members of our
society, especially the obese population and weight category athletes. Our goal is to raise
awareness to the issue, provide healthy alternatives and prompt governing bodies to
implement additional rules and guidelines to eliminate this practice. Regulations on fad
diets, weight loss pills and quick weight reduction plans need to be monitored. The risks
of these diets and methods should be required to be made apparent to the general public
prior to the promotion of these products and plans. The act of providing data regarding
the dangers as well as bonafide solutions will compel athletes, trainers, healthcare
providers and overweight individuals to embrace the recommended alternatives to weight
control and enable them to lead healthier, more productive lives.
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Introduction
The field of exercise science is not simply a subject dedicated to educating people
how to become stronger, faster and more proficient in sport and exercise. Exercise
science delves into many facets of life; physical and mental health, self-esteem and self-
awareness, self-protection and defense, nutrition and physical activity and most
importantly the adoption of a healthy lifestyle. Weight control affects all aspects of the
aforementioned from sports performance to self perception and rapid weight loss (RWL)
has a negative impact on all concerned areas.
RWL affects several populations of American Society; some populations are more
obvious than others. The emergence and continued rising participants in combat sports as
well as the increased number of overweight and obese individuals contribute to the
increased scope of the issue. Even though these two populations seem to be on opposite
poles, they share one common thread, the unhealthy practice of rapid weight loss.
Although there are several sports/activities that have weight classes and the
potential of weight cuts and extreme weight loss are prevalent, our focus is on the short
and long term effects of the weight cut on combat athletes and obese persons. There are
vast differences between healthy weight loss, unhealthy weight loss and the potentially
devastating weight cut. We will explore these variances, highlight the specifics of the
methods and not only provide proof of our theory, but recommend viable, healthy
alternatives to the weight cut.
The weight cut involves several aspects that are immensely negative to one’s
health. If a person’s body fat percentage is too low, they run the risk of damage to their
organs and tissue. Dehydration and loss of body salts results in clouded vision and
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adversely affects the heart muscle and may result in a myocardial infarction. Rapid
weight loss and starvation prompts the body to cannibalize itself and start to convert the
muscle protein into energy and leave the fat reserves untapped. Weigh cuts are injurious
to the body and have resulted in death.
The far reaching effects of RWL should not be underestimated. This practice
affects combat athletes as young 5 years old (Berkovich et al, 2016). Having a child cut
weight is nothing short of abuse. The RWL practice is not limited to combat athletes
(boxers, wrestlers, judo players, taekwondo fighters, mixed martial arts fighters, …) only;
bodybuilders, weight lifters (to a lesser degree), ballet dancers, gymnasts, and even non-
athletes simply attempting to shed their unwanted adipose tissue and achieve a healthy
weight. There is also a looming problem in the jockey community; the horseracing
industry receives very little attention concerning RWL. Jockeys often participate in
different events during the same day, thus requiring them to meet different weight
requirements. The demand for them to lose weight rapidly may occur several times
during the same day (Wilson et al, 2014). The wide array of people and communities that
are affected by RWL and the subsequent rapid weight gain (RWG) is far reaching and
systemic in some activities.
The practice is of RWL is more notably abused by two populations in particular;
weight class athletes and overweight/obese individuals. The ramifications of this practice
are far reaching and the results can be devastating, resulting in life altering and long term
conditions as well as the possibility death. RWL among combat and weight class athletes
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has its roots in antiquated postulates advocated by uneducated coaches, trainers and
athletes. The “old school” mentality regarding losing weight has no place in modern sport
or science.
The practice of the RWL methodology in regard to the overweight and obese
populations stems from the false promises espoused by marketers seeking financial gain.
The goal of this paper is to present the detrimental effects, educate the populations most
susceptible to RWL, inspire legislation to be put forth by the governing organizations and
also provide insight to healthy alternatives to rapid weight loss.
The many ill effects of RWL have not only had an impact on me personally, but
also for many of my students, athletes and clients. As a professional trainer and coach, it
is my duty to promote the positive attributes of both mental and physical well being to
those seeking my guidance. However, that alone is not enough; the need to reach more
people and help guide them toward adopting a healthy, active lifestyle, safe methods of
weight control and fairness in competition are also matters to be addressed on far wider
scale. Mechanisms for the adoption and adhered to by the participants, coaches, trainers
and managers of weight category athletes and health professionals that treat the
obese/overweight population as well.
The purpose of this research is make apparent the dangers of cutting weight and to
convince weight class athletes, specifically combat athletes (wrestlers, judokas, boxers,
mma fighters, etc…), that rapid weight loss is not only extremely detrimental to their
health and athletic performance, but that it is unnecessary. Athletes need to understand
the how harmful the weight cut is to their health and how it affects their performance and
health long range. We will demonstrate through examples of the negative effects of
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weight cutting on physical health, mental well being and performance. The research will
also reveal that adopting a proper fighting weight will increase the athlete's performance,
yield increased levels of health, extend their career, attract more athletes to the combat
sports and make the sport more enjoyable for the participants.
The paper consists of an accounting of actual events, data from medical journals
and health publications, text books, as well as an industry survey and a comparison of
combat athletes. There are a multitude of examples of athletes moving up to the higher
weight division and performing better than they did at the lower weight class. We will
also present two fighters of similar experience and skill and both fighting at the same
weight class. One fighter remained at the lower weight and suffered for his decision
whereas the other one moved to a higher weight division and was met with great success.
Far too many combat athletes and other weight class athletes compete at weight
classes below what is a recommended, healthy weight. Furthermore, many of them
partake in unsafe methods combining starvation, purging, excessive exercise and
dehydration to achieve the desired weight class. The lay terminology of “cutting weight”
is used to describe this phenomenon. There are both short term and long effects on these
athletes that have adverse effects on both their performance and long range physical,
mental and emotional health.
Bodybuilders also engage in both RWL and other unhealthy methods of weight
reduction and therefore bode inclusion in this discussion of weight loss and weight
cycling. Many of the novice competitors incorrectly apply RWL under the false auspice
of “losing less muscle mass”, however the practice of RWL depletes the lean body mass
(LBM), increases aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and reduces testosterone as well as
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glycemic response (Ashtary-Larky et al, 2017). These conditions are also present in the
combat athletes employing RWL. Many bodybuilders also suffer from muscular
dysmorphia which leads to eating disorders and catabolic conditions (Mitchell et al,
2017).
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Chapter 1: The Who and Why in Regard to Rapid Weight Loss
Literature Review
The conglomeration of data compiled for presenting the argument against the
practice of RWL, rapid body mass reduction (RBMR), also known as “cutting weight”,
“sucking weight”, “dropping weight”, and the like includes a variety of well researched
sources. The literature includes 27 peer reviewed journals, eight online lay articles and
two text books. Also included are seven images, three are organic and the remainder were
downloaded from various reliable online sources. In addition to the journals, books and
images, I conducted an Industry Interview of a collection of coaches, trainers,
administrators and athletes involved in combat sports.
