Weigh-in Strategies for Various Combat Sports 

Combat Sports vary greatly from sport to sport in the type of competition they offer. Some sports are predominantly grappling sports, some sports are predominantly striking sports, and a few are a mix of both. Some things all these sports have in common is that competition is one-on-one between two individuals who meet certain criteria. This criterion is often that they are the same gender and have qualified for the same weight division. These criteria help keep competition competitive and fair without giving anyone a specific size advantage. However, the process of cutting weight is one that is relatively popular across all combat sports. Estimations show that between 60-80% of combat sports athletes participate in some form of weight cutting.¹ This procedure involves a process of gradual weight loss followed by a period of rapid weight loss prior to weighing in with a period of rapid weight gain post weigh in. Some athletes are able to lose 5% of their body weight or more prior to weigh ins.¹ This allows the combat sport athletes participating in this process to gain a size advantage over their opponent by weighing in at a lower weight class than their natural body weight. This process varies depending on the length of the recovery period that an athlete has prior to competing in the competition. For example, in MMA each athlete gets between 24-36 hours between the weigh in process and competition. However, some sports such as Olympic boxing have same-day weight checks to ensure that the athletes have not gained a significant amount of weight prior to the competition². The timing of the weigh ins severely alters the weight cutting strategy of the athletes so that they can gain the biggest advantage possible without losing performance. 

Boxing

As mentioned above, Olympic boxing has same-day weight checks to ensure that athletes do not gain a significant weight advantage over their opponents prior to their bouts. This is something that is also true for amateur and professional boxing organizations. These organizations limit the amount of weight an athlete can gain after the weigh ins before the actual fight takes place to ensure a level playing field. These are called rehydration clauses and they are a common occurrence in professional boxing. However, leagues can choose whether or not to enforce rehydration clauses in their fighter’s contracts. There is also often a monetary penalty for failing to make weight for boxing matches. The opposing fighter can either choose to not fight or take the fight and a percentage of their opponent’s purse. The monetary loss motivates athletes to ensure that they make weight so that they are awarded with their full fight purse. Therefore, the weigh in strategy for Boxing is more reliant on gradual weight loss prior to the weigh in date instead of large amounts of rapid weight loss. This is due to the rehydration clauses and same day weigh ins that occur in either Olympic Boxing or Professional/Amateur boxing. However, a large amount of boxers still engage in weight cutting prior to competition. An estimated 83% of boxers participate in rapid weight loss prior to competition weigh ins³. 

Taekwondo

The weigh in process for Olympic Taekwondo varies greatly from that of boxing or MMA. The only similarity between the two is that the weigh-ins take place the day before the competition. However, in Taekwondo there is a random draw the day of the competition. Four random athletes are chosen to weigh in a second time on competition day. The athletes’ new weights must be within 5% of the weight class limit or they will be disqualified.⁴ For example, if an athlete weighed in at 155 lbs. to compete in that weight class, they could not weigh more than 162 lbs. on the day of the competition if chosen to reweigh. This changes the strategy for Taekwondo athletes making weight by limiting the amount of weight that an athlete can lose and gain prior to competition. This limitation allows for more fair competition as the most advantage an athlete will have with respect to weight is a 5% advantage. Therefore, it will be more beneficial for gradual fat loss prior to competition instead of rapid weight loss through fluid manipulation. 

Judo

The weigh in process of Judo is almost identical to that of Taekwondo. Both sports have their weigh-ins the day before competition, a random pool of athletes weighed a second time the day of competition, and a 5% allowance on their weight above their targeted weight class imposed on the second weigh in⁵. The strategies for weight cutting for both of these sports would be very similar and nearly identical. Achieving weight loss through gradual fat loss is more common than using RWL strategies.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

In terms of grappling sports such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, the weigh in process typically occurs on the day of the competition. However, this can vary depending on the competition host and what the rules of the specific competition are. Some weigh-ins can occur almost a full 24 hours before the actual competition begins. This opens the door for greater amounts of weight cutting. It is estimated that about 85% of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu athletes engage in weight cutting or RWL prior to competition⁶. In a sport where utilizing your weight and controlling your opponent is key to victory, even a 5% advantage in size can be the difference between victory and defeat. Therefore, depending on the competition host, the strategy for weight loss prior to competition will depend on the timing of the weigh ins. If the weigh ins are the same day as the competition, there would be less RWL. However, if the weigh ins are the day before the competition, a larger percentage of weight loss will occur prior to competition. 

