Making Weight

Since the dawn of competition, there have been weight classes.  In order to divide competitors into weight classes the dreaded weigh in was invented.  And since the beginning of weigh ins, there have been methods of "making weight".  Some are strange and barely useful while others are down right dangerous.  I found out that some schools have even begun to outlaw "fasting to make weight."  A couple of wrestlers recently explained this to me and I began to wonder about the logistics of enforcing such a rule.  Regardless, I feel certain that many methods of "making weight" are here to stay.

Almost any sport that has weight classes and weigh ins, has either a two hour or 24 hour weigh in.  The two hour weigh in is the purer of the two since the purpose is to keep competitors of similar weights in the same class.  The 24 hour weigh in has even given way to the 48hr weigh in for some sports.  Some claim it safely allows competitors the chance to diet down into their proper weight class with less risk.  This is debatable since competitors with 24 and 48hr weigh ins tend to have some competitors dehydrate down to make weight and then gain enough fluids back that they should actually be competing in the next higher weight class.  Now don't be fooled.  Athletes with two hour weigh ins have been doing this also, but they just don't get as much out of it due to the lack of time to re-hydrate.

It is important to point out that dehydrating is risky and this risk should be weighed carefully (no pun intended).  Dehydrating to make weight for a local competition is not a bright idea unless it is just a practice run for a comp that could net you a world championship or a ticket into fully paid college or the pros.  In other words, it isn't something to be taken lightly (darn puns).  When thoroughly studied, practiced, and implemented as part of an overall strategy, the pre comp regiment to make weight can be the difference between winning and losing.  I've personally competed in untested meets and beaten men that were "on" by dropping into the lower weight class by using a perfected regime to make weight.  And while it may sound egotistical, there is nothing like beating competitors that are taking everything under the sun and all you had to do was make weight. 

So before I go any further, here is the general disclaimer.  Under no circumstances am I suggesting that anyone viewing this site should take anything written here as a prescription for enhancing performance.  The majority of topics on this blog should only be considered after consulting your family doctor and some things are meant only to illustrate what elite level athletes have done in the past.

So here is the meat.

 Fasting

The first way to drop weight for weigh in is by fasting.  You don't take liquids or food for 18-24hrs before weigh in.  This is fairly easy, relatively safe, and done by everyone from junior high up through the pros.
I personally believe that it should only be used by college level athletes and up, but I've witnessed the opposite.  This method can be enhanced by drinking two to three times the normal amount of water for four days prior to the fast.  Then when you stop, weight rolls off much faster.

Dumping

This is not for the squeamish.  Another quick loss of weight is the partially digested food in your intestines.  A natural laxative can drop up to ten pounds fairly easy.  Natural laxatives like senna don't show on drug tests because they are natural.  Keep in mind, athletes everywhere use these methods, but no one talks about them.  You are simply moving unused weight out of your system prior to weigh in.  It is possible to go too far and dehydrate even with the natural stuff.  One should be careful with this.  It is common for a synergy to be achieved by combining the fasting and dumping methods.

Go for Broke Methods

Finally, there is the dreaded sweat method.  We all know of this method because nothing can make you feel worse than sweating away your pounds before the weigh in.  We usually save this puppy for last because it is a pain.  If your other two methods haven't gotten you there by four to six hours prior to weigh in, then you have to hit the sauna.  If you are unlucky enough not to have a hot sauna available, then you will be forced to do the old school methods.  They hurt even more and are less efficient.  This means you will suffer more for less bang.  The old school methods include things like wearing plastic bags under your sweats and driving to the competition with the windows up and heat on full blast.  Others include bathtubs, hot water, and lots of will power.  If combining the fast and dump don't get you there, I recommend considering lifting in the heavier weight class.

If you will not listen to reason then consider this.  When you do the sauna thing, do it in rounds.  There are many different methods, but make sure you have a good watchBlakley's "Secrets of Bodyweight Manipulation for Competitive Sport."  His pamphlet goes through multiple methods up to and including methods for untested events.  With his work, some self knowledge, and some experiments prior to your big event, it would be relatively easy to take the game up a notch.  Again, this would be after you have perfected (or at least worked on ) everything else.

Fairness in Sport

In conclusion, making weight can be as sophisticated as you would like to make it.  It is practiced throughout the athletic community and has been honed to a science in and of itself.  Some would argue that it is cheating and it is dangerous.  I can tell you that it is not cheating but it is "gaming the system."  Cheating would be left to the many athletes that compete with performance enhancing drugs in their blood while entered in a drug-free competition (insert famous baseball player or cyclist here).  To those who cry foul and say it is semantics, I recommend you re-cal and study the people who have been beating you lately.  Chances are they are using one of these methods to get into your weight class to clean your clock.  If you haven't been competing, then neither I nor anyone else should care much about your opinion anyway.  You'll be singing a different song when all the genetically enhanced athletes emerge in the future Olympic games anyway.  Until then ... be safe and lift heavy.