Who Does Rapid Weight Loss Effect? The practice of rapid body mass
reduction (RBMR) affects; combat athletes in judo, wrestling, boxing, taekwondo,
boxing, and mma as well as jiu jitsu. There are other weight class athletes such as weight
lifters and jockeys. Also on the list are athletes reliant upon certain aesthetics such as
ballet dancers, gymnasts and bodybuilders as well as the overweight and obese
populations also fall prey to the detrimental practice.
When the notion of “weight cutting” aka RWL or rapid weight reduction (RWR),
is typically considered to be a practice of only combat athletes. This list would include
wrestlers, judokas, taekwondo athletes, boxers, mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters and
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) competitors. Male and female competitors were equally
represented as both genders engaged in the practice at similar levels (Franchini et al,
2012). The less experienced athletes tend to suffer from the more immediate effects of
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RWL and to a greater severity (Hall & Lane, 2003: Mendes et al, 2013). However, there
are many other populations subject to the harmful effects; ballet dancers, gymnasts,
weight lifters, bodybuilders, jockeys and overweight, nonathletes. A jockey is often
required to make weight several times in one day in accordance with their participation in
specific events (Caufield & Costas, 2008).
Far more than 60% of all combat athletes practice RWL on a consistent basis.
Some examples of the cross section are as follows; 89% of Brazilian judo athletes, 89%
of U.S. Olympic wrestlers, 60-70% of U.S. high school wrestlers, 60-70% of Iranian
wrestlers. Some of the even more frightening statistics reveal that 72% believe that RWR
enhances their performance even though 77% are cognizant of the adverse side effects
(Yang et al, 2017). The athletes are willing to put their health at risk for the sake of
gaining a perceived advantage during competition.
Image 1: Rapid Weight Reduction Cycle, (Yang et al, 2017).
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There is an obesity epidemic in the United States and it’s also becoming a greater
issue as a worldwide basis. Over 66% of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. This
carries a massive financial burden of $140 billion being spent annually to combat the
problem with a full 9.1% (12.74 billion) on associated medical expenses alone.
Cardiovascular disease (CV), coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure (HF), stroke,
ventricular dysfunction, cardiac arrhythmia, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, arthritis
and depression are the major negative aspects on health associated with obesity (Green,
2014:Swift et al 2013). The high cost to society and the negative facets associated with
obesity are driving factors for overweight individuals to seek methods of reducing weight
quickly. Many become alarmed after an incident or test results from their healthcare
professional and are inspired to take drastic measures to “get healthy”. However,
adopting the practice of RWL leads to people regaining 80% of the weight lost within 5
years, although this weight regain generally occurs sooner (Leibel, 2015). The best
advice to provide the obese, generally sedentary individual is to engage in lifestyle
changes based on healthy food choices, regular exercise and a gradual weight loss
strategy. Excess weight is not gained in 90 days, so expecting to shed 100 pounds in that
amount of time and avoid weight regain is an unrealistic expectation.
Why do People Engage in Rapid Weight Loss? The compelling question is:
“Why do combat athletes feel the need to drop weight?” There is an accepted mindset
among combat athletes that if they weigh less they will have a distinct advantage over
their opponents or at least not place themselves at a disadvantage to those employing
drastic body mass reductions (BMR). Whether its height, reach, higher percentage of
muscle or a psychological advantage, the desire to have an edge over their competition is
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present, but at what price? Professional fighters weigh-in 24 hours prior to their
competition; many will dehydrate the last 5 to 10 pounds prior to weigh-in. This will give
them a full 24 hours to rehydrate and athletes often step into the ring or cage a full 20
pounds or more above their weight class.
Quite simply put, people employ RWL tactics to lose weight quickly. However,
there are many psychological, physiological as well as emotional reasons making the
notion so attractive to many people. We will divulge the driving factors that compel
individuals to reduce their body mass in a rapid fashion.
Top athletes are on a continuous quest of seeking an advantage over their
competition. The edge over their competition may be in the form of a new training camp,
strength and conditioning method, a new coach, the services of a sports psychologist, new
training partners or revised fight plan. Some resort to performance enhancing drugs
(PED) to gain the coveted competitive edge. In combat if all other elements are equal;
training, desire, skill level, tenacity, fight plan, training partners… the larger, stronger
competitor will win. As the stakes get higher and the athletes more elite the differences
between them diminishes. As titles become more exclusive the margin of victory gets
reduced and reward for success is more monumental, athletes will seek out a competitive
edge. Often the competitor may enter into a slump or feel the need to improve
dramatically to defend or secure a title and will seek out methods of cheating by using the
aforementioned PED’s or in the opinion of many, engaging in rapid weight loss.
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Weight category athletes, in particular combat sport athletes, seek for an
advantage in the cage, ring or on the mat. The philosophy that RWL enables the athlete to
be bigger and stronger than their adversary in the competition as a perceived advantage.
There is also an aspect of “belonging” because all of the combat athletes identify with the
sacrifice of other combat athletes and this creates a bond between them. This
psychological aspect also comes into play, especially for the younger athletes. Many do
not possess the confidence in their skills yet and are easily influenced by older
teammates, coaches and even parents (Berkovich et al, 2016). The combat athletes
consider themselves “real athletes” because of the work required to achieve a specific
weight class. Others view the practice of RWL as a pre-competition ritual to increase
their focus and commitment to the sport. This aspect is considered to make a combat
physically and mentally tougher because they are able to endure the pain and sacrifice of
making weight (Pettersson et al, 2013). There are incidences when an athlete desires to
earn a spot in the line-up, but cannot beat the teammate that currently occupies their more
natural weight division or there might be competitor from another team that bodes
avoidance. The athlete is faced with either not competing, losing to the unbeatable foe or
changing weight classes. Some athletes lack the confidence to move up in weight
believing the opponents in the higher weight classes will be too strong or too big for them
to win.
The aesthetic and performance advantage to an athlete whose body composition is
lean and absent of excess adipose tissue is favorable for success in competition due to the
power to weight ratio. Subsequently combat athletes will always try to be the “biggest” in
their weight class (Garthe et al, 2011), thus having an unfair advantage. The argument
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that RWL is in violation of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) guidelines and
should be deemed as an unfair advantage is a valid one. According to WADA if a
practice or substance meets two of the three criterions; 1) enhanced performance, 2)
endangerment to the health of an athlete and 3) violates the spirit of the sport (Artioli et
al, 2016). The practice of RWL does potentially enhance the athlete’s performance.
Consider two fighters; both weigh-in at 185 pounds at the weigh-in 24 hours prior to the
contest. The day of the contest, one of the combatants steps into the cage at 190 pounds
and the other tips the scale at 207 pounds, the larger fighter has the clear advantage. The
dangers of cutting weight are quite apparent and many fighters have been sent to the
hospital with organ failure or severe cramping, collapsed on the bathroom floor splitting
their heads open, additionally there have also been subsequent deaths as a result of the
weight cut. An 18 year old female Muay Thai fighter recently died from the
complications of dehydration experienced from the effort to drop weight quickly for a
fight. The spirit of the sport of combat is to demonstrate whose skill, training methods
and tenacity are superior to their opponent’s. Possessing a distinct size advantage is not
consistent with the spirit of sport. WADA has banned certain weight loss aids but has yet
to ban the practice of RWL, but a ban needs implementation.
