Elevate MMA Weight Cut Plan

Easy to review online guide to selecting weight class and cutting weight for MMA, kickboxing and boxing matches.

Selecting Weight Class:
This part should be fairly simple.  Take the weight you need to make and add 10-12%.
That is the range you should be at when “in camp”.
*In this case “in camp” means eating to fuel performance and maintaining a full training load.

Acute Weight Loss Phase:
This starts 6 days before the fight (F+6)
We want to be AT this weight or below – if you are off in either direction you want to immediately talk to your coaches and adjust the plan.

Weight management plan for acute phase:
So there are 5 mechanisms that will cause a athlete to lose weight during this acute phase.
1. Lower calories – starts 6 days before fight
2. Decreased fiber/ gut content – final 3 days
3. Lower glycogen –  decrease carbs all 6 days
4. Lower Sodium – final 2 days
5. Water Loss – on weigh in day / or night before depending on weigh in time

Acute Phase Eating Plan

Water Loss can be accomplished a few different ways
1. Hot Tub using the step method
2. Hot Bath (epsom salt & witch hazel can be added)
3. Sauna/ Steam Bath
4. Working out with plastics/sweats on
*Putting sweet sweat or albolene on your skin with greatly speed up how quickly you sweat and how long you maintain the sweat.

Rehydration:
The job isn’t over once you weigh in – what you do/drink/eat between the scale and stepping in the cage with have a massive effect on your performance.  The number one goal has to be fluids.  You have removed water so you need to add back enough fluid to balance that out while also adding enough salt, electrolytes, and carbs to keep that water in your system.

First Hour: Fluids only you can use coconut water, gatorade/sports drink, water w added electrolytes, pedialyte
*Sip your drinks slow and steady , shoot for room temperature liquids.
1 Hr after weigh in: Rice cake w/ honey – small cup of fresh fruit
1 hr 45 min after weigh in: Rice cake w honey – small cup of fresh fruit
2 hr 30 min after weigh in – 1st “meal” if you go to a restaurant don’t eat the whole serving (save some for later) anything that is really easy to digest
Make sure food is as natural as possible, higher in sodium, low in fat. Make sure you only eat up to 500 calories at a time.  From there relax and cruise up to the fight eating calorie dense, easily digestible food.  No raw or undercooked meats, avoid buffets or places that risk food contamination. Continue to focus on HYDRATION throughout the night and the next morning.