Private Lesson Notes 110321
Weight Management for your First Competitions
This is an incredibly important topic for beginners looking to do their first competition. The reason being is that most people aren’t new to “dieting” but rather, are new to how dieting will influence their competition performance.
For me personally, I weighed 198lbs when I first got into jiu-jitsu. My goal was to hit 200 but when I started, I immediately lost weight, settling at around 190lbs. My first competition was just a few months later where I stabilized at 185 and then had another competition where I got down to approximately 170. And there I stayed for years, dropping to 165 for competition (168 with a gi on).
Now, looking back, I didn’t concern myself with weight too much. Jiu-jitsu was such a cardiovascular experience that I lost weight against my will. The weight I “cut” to get down to those brackets was near effortless and I did so by simply cutting down portions and reducing preservatives (like salts). There was nothing difficult about losing weight and further, I felt as if jiu-jitsu simply helped me find a more “natural weight” given my body type and lifestyle.
For a lot of others, however, weight becomes a big deal. The question I get asked most often is “Should I cut ____ lbs for competition?” Or “What should me normal, competing weight be?”
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Constant Pressure: Jiujitsu, Training and Life to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.