The obese and overweight individuals have a great deal of motivation to lose
weight. Improvement of health, physical, emotional and mental, are all positive attributes
to achieving the recommended bodyweight and being physically active. The most
powerful impetus for an overweight person to lose weight stems from a need to improve
one’s health, usually after a scare from a weight related illness or condition (Green,
2014). Unfortunately these individuals tend to be very anxious about losing the excess
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weight and fall prey to “quick weight loss” schemes, diets and “magic pills”. The lack of
knowledge and discipline may have been contributing factors to their weight gain, so this
population is easily swayed toward spending a great deal of money only to be sorely
disappointed and exposing themselves to dangerous methods and supplements.
Personal experiences. My personal experience with rapid weight loss as an
athlete, coach, trainer, fight manager and promoter has afforded me a unique perspective
in regard to the issue. I reference specific incidents and outcome that RWL resulted in
negative outcomes, as well as positive results from competing in the proper weight
division.
During my senior in high school I wrestled at the 148-pound weight class. Making
the weight division was not a difficult task for me in the beginning of the season.
However I was young for my grade, being only 16 years of age for the first two months
of my senior year and my body yearned for calories because I was still growing and
continued to grow well into my 20 th
birthday. By the end of my senior year my measured
body fat was less than 3%. That paltry amount is barely enough fat for a male to sustain
internal organs, never mind engaging in physical demands of combat sport. My body
began to break down a few weeks prior to the end of the season tournaments. I was an
Honor Roll Wrestler and was predicted to go to the State Tournament; suffice to say that
this did not happen.
I subsequently tore my calf away from my shin bone while cutting weight. I
almost missed weight for the only time in my life and lost 6-5 in the semi-final round to a
wrestler that I had handily beaten by a margin of 10-1 approximately a month prior. I
wound up taking third place and during that time period the bronze medal gave you a pat
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on the back, not a trip to the next level. I had to sit there and watch guys that I pinned and
handily beat move on. I was a “power wrestler”, but after dropping all of that weight, my
strength eluded me.
I continued to wrestle in the spring and into the summer that year. I allowed
myself to go up to the 170-pound weight class, two levels up from only the month prior. I
was unstoppable, beating regional champs and state place winners. One wrestler I pinned
was from Blair Academy and had taken 2nd in the Prep School States (Ross & Gallagher,
2016). The increased weight gave me my power back and I was energized.
I’ve been involved in fight camps when my fighter was anywhere from 15 to 20
pounds over the 185 pound weight class only 2 days before his fight. We were forced to
employ some drastic dehydration, starvation and exercise methods to drop the weight.
The whole time we needed to avoid, or at least minimize, complete exhaustion and
muscle cramps. Some fighters have been up to 30 pounds overweight 48 hours to a few
days prior to their fight (Orion, 2016).
During my time as a high school and middle school wrestling coach afforded me
the opportunity to witness countless incidents of young wrestlers abusing their bodies and
permitting wild fluctuations in weight. Many coaches are blamed for the weight cutting
practices, and deservedly so in some cases. Though there are many good coaches who
provide their athletes with healthy, succinct weight management/loss plans and strategies
that are ignored by the athletes. The aspect is more often practiced by the higher level,
more experienced athletes, although the practice usually catches up t them. I recall one
incident when my top wrestler decided to eat meatball sandwiches and drink a lot of
chocolate milk during a multiday tournament. He was dominant throughout the event but
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wrestled poorly and almost lost in the final round. He confessed what he had done and
described to me that he went to the sauna prior to the weigh-in so he’d be able to make
weight and not get disqualified. The athlete was given the proper advice and protocol, but
chose to ignore what his coach’s advice was. He did learn his lesson and followed our
advice moving forward. Another issue associated with this practice is the example set for
younger athletes. The newer athletes witness the experienced, successful athletes
practicing RWL and they consider it OK to do and they also want to be accepted in the
“brotherhood”. However their lack of experience often yields poor, even disastrous,
results (Berkovich et al, 2016).
As a promoter and matchmaker for a professional MMA league, I also got a first
hand view of the amount of abuse that fighters put themselves through in an effort to
make weight. Unfortunately most of what I witnessed first hand during my stint from
2004-2016 left a lasting impression on me that something had to be done. At one show
the headliner was slated to fight a nemesis of his and there was a great deal of “trash
talk”, with the headliner of the main event was putting forth claims that his opponent
would “never make weight”. I received quite a few phone calls from the headliner for
several days prior to the weigh-in. On the day of the weigh-in, the headliner missed
weight by 4 pounds and his opponent made the required weight. The opponent opted not
to fight and the headliner lost his opportunity to compete and earn his fight purse. This
was a loss for me as a promoter, the fighters, the fans and the sport as a whole. Typically,
a fighter that misses weight has to surrender a portion of their purse to their opponent or
the opponent may opt not to fight. The heavier fighter has the distinct advantage.
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Chapter 2: Industry Interviews
Industry Survey
Our Capstone Project does not mandate that we provide a study, but I was able to
conduct several interviews and attain the opinions of coaches, trainers, athletes
(wrestling, boxing, judo, jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts) as well as the New Jersey State
Commissioner of MMA and Kickboxing, in regard to rapid weight loss. My goal is to
present examples of well respected combat athletes, coaches and administrators that will
serve the purpose of convincing others to choose a healthier method of weight reduction.
The survey conducted consisted of a mix of 10 professional and amateur combat
athletes, coaches, administrators and trainers. The group includes representatives from
the sports of MMA, boxing, wrestling, judo and Jiu Jitsu. The results overwhelmingly
were in favor of doing something to educate and address the practice of weight cutting.
Please note, that we advocate a healthy “Fighting Weight” and that there is a big
difference between losing weight and cutting weight. Losing weight comprised of excess
adipose tissue to achieve the lean body mass to body fat ratio is beneficial for a combat
athlete. However, cutting weight through drastic measures including dehydration,
diuretics, laxatives, purging and starvation are not recommended. The professionals tend
to agree.
Simply query any wrestler, fighter, boxer or judoka, and ask them what the worst
component of their sport is. The response won’t be “it’s the tough practices” or “drilling
the movements over and over”, the most unfavorable aspect of preparation is “the weight
cut”. Most fighters detest the weight cut and feel that the competition aspect is easy
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compared to making weight. Cutting weight and fitting into a specific weight class by
weigh-in time is the single, most dreaded part of a fight camp.
Below listed are nine questions that were posed with the selected responses and results.
1) Do you believe cutting weight is detrimental to the short term and long term health of
a combat athlete (wrestler, MMA Fighter, Boxer, etc…)?
