Weight Cutting in Combat Sports: Practices, Concerns, and General Recommendations
Strap in for a long one, folks - we're talking about the practice of weight cutting, some health and performance concerns, and what the coaching team, athletes, and others can do to make it safer.
I suggest you read this article on a desktop, as it clocks in around 4,500 words (average read time: 15-18 minutes). This article was a labor of love and is relevant to anyone involved in the combat sports/martial arts community. If you have a family member or friend who participates, this may help you understand the underlying factors involved in weight cutting and how it can affect athletes.
This article is adapted from a PDF document intended to be reference material. If you would like a copy, please reach out to me, and I would be happy to provide it to you.
Introduction
Weight cutting is a long-time tradition in many sports. In combat sports, the belief is that a successful weight cut will allow you to gain a size advantage over your opponent. But what does the research say, and how can we make weight-cutting safer?
Common Weight-Cutting Practices
Weight-cutting practices in combat sports have been a source of concern for experts since at least the 20th century. H.E. Kenney, a wrestling coach from the University of Illinois, published his concerns in The Journal of Health and Physical Education in 1930 (Kenney, 1930). Even at this early point, cutting significant amounts of weight had become common enough that it warranted a serious discussion regarding its health impacts. Concerns have since been raised about the validity and safety of weight cutting. Often, these concerns are brought to the forefront by athlete deaths and other complications as a result of this extreme practice.
The “Why”
The practice of weight-cutting arose with the implementation of weight-classed sports. Boxing, as an example, did not have any strong unifying bodies until the early 1900s. As a result, there was little standardization of weight classes, with early boxing rules only having a lightweight and heavyweight division (Boxing - Weight Classes, Divisions, Rules | Britannica). As federations formed and new rulesets developed, competitors were broken up into more weight classes. Depending on the sport and gender, combat sports now have anywhere from 5 (women’s professional MMA) to 17 (men’s professional boxing) weight classes.
With competitors now aiming to fit into up to 17 different weight classes, weight cutting has become a common practice, incentivizing athletes to cut weight to be the larger competitor in their class. The goal is generally to acutely cut as much weight as possible to fit into a weight class during weigh-in, and then rapidly gain that weight back to have a size advantage on an opponent who has cut less weight during competition. Some commissions have implemented same-day weigh-ins to disincentivize athletes from cutting substantial amounts of weight, and others have implemented hydration tests (ONE Championship Bans Weight Cutting by Dehydration, Challenges UFC to Follow Suit - MMAmania.com).
It is true that larger opponents often have an advantage over smaller opponents - this is, indeed, the rationale for including weight classes in the first place. Larger fighters are generally stronger than their smaller counterparts simply by virtue of total body mass (Folhes et al., 2022). Thus, individuals who can cut a lot of water weight are able to artificially reduce their body mass for a weigh-in, and rehydrate to a weight heavier than the class limit, providing a potential size advantage, both by weight and limb length. In scientific literature, this practice is often dubbed rapid weight loss, or RWL, and rapid weight gain, or RWG.
The reported prevalence of weight cutting for a competition ranges from 66% to 100% of participants, depending on the sport (Zhong et al., 2024). Zhong et al. also found that weight cutting, understandably, varies based on sport and experience level; Sambo, MMA, and Muay Thai athletes had a higher prevalence of weight-cutting and typically cut more weight. Higher levels of competition also resulted in a higher prevalence of weight-cutting.
Understanding why weight-cutting has become a common occurrence provides insight into the best ways to implement it. Although the argument can be made for the cessation of these practices, Zhong and colleagues (2024) highlight that most athletes’ weight-cutting practices are not very impacted by the advice of nutritionists/dieticians or physicians. Instead, much of the advice regarding weight-cutting comes from coaches and teammates. This advice is not always based on evidence and can therefore be risky to the athlete’s health and performance. Therefore, more high-quality information should be available to the public in an attempt to mitigate potential risks.
The “How”
While there are many methods utilized for weight-cutting purposes, some are more concerning than others. While general weight loss is typically pursued through increased physical activity and reduced calorie consumption, these methods require time to take effect. Therefore, other techniques are often used alongside them to increase the rate of weight loss (hence the term, rapid weight loss). In addition, true weight loss negates the potential size advantage that a competitor may have over their opponent. Remember, the goal here is to weigh less on the scale than during competition.
