Cutting weight/ aka drying out

[badshah]

I was curious as to the methods people here use.

I'm walking around at 73kg first thing in the mornings, and need to weigh in at 71kg on fight day (weigh in is 11am) comp begins pretty much stright after.

I'm planning to be around 72kg in about to weeks time (if training and deit go to plan),

so All I'm planning to cut in water is slightly over a 1kg. My plan was to over drink water 3 days before weigh in. (6 litres each day for two days) and 24hours before weigh in stop water intake. This should keep the hormones which increase the loo trips floating about.

I was not planning on eating the morning of competition, besides a high calorie energy bar.

straight after weigh in, start sipping on a tri-carb & salt mix in water.

contengency: suana suit and skipping rope at 9:00am on comp day.

Questions:
a) first time I'm trying this method, will it work?
b) what methods do others use?
c) what percentage of body weight is safe to cut if weigh in and comp are 1- 2 hours apart ? and if they are 24h apart?

[Dave Hirst]

a) No idea. Why don't you try it beforehand so you know? Everyone is different and will react to a weight cut in different ways so you can't rely on what other people tell you as being accurate, weight cutting is as important a part of MMA these days as any other aspect of training and as such it needs to be practiced accordingly so you know what works, what doesn't, and what exactly you should be doing.

b) If I'm expecting to weigh in and compete immediately afterwards I won't be cutting ANYTHING in terms of water weight, you want to diet down ideally to below the specified weight so you can have food and water on the day and be fully hydrated and have plenty of energy to compete. The longer between the weighin and the competition the more you can realistically cut.

c) See above. For day before weighins you can drop a considerable weight.

[Ryan Roddy]

A test cut would be good idea. I dont think cutting any weight on the day of a comp is a good idea. possibly dangerous! better to get down to weight with a good diet/training plan.

[Rosstech83]

Agreed, cut this by diet defo dont dihydrate for sameday weigh in

[Rosi]

ALWAYS do a test cut first!

[Grizzly.]

That is one of the best ways to do, increase water intake and then test it, if you piss is see through your going the right way.

[Chris Jenkins]

I agree with the above. I have cut over 10kgs in a 48 hour period for a powerlifting contest but it was for a 24 hour weigh in. I would try and get as close to the weight weeks out from the contest or your electrolytes will be out of whack and your body's normal functions/organs will be affected. If you had a 24 hour weigh in you could up your water to 8 litres a day for ten days before hand and use the sauna everyday to get your body used to shedding water. Your body will be used to urinating and the idea then is to cut your water 24 hours before the weigh in and your body keeps peeing out the water. This along with diet can be effective its called a water flush. Also I have found vit c and dandelion drops help.

Have a look at this:
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/cut_max_weight_for_comp.htm