90% of those surveyed felt that there were both long and short term detrimental effects on the athletes. 10% felt that there were only short term effects. “No athlete should be eating only oranges and ice cubes to cut weight. Cutting 5 to 10 pounds
can be accomplished easily and fairly quickly by increasing exercise, conforming
to a healthy diet, and limiting portions.” Joe Rubino, Former Two Time North American Boxing and Kickboxing Champion. Boxing, kickboxing, MMA and wrestling coach.
2) Do you believe that cutting weight can have an adverse effect on an athlete’s
performance?
100% of those surveyed felt that the weight cut did have an adverse effect on performance. The depletion of water and glucose in the system, especially when stressed through competition can wreak havoc on an athlete’s organs, immune system and muscular performance.
3) Do you think that there is a difference between proper weight loss and cutting weight?
100% stated yes.
“Proper weight reduction is fine if done gradually and with good sensible
nutrition; it takes discipline.” Jack McCarty, former high school wrestling coach and Director of the BCCA Holiday Wrestling Tournament.
Nick Suriano (undefeated in his high school career and currently undefeated as a
true freshman at Penn State University) is a perfect example; he wrestled at 126
pounds in high school and now 125 in College. He does not permit his weight
does not go above 132.” Michael Lamparillo, former high school and collegiate wrestler, chief editor and administrator for The New Jersey Wrestler website.
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4) In your opinion, do you think that dehydration contributes to the incidence of
concussions in wrestlers and increased susceptibility to knockout in MMA fighters and
boxers?
60% of those surveyed weren’t sure, do to their lack of medical knowledge. 40% agreed. There is still a great deal of work to be done in this area; however there are findings that do indicate that the fluid of the cerebral cortex is depleted when dehydration occurs and that the time allowed for rehydration is not adequate for replacement of those fluids. “Wrestlers are limited to 1 hour between weigh-in and competition in dual meets.
One group 8 noted that rehydration cannot be achieved by hydrating with water
alone in the hour between weigh-in and competition in wrestlers who cut 5% or
more of their total body weight. Thus, wrestlers employing weight-cutting tactics
to meet weight-class requirements are very likely competing in a dehydrated
state.” Mihalik (2013), JAT
5) Have you had any personally, have you coached anyone or witnessed any ill effects on
an athlete as a result of cutting weight?
90% of the participants answered yes to having witnessed the ill effects of cutting
weight.
“Yes I had friend have a heart attack and die in college, another from high school wrestling needs knee replacements at 20 and my self have had poor performance
in matches do to weight cut.” Scott Crisanto, former high school and college wrestler, BJJ competitor and MMA fighter, ACSM and RKC Certified trainer.
6) Do you think that the state commissions do enough to address this issue and protect
the athletes?
We had and even split here. 50% of those surveyed agreed that the commission was taking action, and going in the right direction, but that they needed to do more. 50% said that the commissions weren’t doing enough.
“The guidelines vary from state to state. Different states abide by different rules
and policies.” Mike Constantino, former UFC coach and current president of the CFFC (Cage Fury Fighting Championships) MMA League.
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“They try too, but I don’t feel they do it right. There needs to be someone who actually cut weight and knows it from personal experience.” Bill Hyman, former NCAA Wrestling Champion.
7) Do you think that people “cheat” system in place? If so, how have you seen this
done?
In this instance we had a 60/40 split. 60% said that they had not witnessed “cheating”, but did admit that some “bent” the rules to make weight. The remainder said that they did see cheating. I will chime in with my personal experience in this matter. I have witnessed athletes coating their feet with butter to bolster the body fat percentage prior to certification. I’ve also seen them running and wearing rubber suits prior to weigh-ins, which is prohibited in many states.
8) Should weight cutting be outlawed?
There was a resounding “No” by all interviewed, but with a caveat. They all agreed that there should be changes made and measures taken to modify the current protocol. The IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation) mandates that competitors participate in mat-side weigh-ins, in their uniforms immediately prior to stepping onto the mat to compete. Bellator and ONE Championships conduct weigh-ins and dehydration testing throughout the fight camps to make certain that fighters are losing the weight properly. These methods were advocated by 90% of the survey participants.
9) What do you think it would take for coaches, athletes and trainers to advocate proper
weight loss and seeking their optimal “Fighting Weight”?
The participants were in agreement that education and strict guidelines need to be put into place and adhered to in order to be effective. As far as high school wrestlers, there should be periodic testing of body fat and hydration throughout the season.
Interview with Nick Lembo
Nick Lembo is legal counsel for the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board
(NJSACB), a position that has put in him at cage-side for numerous events and landed
him seats on various committees concerned with Mixed Martial Arts, including serving
as the head of the Association of Boxing Commissioners' MMA committee. Nick Lembo
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23
is also responsible for authoring the Unified Rules that govern MMA (mixed martial arts)
events. He has set the precedent in both amateur and professional MMA and was
instrumental in the legalization of MMA in the U.S. He conducts seminars worldwide for
the promotion and regulation of MMA.
Below please find the interview:
Question:
1) What are some of the most pressing issues/concerns about weight cutting in MMA and
Combat Sports?
Answer:
The most pressing issue is the relation to the neurological safety of the combat sport
fighter. Another concern is the negative impact on the fan's perspective of the legitimacy
and fairness of the contest based on the initially advertised weight class limitation.
Question:
2) Why do you think that this issue is a "Hot Topic"?
Answer:
It is a hot topic because nearly every major televised MMA event has been fraught with
weight miss penalties and bout cancellations due to the failure to make weight. In
addition, fighters have been hospitalized on weigh in day due to acute renal failure and
other dehydration related issues arising from unsafe weight cutting practices.
Question:
3) How well do you comprehend the ramifications of this issue and what are some
suggestions to remedy the systemic problem?
Answer:
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24
I comprehend the ramifications as I have to decide whether a fighter is fit to compete
upon completion of the weigh in while assuming potential legal responsibility for the
State of New Jersey due to my approval of the contest. Fighters need to be educated on
the dangers of weight cutting and the need to consult with educated professionals on
acceptable body weight management practices.
Lembo, N. (Sep 8, 2018). NJ State MMA & Kickboxing Commissioner. Ross, P.
(Interviewer).
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
25
Chapter 3: Methods and Effects
Methods of Rapid Weight Loss
There are many methods of RWL. They include, but are not limited to
dehydration, starvation, excessive exercise in hot and humid environments with layers of
clothes and rubber suits, vomiting, laxatives, saunas, steam rooms, to cite a few. None of
the methods are healthy and place a great deal of stress on the participant’s skeletal
muscles, internal organs and mind.
There are a plethora of methods employed for a combat athlete to lose weight
quickly and none of them should be regarded as safe. Acute weight loss strategies
employed for Olympic and other combat sport competitions include running, skipping
rope, cycling, swimming, sauna/steam, exercising in rubber/plastic suits. Spitting into a
cup and the practice of self induced vomiting, diuretics and laxatives are all used to shed
unwanted weight (Alderman et al, 2004: Reale et al, 2016). There are even some other,
more drastic methods such as the of coating the body with Albolene, using a rubber suit,
inducing sweat through exercise, then immersing the athlete in a hot bath with Epsom
salt. After 20 to 30 minutes, the athlete is then placed on the floor and wrapped in layers
of blankets for another 20 to 30 minutes. This dehydration method results in losses of 5 to
10 pounds of water weight in an hour or less.
