Cutting for Competition
I have signed up to compete in my first powerlifiting competition of the year in the weight class below my current weight.
No big deal, I have 11 weeks to lose 6 kg - which is about 8% of my body weight. How? Well, I’m 100% sure that I wont be doing a last minute cut for two reasons...
1. Because that be the way of demons and trolls and misery and;
2. Because, no.
I will move down a weight class slowly by following the sound nutritional advice of the RP Strength team.
I first heard Dr Mike Israetel talk about the RP Strength diet in 2014 when he was in Australia with Chad Wesley Smith for GPA Worlds. I took some pretty detailed notes and made some changes to my nutrition last year to support my training. I wasn’t interested in cutting at that stage, I was interested in getting bigger numbers on my total. After a mostly paleo mostly keto like diet, I was happy to loosely follow their recommendations for increased carbs around training. My weight did increase slowly and so did my total, which was a good outcome, I was happy with m’gainz. But now, I’m larger than my pants want me to be, signed up to compete in the U72kgs and I am well and truly on board with the challenge of dropping some weight...
For Christmas 2015, I bought myself a copy of Renaissance Woman – which is the RP team’s program specifically targeted to the female strength athlete. Talk about a solid plan. Literally the only problem with said plan has been my dyslexia...The first three weeks of the plan – which I stuck to religiously – were implementing a calorie deficit that would roughly translate to just under 1 pound of fat loss per week. 1 pound. Yep – One. Pound. Uno. Which is NOT (as very popular dyslexic misreading would have you believe) the equivalent of 1 kilogram. Nope. Not 1 kilo, just not.
The good news is that my calculations were correct and I did indeed lose just under 1 pound per week, each week for the first 3 weeks of this diet. Yay! (insert sarcasm). Anyway – dyslexic miscalculations corrected and week 4 I’m bang on track, on fire and hurtling towards my destiny of a 71.9kg weigh in on the morning of the 19th of March…because, science.
TBC spoke to some of Australia's finest competitors about how they have experienced losing weight for competition. Olympic lifter & CrossFit games athlete Pip Malone, strongwoman/powerlifter extraordinaires Jo Greagan, Rebecca Buckley & Venecia Bachee, powerlifter Elizabeth Craven as well as BJJ Brown Belt Jess Fraser talk about their weight cutting experiences and tips.
No big deal, I have 11 weeks to lose 6 kg - which is about 8% of my body weight. How? Well, I’m 100% sure that I wont be doing a last minute cut for two reasons...
1. Because that be the way of demons and trolls and misery and;
2. Because, no.
I will move down a weight class slowly by following the sound nutritional advice of the RP Strength team.
I first heard Dr Mike Israetel talk about the RP Strength diet in 2014 when he was in Australia with Chad Wesley Smith for GPA Worlds. I took some pretty detailed notes and made some changes to my nutrition last year to support my training. I wasn’t interested in cutting at that stage, I was interested in getting bigger numbers on my total. After a mostly paleo mostly keto like diet, I was happy to loosely follow their recommendations for increased carbs around training. My weight did increase slowly and so did my total, which was a good outcome, I was happy with m’gainz. But now, I’m larger than my pants want me to be, signed up to compete in the U72kgs and I am well and truly on board with the challenge of dropping some weight...
For Christmas 2015, I bought myself a copy of Renaissance Woman – which is the RP team’s program specifically targeted to the female strength athlete. Talk about a solid plan. Literally the only problem with said plan has been my dyslexia...The first three weeks of the plan – which I stuck to religiously – were implementing a calorie deficit that would roughly translate to just under 1 pound of fat loss per week. 1 pound. Yep – One. Pound. Uno. Which is NOT (as very popular dyslexic misreading would have you believe) the equivalent of 1 kilogram. Nope. Not 1 kilo, just not.
The good news is that my calculations were correct and I did indeed lose just under 1 pound per week, each week for the first 3 weeks of this diet. Yay! (insert sarcasm). Anyway – dyslexic miscalculations corrected and week 4 I’m bang on track, on fire and hurtling towards my destiny of a 71.9kg weigh in on the morning of the 19th of March…because, science.
TBC spoke to some of Australia's finest competitors about how they have experienced losing weight for competition. Olympic lifter & CrossFit games athlete Pip Malone, strongwoman/powerlifter extraordinaires Jo Greagan, Rebecca Buckley & Venecia Bachee, powerlifter Elizabeth Craven as well as BJJ Brown Belt Jess Fraser talk about their weight cutting experiences and tips.
“My first time cutting effected my performance. I cut too much
and my squat paid for it.” - PM
and my squat paid for it.” - PM
Pip Malone - Olympic Weightlifer
Have you? Yes a number of times
How much? From 1 to 4kg How long? I’ve cut for just 1 single comp and I’ve also had to cut for a couple of months worth of multiple competitions back to back. Self inflicted? Bit of both. To make Australian teams and to rank higher I needed my weight to be lower. My natural weight sits right in the middle of two weight classes. Cutting a little didn’t pose a problem so we went with the lighter class. I have competed in the heavier class as well without cutting and my performance was no better than when I was lighter. Did it impact your performance? My first time cutting it effected my performance. I cut too much and my squat paid for it. But once you learn from it and every other time it hasn’t effected me. Leading up to the comp I’d given myself enough time to keep my weight down to allow my legs to adjust and allow for some experimenting with different foods Hot tips? Cutting is trial and error and everyone is different. You have to do what works for you and your performance. I personally have a low body fat percentage so my weight mainly fluctuates on water retention. I eat very clean the majority of the time anyway so I don’t have to do much with my diet. I can sweat out a lot really easily and it doesn’t effect me. Cutting is never worth an injury or illness. If you are making yourself sick or getting injured to make a certain weight cut then you really need to look at your options and seek professional assistance. And if you are cutting always make sure you are doing it under the supervision of a professional. |
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Rebecca Buckley – Strongwoman/ Powerlifter
Have you? I have cut weight for bodybuilding shows but I think you’re asking more about strength sports. I’m in the process of dropping two weight classes for powerlifting.
