I will be writing a separate article on the specifics of cutting weight for a fight, or an athletic event where you are competing in a certain weight bracket. Today it's about the mental side, the heart, and the amount of commitment you just enlisted in. The science of energy in and energy out, macronutrients, water intake and systematically dehydrating in the safest way possible. That's my job as the coach, putting together a program and monitoring numbers to make sure when a fighter steps on the scale, it is on the dot, and that they are still standing of course.
The job of the fighter is much more, they follow the program, but there is no amount of information that can teach commitment.
The fighter has to tell his friends and family NO.. over and over again. That one cheat meal or that one practice you slacked during, it added up week after week. In the ring, they are putting their body on the line, their mental will, and their soul into what they do. Going with you to the bar or skipping practice to grab a pizza with only gets them closer to that chance for error. There's a chance the fighter is going to hit the canvas or go unconscious, so think about that the next time you are challenging your fighter friend about being "too strict or hard on themselves."
Sam was successfully able to drop from 148 to 137 pounds in a month's time. She said no to overeating, she said no to unproductive activities, when she trained and pushed through every ounce of pain. There were smiles, there were tears, there were fights, and there were celebrations of accomplishment. The 24 hour weight cut began...
The weigh ins were scheduled for 6:30 PM in Rahway, Jersey on October 24th. That means we cut out all water intake at 6:30 PM October 23rd. You have to find a happy medium when using exercise to sweat out water weight with restricted water intake. It has to be something that is mild enough to maintain performance and safety, but intense enough to bring up the heart rate and shed water. We utilized a tractor tire to move on for footwork, shadowboxing, and light padwork. Keeping Sam's focus sharp and on the fight ahead, instead of how uncomfortable and dry she felt.
The next morning Sam was right on track weighing 134 pounds. If we cranked up the heat in the car and had her spit on the 4 hour drive to Jersey she should be only a pound off right? This was successful with our other fighter Tony, but Sam was weighing the same 134 pounds six hours later. This is where digging deep comes into play. You have four hours to drop the last three pounds, you have a hotel room, jacking up the heart rate by running or exercising to sweat is now unsafe, and you have to start sweating...now!
We did 10 minute intervals between a lava hot bath in the dark (if we turned the light on the fan would turn on getting rid of the steam and heat in the room) and wrapping Sam in blankets with Albolene covering her skin underneath (Make up remover to open up pores). This lasted for a total of three long hours.
So what makes a fighter? Is it the determination to go through countless hours of training? The will and power to tell others I can't do x,y, and z with you? The long hours spent in the kitchen cooking while others are emptying their wallets at the drive thru? It's all of those things, it's saying NO to failure, it is making your own decisions, when you are all alone with no one to push you, you dig deep inside yourself and say NO to quitting now, it's my fucking time to shine.
Sam was on the edge of breaking multiple times throughout the camp, working through injuries and aches, getting sick of the same bland food, and working through the stresses of everyday life. Going through those obstacles only proved to build resilience, she needed help standing up during the weight cut, but didn't complain a single time. The journey has been the reward, it is obvious to tell you she stepped on the scale making weight, you could see the fighter in her eyes during the face off, a blank stare, focused, and ready to present her art in the ring with violent intent. Play the video below:
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-Written by Paul Banasiak
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