Fad diets, diet pills and appetite curbing aids are utilized by overweight and obese
individuals in an attempt to drop weight quickly. These methods, the Atkins Diet, Paleo
Diet, the Volumetrics Diet, “fat burning” pills and other such quick weight loss methods
carry their dangers and are often unsustainable. The incidence of weight regain is
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
26
extremely high and those using these products and methods tend to experience a cycle of
repeated weight gains and weight losses, referred to as the “yo-yo” effect.
Adverse Effects of Rapid Weight Loss. The detrimental effects of RWL were
brought to the forefront in 1997 due to the tragic deaths of three NCAA (National
Collegiate Athletic Association) wrestlers. This spurred the research of the practice and
subsequent adoption of legislation. Initial studies revealed that the athletes experienced
dizziness when getting up, hot flashes, feelings of feverishness, nausea, nose bleeds,
disorientation and headaches of youth and high school aged participants (Alderman et al,
2004). Unfortunately, RWL is still practiced and advocated by coaches, trainers and
athletes on the amateur and professional levels. Currently there are no guidelines
addressing this matter for international competitions.
The adverse effects of RWL are numerous and need to be brought to the forefront
on all levels of sport and weight control/loss programs. Organ failure, muscle and tendon
damage, depleted testosterone, insufficient electrolytes, confusion, dizziness, mood
swings, irritability, loss of wages and even death. Far too often a fighter competes in the
wrong weight class and it’s usually one that’s too low. Bear in mid that it’s an easy trap
to fall into, I fell prey to the cycle weight cutting while wrestling and would at times have
weight swings of more than 12 pounds in one day. Had I gone up in weight class, as I
eventually did, my performance improved. Combat athletes think that they will be
stronger and have an advantage at the lower weight class. Not necessarily true. There are
many adverse effects and drawbacks to “cutting” weight through starvation and
dehydration prior to a fight. Following are some of the major issues with the practice.
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• LOSS OF STRENGTH: Despite the level of toughness, experience and determination,
once dehydration has set in the athlete’s energy will be sapped. Skeletal muscle is
comprised of 79% water. Denying the muscles of their main ingredient will result in
damage and loss strength. This fact, coupled with the sugar reduction (or elimination)
will also rob your muscles of much needed energy reserves.
• CLOUDED THOUGHT: The human brain operates on glycogen stores and converted
glucose and is also surrounded by cerebral fluid. A high percentage RBMR increases the
chances of significantly reducing the amount of available carbohydrates, fats and water.
By denying your brain of these, your thoughts and even your vision will be affected.
• SUSCEPTIBLE TO KNOCKOUT: We have established that our brains are surrounded
by cerebral fluid. When a person becomes dehydrated, the cushion of fluid around the
brain becomes diminished. This leaves the athlete more susceptible to knockout or even
death due to the bruising of the brain. There is an increasing amount of evidence that
dehydration is linked to brain injury. Considering that some fighter lose up to 15% of
their body weight (30 pounds for a 200 pound fighter) in water weight prior to a fight
leaves them dehydrated during the competition. The water loss has been linked to
reductions in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which decreases the amount of cushion to the
brain. Additionally, during severe dehydration the swelling of the ventricles which leads
to placing pressure on the outer cells of the brain (Germanos, 2017).
• TENDON AND LIGAMENT DAMAGE: The tendons and ligaments also require
moisture to slide and operate at full capacity. If they are subject to dehydration, they will
become brittle developing tears and adhesions, thus increasing the potential and severity
of soft tissue damage during the stresses of combat.
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28
• FOCUS ON FIGHTING: Arguably the best wrestler ever was Dan Gable. He set the
bar for all others after him. He never cut weight. I have been involved in camps where the
whole focus of the last 2 weeks was making weight. It is far more prudent to be focused
on training and fight preparation than it is to have the athlete’s mind preoccupied with
losing weight. Bernard Hopkins’ one of the longest lasting boxers in history does not cut
weight. He attributes his long career to always maintaining his physical condition and
staying very close to weight. Hopkins move up to Light Heavyweight also extended his
time in the ring because maintaining the lower weight class was becoming too difficult
for him, so he moved up to the next division (Campbell, 2011). A fighter should not
permit themselves to increase more than 10 to 12% above their given weight class
between bouts.
Many of the detrimental effects of RWL or rapid body mass loss (RBML) can be
attributed to hypohydration. In this dehydrated state the cardiovascular system
experiences an increased amount of stress, depletion of glycogen stores and the body
absorbing its own muscle tissue (Timpmann, 2008). Many seasoned athletes may never
know precisely how their performance would be without RBML, because they never
competed without leveraging the practice.
A study consisting of the reduction of body mass of 5.1% (+/- 1.1%) in a 3 day
period noted that peak torque measurements of absolute strength were significantly lower
(67% p = 0.013) and (100% p = 0.0008). Dehydration was the primary means of RBML
and this resulted in a 6% decrease of plasma volume. Prior studies have demonstrated
that high intensity exercise is adversely affected by dehydration levels as low 1.8 to
2.0%. There were also significant decreases in muscle glycogen (36-54%). The available
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
29
energy to the muscles was significantly low due to caloric intake deprivation (Reale et al,
2016). Weight reduction of more than 1.5% of total body weight per week (primarily
from dehydration) resulted in a significant decrease of testosterone (p < 0.001) when
compared to euhydrated athletes (Yildrim, 2005).
Professional sport combatants in MMA and boxing are permitted 24 to 32 hours
to rehydrate after the weigh-in prior to their contest. The 32 hour time period was used
for a very short period of time in an effort to reduce the effects of RWL on the fighters,
However this tactic backfired and prompted athletes to cut even more weight knowing
that they had an additional six hours to rehydrate. The combatants may have experienced
rapid weight gain (RWG) and have gained energy from the influx of fluids and nutrients,
but many of the tendons, ligaments and the cerebral fluid have not had sufficient time to
become replenished. This leads to increased incidence of injury and greater potential of
concussion. Testing revealed the these elite athletes applying RWL when compared with
those that did not realized lower creatine levels, less glucose availability, significantly
less energy, increased muscle damage markers and still demonstrated dehydration,
despite having 24 hours to rehydrate (Coswig, Fukuda & Del Vecchio, 2015).
Baseline, pre-practice and post practice neurological measurement were taken of
college wrestlers to determine how much dehydration affected neurocognitive function,
clinical concussions and balance. Weight cutting and dehydration resulted in a greater
number of symptoms and with a higher degree of severity (p = 0.003) for the dehydrated
wrestlers (Weber, 2003). This is not surprising because cerebral fluid is the last fluid the
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
30
body replaces once dehydration has occurred. The lack of cerebral fluid will also increase
the potential of the athlete experiencing head trauma resulting in concussions and more
susceptibility to being knocked out.
Professional fighters and tournament competitors weight cycle every few months.