How much? I’ve lost 10kgs and I need to drop another 5kg by March. How long? To be fair it’s been about 5 months of consistent nutrition tracking. Self inflicted? It was 100% my idea both for competitive and aesthetic reasons to cut. Did it impact your performance? So far it’s not had any negative affect on my strength. I competed in a lighter weight class at a strongman competition recently and everything felt lighter, which I’ll take as an indicator that I’ve maintained most of my strength. Hot tips? I guess not doing anything drastic. I don’t have any real gems in terms of advice, my approach is basically to be sensible, have a big time frame, seek solid nutrition advice from someone you trust. No really big calorie deficits and an aim to be as close to comp weight well before my meet so that I don’t need to do anything drastic. |
“be sensible, have a big time frame, seek solid nutrition advice from someone you trust.” - RB
Jess Fraser - Brazilian Jui Jitsu brown belt
“Trial loads of different options, find what works for you by prepping for smaller comps in the season
leading up to the big comps.” - JF
leading up to the big comps.” - JF
Have you? Many times. My walk around weight is just over my competition weight.
How much? Most regularly 5% body weight. The largest was 10% bodyweight loss and that will happen NEVER AGAIN. I am 63kg
How Long? I give myself 4-6 weeks for a 5% drop. The 10% took me 12 weeks. I do day of event weigh in. Directly before competing.
What for? Always to make the weight category for single elimination Jiu Jitsu tournaments, which is a full contact combat sport.
Self inflicted? For my first few years it was self directed and lots of trial and error. Now I have a nutritionist that plans my weight cuts as I am competing at a more serious and elite level.
Did it impact your performance? Yes. When self managed I made loads of mistakes and it effected my power output badly. Recovery post competition was a disaster. I made myself sick each time. I made the mistake of taking prescription diuretics once. It was probably illegal (sports board, not so much law, law) and it was definitely dangerous. Never again. I strongly advise others to never even think about it.
Hot tips? Get the support of a sports nutritionist. Don’t take risks with the most important thing you own- you. Food timing and intermittent fasting changed my life. Made everything awesome and easy. Ask someone to teach you about it – someone with a degree in sports nutrition. Ignore random advice. Trial loads of different options, find what works for you by prepping for smaller comps in the season leading up to the big comps. The big comps are the only ones that matter. Trial and error will teach you what you need to do. Repeat what works and avoid what doesn’t.
Liz Craven - PowerlifterHave you? Many times.
How much? Usually 3kgs How Long? I give myself 4-6 weeks for a 5% drop. The 10% took me 12 weeks. I do day of event weigh in. Directly before competing. What for? Usually 3kgs Self inflicted? Yep Did it impact your performance? I lose about 5kg on the squat. I maintain bench and deadlift except for one time when I didn’t eat for 30hours to make sure I was at weight…then my deadlift sucked. Hot tips? Slight water load. I increase my water intake by about a liter, 2 weeks out to see what happens. Then when you cut the volume a couple of days before comp, you often lose a kg or so. |
“Plan your meals so you don’t eat someone else’s arm” - VB
Venecia Bachee - Powerlifter/ Strongwoman
Have you? Yup.
How much? Approximately 3 kg as a gradual cut over several months What for? For powerlifting competitions. GPC Nationals last year I cut from U60to U56kg. Self inflicted? Yup Did it impact your performance? Having a coach minimized my loss of strength but I found the weight loss made me have to readjust technique quickly to new weight for competition. The slight change in levers can throw you off initially – so be prepared! Hot tips? Do it gradually; don’t rush it. Plan your meals so you don’t eat someone else’s arm |
Joanne Greagen - Powerlifter/ Strongwoman/ Coach
I usually sit at 69kg, which means there is no real cutting to make weight for comps. I do a light water-load to make my 67.5kg class. I’ll let myself get to 70kg when training for events such as ProRaw and strongman as I compete in an U75kg class but I won’t ever bulk for a competition. I usually sit btw 68-70kg at all times. I like to feel fit and healthy. At a body weight of over 70kg I feel sluggish and lack the motivation to do my conditioning work. I feel heavy. In terms of competition success, I think I would still be in the top 5 for the 75kg class. The best girls in the 67.5kg class cut from around 73kg so, it would be very similar competition. If my progress stalls out I change my training style. |
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If you would like to follow along with the bland food adventures of my cut – It’s partly being documented on pintrest (mostly I stuff the food in my mouth before I get a bad photo- but I try). My goal is to try to photograph the meals in a way that aptly represents the unappetizing nature of the nourishment. Read more about the benefits of unpalatable food when cutting here.