Olympic Wrestling

Wrestling is a sport that is infamous for weight cutting. Despite weigh ins being on the same day as tournaments or competitions, the number of athletes who perform weight cutting in wrestling varies from 40-90%.⁵Weigh ins for olympic wrestling competitions occur the day before the competition.⁶ This practice allows athletes to cut weight and still have up to 24 hours to rehydrate prior to the competition. This causes more athletes to engage in RWL followed by RWG to gain as much of an advantage as possible without hindering their performance.

NCAA Wrestling

However, both College and High School wrestling programs handle weight cutting very differently than the Olympics. The NCAA releases a weight management packet prior to the start of every season that outlines the guidelines that the athletes and coaches must follow to be considered eligible for that season.⁷ The rules state that there is a fixed percentage of total weight an athlete is allowed to drop during a season at a fixed percentage rate of loss. If an athlete goes above a certain weight class, they may only drop down a single weight class before being ineligible to wrestle any lower. Certain RWL practices are also banned by the NCAA including using the sauna and sauna suits to initiate water loss for RWL.⁷ This packet fully details the accepted strategies for making weight and sets regulations to prevent RWL and weight cutting from taking place.

IHSA Wrestling

The IHSA or Illinois High School Association has similar rules about weight cutting and weight loss throughout the season. This organization also uses a weight control manual that establishes healthy weight loss and weight minimums through calculating body fat percentage using skin fold tests.⁸ This prevents athletes from being able to lose more weight than is deemed healthy based on body fat percentages. Additionally, the Illinois High School Association does urine specific gravity tests to assess for hydration.⁸ If the athlete fails this test, they will not be eligible to retest for 24 hours. Limitations on college and high school wrestlers prevent unhealthy weight loss practices such as RWL and weight cutting.

Conclusions

Ultimately, there needs to be more regulation on the timing of weigh ins to try to prevent RWL prior to competition. If the weigh ins are too close to the competition, this does not give athletes enough time to effectively rehydrate which can cause serious health problems and performance issues. However, if the weigh in is too far away from the competition, the athletes who cut weight and engage in RWL will be at a significant advantage. Therefore, it will be important to consider both aspects of RWL when considering how to handle weight cutting in combat sports to make it as safe and fair as possible.

Need help making weight or figuring out how to meet the requirements of your martial art? Contact Dr. Schubert! Find info on the pros and cons of weight cutting, or protein requirements during weight loss, or just get yourself a handy snack list for after weigh-in.

References

1. Barley, O., Chapman, D., & Abbiss, C. (2019). The current state of weight-cutting in combat sports. Sports, 7(5), 123. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7050123
2. NBC Universal. (2021, October 8). Boxing 101: Competition format. Paris 2024 Olympic Games. https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/boxing-101-competition-format 
3. Uddin, N., Waldron, M., Patterson, S. D., Winter, S., & Tallent, J. (2022). A survey of combat athletes’ rapid weight loss practices and evaluation of the relationship with concussion symptom recall. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 32(6), 580–587. https://doi.org/10.1097/jsm.0000000000001032 
4. World Taekwondo . (2019, May 14). In force as of May 15, 2019 – World taekwondo. World Taekwondo Competition Rules and Interpretations . http://www.worldtaekwondo.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/WT-Competition-Rules-Interpretation-Manchester-May-15-2019.pdf
5. NBC Universal. (2021b, October 8). Judo 101: Competition format. Paris 2024 Olympic Games. https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/judo-101-competition-format 
6. Ranisavljev, M., Kuzmanovic, J., Todorovic, N., Roklicer, R., Dokmanac, M., Baic, M., Stajer, V., Ostojic, S. M., & Drid, P. (2022). Rapid weight loss practices in grapplers competing in combat sports. Frontiers in Physiology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.842992 
7. Barbee, C. (2022, August 8). Memorandum August 8, 2022 via email to: Head wrestling coaches. NCAA … 2022-23 NCAA Wrestling Weight Management Packet. https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/championships/sports/wrestling/rules/2022-23_PRMWR_WeightManagementProgramPacket.pdf
8. Illinois High School Association. (2018, August 10). Weight control manual – ihsa.org. Weight Control Manual IHSA. https://www.ihsa.org/documents/wr/2018-19/weight-control-manual.pdf 

*All images obtained from Stock Photos on Microsoft Word.