Many subject themselves to massive swings in weight ranging from 20 to 50 pounds
between contests. College and high school, and even some middle school and junior,
wrestlers experience weight cycling several times a week during the season, weight
swings during the week of 10 to 15 pounds are not uncommon. The chronic weight
cycling experienced by both of these groups of athletes result in hydroelectrolyte
imbalances, hyperthermia (from training in environments that are too hot and humid),
cardiovascular distress, increased bone reabsorption, reduced immune function,
moodiness and even death (Mendes et al, 2013). Hot and humid environments are the
most taxing to the human body. The spiraling downward process occurs due to
dehydration, depletion of glucose and the increased blood viscosity thus increasing the
stroke volume (Green, 2014). As the athlete continues to train in an effort to lose weight,
the detrimental effects caused by the process are increased exponentially.
A group of 345 Olympic athletes were tested on how their body responded to
hypohydration. The researchers were attempting to determine what effect the dehydrated
state had on their health and performance. There were five areas tested; urine osmolality,
urine specific gravity, urine color, bioelectrical impedance analysis and the thirst
perception scale. The tests were conducted on three groups; euhydrated, dehydrated and
severely dehydrated. The researchers determined that there was a clear effect on the
athletes with as little as a 2% body mass loss through dehydration. The work capacity and
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
31
performance of those up to 5% was diminished and these athletes also suffered from heat
stroke, impaired glycogen use, increased core temperature resulting in the failure of the
central nervous system (Fernandez-Elias et al, 2014). Rapid weight reduction (RWR),
another term used for RWL also demonstrated adverse effects on the condition of the
components of the blood. Nitric oxide generation is impaired and this has a negative
effect on aerobic and anaerobic capacity, muscle strength, concentration and performance
(Yang et al, 2017).
Many women that participate in these sports and activities suffer from
amenorrhea as a result of an excessively low bodyweight (10% or more under “normal”),
excessive exercise or mental stress due to its effect on the hypothalamus. This condition
is especially prevalent for female ballet dancers, bodybuilders, gymnasts, bikini
competitors and the like. The exercise causes the release of hormones that create a
euphoric feeling, unfortunately excessive release of the “stress hormones” interfere with
the body’s ability to produce estrogen. This result coupled with the body going into
“starvation mode” due to the lack of calories and fat pause the menstrual cycle. Nature
will halt the female body’s ability to conceive when the caloric restriction and activity
Image 2: Body Mass Hydration Comparison. Drastic Body Mass changes are noted between the euhydrated dehydrated and severely hydrated athletes. (Pallares et al, 2016).
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
32
level have created a significant negative caloric balance. A female with deemed as
athletic or fit carries a body fat percentage range of 14 to 24%, with the average woman
rated at 25 to 31% body fat. Woman displaying excessive striations and vascularity have
depleted fat reserves, hence the hormone activity to the reproductive organs is shut down
as a method of protection to the woman and the impending child. The long term effects
include infertility, osteoporosis (which leads to less structurally sound bones), atrophy of
the vagina and breasts and general fatigue and malaise. In addition to some of the long
term physical effects, many women (and increasingly men) develop anorexia, bulimia,
compulsive exercise syndrome and other related eating disorders. Many of these can
become life threatening. Now that the participation of women is increasing in the combat
sports, these concerns are being brought into consideration (Mayo Clinic, May 9, 2014,
Diseases and Conditions, Amenorrhea).
Image 3: The Female Athlete Triad: This phenomenon occurs in many female athletes, especially weight category such as; mma fighters, boxers, judo players, weight lifters as well as those concerned with aesthetics and weight restrictions. (Mallinson & De Souza, 2014)
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
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Lean body mass is an advantage to most athletes, with the exception of throwers
(shot put, discus) or offensive linemen in football. Athletes strive to maximize the lean
body mass and rid themselves of excess adipose tissue. Lean body mass yields a better
strength to weight ratio and contributes to speed and extended endurance. The
recommended body fat percentages for athletes, males 6-13%, females 14-20%. Abiding
by the guideline will help the athlete attain maximum health and sport performance.
Unfortunately, many combat athletes operate in the essential fat only category. However,
when the athletes gradually reduce their weight while observing sound nutrition and
proper hydration; the reduction in weight will result in a favorable lean body mass (LBM)
to fat ratio.
Rapid body mass reduction is not recommended by experts and health care
professionals. A sensible weight loss regiment stipulates that an athlete lose between 0.05
and 1.0 kg (between 1.1 and 2.2 pounds) per week for maximum health and body fat
reduction. However, a better recommendation would be slow reduction (SR) is weight
loss as opposed to a fast reduction (FR). One pound of body fat is equivalent to 3500
calories (pure body fat is 4100, but the 3500 accounts for the water content). The
endorsement of applying an energy deficit of 500 calories per day will yield a one pound
loss of body fat per week. The study conducted by Garthe et al, demonstrated that the SR
group lost higher percentage of body fat than their FR counterpart, 31% to 21%
respectively. Not only did the SR group retain significantly more LBM (2.1%), but they
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
34
presented higher numbers by 5 to 11% in all power and strength performance testing of
the bench press, squat, CMJ jump test, and weight pull. The only test that the two groups
showed not difference was the 400 meter sprint (Garthe et al, 2011).
The ill effects of RWL through restriction of caloric intake and reduced body
mass (BM) through dehydration is noted in amateur boxers. The results showed the
boxers to have poor performances in the ring and in testing, increased anger, fatigue,
tension and lessened levels of intensity (Hall & Lane, 2001). These issues not only affect
the athlete, but those around them. Coaches, trainers, teammates, co-workers and family
members all feel the effects of RWL.
The obese and overweight individuals attempting to employ RWL of more than
the recommended two pounds a week will lose more water weight and lean body tissue
than fat (Hensrud, 2017). The application of RWL presents a whole additional set of
health issues for the overweight. The depletion of electrolytes has a profound effect upon
the heart, especially in the early phases of “crash diets”. Heart fat levels rose 44% and
placed an inordinate level of stress on the ability for the heart to pump blood (Sandoiu,
2018). The increased amount of stress during this time increases the potential of a
myocardial infarction, especially to individuals already suffering from heart disease.
Another aspect of RWL for that typically effects the obese and overweight
population is the consumption of pharmaceuticals and over the counter diet aids in an
effort to quickly reduce body mass. Many of these drugs are stimulants and can lead to
insomnia, nausea, increased blood pressure and rapid heart rate. This poses a particular
problem for those with heart conditions. Additionally many of these drugs can lead to
dependency and addiction (Anderson, 2019).
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35
Chapter 4: Fighter Specific
Fighter Comparisons
There have been quite a few mixed martial arts events that featured several
combat athletes moving to a higher weight class and others reducing body mass to
compete in a lower weight division. Most recently there were quite a few that went up a
weight class emerged victorious and those that dropped in weight suffered losses. On
December 29, 2018 at the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) 232, three notable
fights occurred where the victorious fighter had opted to compete at a weight class above
their usual weight division. Ryan Hall went up to Lightweight (155 pounds) from his
usual Featherweight division (145 pounds) to fight former World Champion B.J. Penn.
Amanda Nunes increased from her usual Bantamweight class (135 pounds) to fight the
Welterweight Champion Cris Cyborg and Michael Chiesa bumped up from Lightweight
to take on former Interim Welterweight (170 pounds) Champion Carlos Condit. All of the
combat athletes that increased their competition weight won that night. All were
victorious by either knock out or submission. One of the commentators at UFC 232,
Anthony Smith, spoke about how after possessing a 28-13 record at Middleweight (185),
he reflected on his most recent loss in February of 2018 and decided to move up to
Lightweight (205). He compiled three wins at 205 against two former UFC World
Champions, Rashad Evans and Mauricio Rua and capped off the run by defeating the
number 2 ranked Lightheavyweight, Volkan Oezdemir. All of the victories were by either
knock out or submission. Smith extolled the virtues of moving up in weight, feeling
stronger, being more energetic and was better able to focus more on honing his fighting
skills as opposed to losing weight. The opposite result occurred on January 19, 2019 at
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
36
UFC Fight Night 143. The current bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw moved down
to flyweight (125 pounds) only to be knocked out by the reigning champion Henry
Cejudo in just 0:32 seconds.
The aforementioned outcomes were not arrived at by happenstance; there are a
plethora of reasons not to cut weigh and not to compete at a weight class that is too low.
Following will be a side by comparison presented of two welterweights; both of equal
skill and similar fighting backgrounds. The differing results are demonstrated of how the
one who made the choice to compete at a higher weight class faired as opposed to what
happened to the other who remained at welterweight. Anthony Johnson and Johny
Hendricks
The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), the pinnacle of combat sport
competition is comprised of every aspect of the combat sports. The striking of boxing,
karate, Muay Thai and taekwondo, the grappling of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, catch wrestling,
wrestling, Sambo and Judo blended into one martial combat arena and the UFC Octagon.
Every athlete that enters the cage wants to have an advantage over their opponent.
Whether it’s a particular style of combat training, a new strength and conditioning
program or a size advantage when entering the cage, the athlete wants to tilt the scales in
their favor.
The current mixed martial artist is extremely well versed and most posses the
same basic skill sets. Back when MMA first came into favor there were many variations
of skill levels in the martial disciplines. Some were strikers, others were grapplers but
very few were well rounded in all aspects of fighting. Presently, even though fighters
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
37
tend to gravitate toward having a striking or a grappling base, the athletes are all very
well versed in all aspects of combat. So, how does one gain an advantage?
The common practice has been to cut weight to as low as possible and then
hydrate up to a much higher weight, at times 20 pounds or more. Given the 24 hour time
period between weigh-in and fight time, the philosophy has yielded some unfavorable
results. In the article by Ross Cole, The 10 Most Brutal Weight Cuts in the UFC, Cole
lists not only 10 of the horrific weight cuts in the UFC, but he even cites the death of the
21 year old One FC Flyweight, Yang Jian Bing. Bing was no exception to long list of
fighter deaths due to extreme weight cutting practices. The weight cuts did not end well
for these fighters. Many of them wound up hospitalized, injured and/or missing weight
anyway and being subject to fines (Cole, 2016). The standard procedure for a fighter
missing weight is for the promoter to apply the fine to the overweight fighter by
forfeiting a percentage of his purse to the other fighter. If the fighter is too far
overweight, the bout may be cancelled altogether.
A tale of two welterweights. Two of the featured fighters are UFC
Welterweights, Johny Hendricks and Anthony Johnson. As stated previously, these two
fighters have the same basic styles, are at the same weight class, both have missed weight
on numerous occasions, but one decided to grow into a higher weight class, and the other
struggled to stay at Welterweight.
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38
Image 4: Images of two welterweights
Image 5: Statistics of two welterweights
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
39
Image 6: Comparison of two welterweights
Optimal Fighting Weight. Most people have a weight where they will perform at
their best. At this weight their LBM is optimal with a low body fat percentage (6 to 13%),
the energy and strength levels are high. Time and a variety of methods may need to be
employed in determining what the fighter’s optimal weight is. This weight may also
change over time as the athlete grows, matures and becomes more heavily muscled. A
trainer or coach with a deep knowledge of nutrition and exercise science is extremely
beneficial for the athlete in helping to determine when to move up to another weight
division. Through training and diet, athletes have the ability to alter their natural design to
fit into a different or more desirable weight class. For example, a light-heavyweight (205
pounds) may be having a difficult time meeting the 205 weight limit. His coach may
advise him to put on some mass and grow into the heavyweight division. Proper nutrition,
training and a sensible weight gain plan will enable the athlete to move up in class
without compromising their style and fighting ability.
In the 2019 NCCA Division 1 Championships, Penn State’s Anthony Cassar was
crowned the Big Ten Heavyweight champion as was awarded the number one seed at the
NCAA National Collegiate Championships. In 2018, the year before he did not make the
starting squad at the 197 pound weight class. He put on muscle mass, increased his
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
40
weight to 235 pounds and defeated the 2018 All American Heavyweight for Penn State
and assumed his spot on the team.
As previously mentioned, the poundage lost as described is dependent on the
desired weight class. Once the athlete resumes training, 5 to 10 pounds of water weight
will be lost during the initial days of practice. Upon adhering to a healthy diet, their
weight is reduced by another 5 to 10 pounds. A combat athlete should not feel like you
have to walk around “on weight” or be “on weight” during the fight camp. It’s good to
have 5 to 7 pounds to work off during the last week or so of fight camp; less for amateurs
because the weigh-in occurs during the day of the event. Professionals are given 24 hours
to eat and rehydrate. Here’s another point. Let us consider a fighter competing at 170
pounds (MMA welterweight) and post-fight he balloons up to 210 pounds. What has this
athlete been doing? Either he is fighting at a weight class that is too low for him or he is
not training properly and not exercising proper dietary discipline.
Post fight, the athlete should take a couple of weeks off. Unless of course an
injury has been sustained sustain, then a longer period off will be required to heal, rehab
Chart 2: Ideal Body Fat Percent (Perry, 2018).
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
41
and whatever is necessary to get the fighter back to training. But if the athlete is
medically sound, a two week break is sufficient. Get back to work and use this time that
to address the deficiencies from the last fight and to either expand on or enhance the
current repertoire of fighting skills. Also use this time to improve flexibility and gain
strength.
A full time, professional fighter’s training should be consistent and then ramped
up during fight camp. It’s tough to improve if a fighter simply trains during a camp.
For starters, the fighter will not be in good physical condition. They will require work on
the fight strategy for the particular opponent. If the fighter is consumed with losing
weight they will not be able to focus on improving fighting techniques and gaining
strength. Another aspect to consider is there are many “last minute” opportunities to fight
as a replacement. I’ve seen this make and break careers. A fighter may get a call to fight
in two or three weeks, if they are in condition and relatively close to weight the chances
of performing are much better. However, if the athlete is 30 pounds overweight they will
need to enlist RWL tactics to make weight and therefore increase the chances of “gassing
out” after the first round of the fight. The opportunity to shine and boost the career may
have been lost due to the negligence of the fighter and the trainers (Ross, P., & Gallagher,
M., 2016).
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42
Chapter 5: Solutions and Recommendations
Summary and Healthy Solutions
There are responsible, healthy and effective means to lose weight and compete or
simply adopt a different lifestyle. The method of slow weight loss (SWL), periodic
testing whether in season or during a fight camp under the care of a bonafide health
provider will increase the potential of avoiding the pitfall associated with RWL. The
selection of the proper weight class is also a consideration as well as the implementation
of weight loss guidelines by governing agencies.
There is an overabundance of negative issues that affect the mental and physical
condition of athletes and non-athletes alike. The anthropomorphic and metabolic effects
comparing RWL to slow SLW were conducted with two groups of overweight and obese
individuals. Both groups were tasked with a BM reduction of 5%. The RWL group lost
the weight in 5 weeks and the SWL group lost the same amount over a 15 week period.
Even though both groups lost the exact amount of weight, their body composition told a
different story. The SWL group was more hydrated, had leaner body mass and had more
fat free tissue than the RWL group. (Ashtary et al, 2017). The SWL group members were
in a healthier overall state being both euhydrated and having more muscle mass than their
RWL counterparts.
RWL in regard to those deemed individuals deemed overweight or obese should
be avoided. The recommendation is to adhere to the following guidelines; program
administration by a health professional, gradual weight loss of one to two pounds a week,
consumption of recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals, adequate fluid
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
43
consumption, periodic blood and electrocardiography (EKG) testing and a professionally
regulated exercise program (Vedel-Larsen et al, 2016). Weight loss becomes more
difficult as the desired weight goal approaches, so a continual consultation with a
professional will better enable the patient to avoid discouragement and aid in the success
of the program.
Weight control is achieved by implementing a negative caloric balance. Not only
should individuals adhere to healthy eating and sensible food choices but activity is
tantamount the success of a weight control program. Less than 20% of all adults in the
U.S. meet the recommended amount of weekly minimums of 150 minutes of moderate or
75 minutes of intense exercise per week. Greater benefits are realized with 300 minutes
of moderate exercise and 150 minutes of vigorous training on a weekly basis. Obese
individuals should attempt at least 200 minutes of moderate exercise per week (Green,
2012 : Swift et al, 2014). There are additional modes of activity, such as NEAT (non
exercise activity thermogenesis) to enlist in the battle to stave off obesity and eliminate
the need for RWL.
Hypocaloric diets with or without exercise make it more difficult for the human
body to maintain the weight loss. To avoid weight regain the expectations of obese
individuals should be set to increase physical activity and change behaviors. Those who
are successful, 90% exercise one or more hour per day, 78% eat breakfast and 75%
engage in weekly weigh-ins (Ferraro et al, 2015). The weight was not gained overnight,
so losing the weight quickly is not a realistic expectation.
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44
The California State Athletic Commission banned the use of intravenous (IV)
rehydration as a method for fighters to compensation for drastic dehydration measures to
make weight. Andy Foster, the commission of the sport in California considers
dehydration and weight cutting the “biggest problem facing mixed martial arts today”
(Raimondi, 2016). Other states and organizations soon followed suit and the practice of
IV as a means to rehydrate has been banned. The involvement of the state commissions is
essential to the success of the healthy weight management.
High school and college wrestling along with several professional MMA
organizations have implemented gradual weight reduction plans, hydration and the fat
percentage testing of athletes. The regulations and guidelines need the support of the
affected communities in order to exact change. Trainers, coaches, competitors and weight
reduction companies will always find a scheme to circumvent the rules and continue the
practice of RWL. The change of mindset and the application of stiff penalties for
violations will also need to be enforced.
According to the ACE Personal Trainer Manual, 5th Edition, there are certain
body fat levels that are essential for survival. Women require 10-13% and men 2 - 5%
body fat to simply sustain healthy organ function. Athletes should be at 14-20% and 6-
13% respectively. There are many ill effects from having an extremely low body fat. The
minimum percentages are needed as insulators for the organs, tissue and cushions for the
bones. Proper body fat percentages also ensures that the body maintains it’s temperature,
energy levels, cell function and absorption of vitamins A, K, E and D. Robbing the body
of fat results in the breakdown of tissue and loss of critical function. (Health Status, July
29. 2009, Body Fat - How Does it Affect Health)
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
45
Dehydration is crucial to heart health. When the body becomes dehydrated, the
blood thickens and blood pressure is elevated. Due to the lack of water, the body signals
the cells to hold onto water thus raising the body’s cholesterol level. A healthy amount of
water consumption, approximately 64 ounces per day (depending on your size) aids to
flush toxins from the system. High blood pressure and high cholesterol can increase the
risk of coronary heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. This
condition puts undue stress on the heart and kidneys. The importance of proper hydration
is crucial to optimal health.
Conclusion
One of the most promising aspects of the battle against RWL may be determined
by the dates of the research data. Most of the studies and journals date from this century
and an overwhelming amount have been released within the past 10 years. The
information contained in this research paper with the exception of the 1997 New York
Times article, were gathered from studies and articles presented within the past 15 years.
Recently the NCAA, high school athletic commissions and both amateur and professional
MMA organizations have adopted measures and/or are exploring the development of new
guidelines for weight loss, dehydration testing and weight class reclassification. The
Bellator and ONE Fight Championships have implemented periodic weight and hydration
testing during fight camps for their athletes.
Athletes will always attempt to gain an advantage over their competition. The
higher the stakes, the greater the willingness to make the sacrifice and size is a distinct
advantage. The negative health and ethical considerations must be recognized and
enforced by the governing bodies. Fines, restrictions, purse forfeiture and suspensions
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
46
will be effective in changing the mindset of the industry. Trainers, coaches and athletes
must learn to employ a reasonable weight reduction of plan of 0.5 to 1.0kg reduction per
week. However a plan with an average of 0.5 to 0.7 kg reduction has shown to be more
effective in retaining muscle mass, reducing BF and maintaining proper hormonal levels.
A gradual, energy conscious and professionally monitored weight management program
is preferable for the combat athlete to attain their optimal fighting weight. Our job as
exercise science professionals is to provide the proper guidance and education promoting
extols of healthy weight management, exercise and nutrition for athletes and non-athletes
alike in an effort to instill the mindset of healthy living.
Rapid weight loss is not recommended for athletes or non-athletes. The significant
negative impacts on the health of the individual and the integrity of sport should not be
overlooked. Education, guidelines and regulations need to be put in place and adhered to
rid society and sport from this detrimental practice. Sensible, safe weight reduction
guidelines need implementation on all levels of weight category sports and in the diet and
weight loss programs advocated for the general population. Education on how to reduce
weight, set realistic weight loss goals and maintain weight effectively once the desired
weight has been achieved need to be key considerations.
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS: RAMIFICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
47
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