Water loading has become a more widely used technique in combat sports over time (Martínez-Aranda et al., 2023). This practice requires significantly increasing daily water intake for several days before substantially restricting it. This is theorized to work by increasing total urine production, resulting in loss of total body mass through reduced water retention. Indeed, it does appear to reduce total body mass, potentially without negative performance effects if implemented on its own (Reale et al., 2017). This technique requires very little time commitment, although athletes may struggle with the amount of water they need to consume to meaningfully alter their scale weight.
Although less common, it is important to highlight some other methods used in rapid weight loss that may draw health concerns. Notably, practices that would be traditionally considered disordered behaviors are apparent. Severely restricting dietary intake through fasting, voluntary vomiting, and the use of laxatives and/or diuretics have all been reported practices among certain athletes (Martínez-Aranda et al., 2023; Zhong et al., 2024). Sauna use, “sauna suits”, and heated exercise rooms have also been reported - although these techniques are not concerning in themselves.
From these methods, it becomes clear why weight-cutting has become a topic of concern for many professionals. Reports of athlete illnesses, and even deaths, potentially due to weight-cutting practices, are not unheard of. In 2016, professional MMA fighter Yang Jian Bing died allegedly due to extreme dehydration while trying to make weight for his bout. Soon after, ONE Championship, the organization he fought under, changed its policies to combat extreme cutting practices (ONE Championship Bans Weight Cutting by Dehydration, Challenges UFC to Follow Suit - MMAmania.com).
Concerns Regarding Weight-Cutting
Health Concerns
As already mentioned ad nauseam, experts have raised many concerns regarding the safety of rapid weight loss methods in sport. While research has expanded in the area, it is still in its infancy. Operating under the assumption that these practices may be dangerous for participants, experimental studies are limited. However, we do have hypotheses and mechanistic data to fill in some gaps.
Let’s start by talking about the known health effects of dehydration. Many methods of weight-cutting are directly or indirectly related to acute dehydration. The less water an individual is carrying, after all, the less they will weigh. Considering the relative ease with which individuals can lose water mass, this is relevant for almost anyone attempting rapid weight loss.
It is possible to see psychological impacts of dehydration resulting in as little as a 2% loss in body mass (Wittbrodt & Millard-Stafford, 2018). Motor coordination, attention, and reaction time, in particular, have been found to suffer as a result of dehydration. More severe dehydration, understandably, results in stronger negative side effects. Wittbrodt and Millard-Stafford are not the only ones to find substantial negative psychological effects of dehydration. Patel et al. found that dehydration between 1.71 and 4.15% of body mass mimicked some of the symptoms of concussion (2007). In particular, dehydrated individuals reported higher levels of fatigue, difficulty focusing and remembering, and even trouble balancing when compared to when they were properly hydrated (euhydrated). While the sample size was only 24 individuals, it is important to consider. Not only does it highlight some of the effects of even minor dehydration in recreationally active individuals, but it also shows one of the potential confounding factors that contribute to a concussion diagnosis. Not only can dehydration become a confounding variable for concussions, it may potentially increase the risk for, and severity of, concussions themselves (Clark & Sirois, 2020). While it is impossible to accurately predict concussions in contact athletes, the reduction and management of concussion and its related symptoms is critically important.
Short-term dehydration is linked to acute renal dysfunction (Roncal-Jimenez et al., 2015). In addition, recurrent dehydration is theorized to contribute to chronic kidney disease. This is of particular concern to athletes who 1) do not consume enough fluids during daily life and 2) use dehydration techniques to make weight for recurring competitions. Considering the high prevalence of weight cutting (averaging 2-3 times a year) and the average age at which athletes start cutting weight for competitions (between 12 and 21 years old), the latter likely applies to many combat sports athletes (Zhang et al., 2024). Chronic kidney disease can progress without symptoms and ultimately lead to kidney failure. Furthermore, exercise, especially prolonged exercise (>30 minutes), may increase stress induced by the kidneys, further increasing the risk of acute kidney injury (Bongers et al., 2018). While some of this may be explained by dehydration that occurs alongside exercise, rather than exercise alone, it encourages adequate fluid intake during bouts of activity.
Dehydration is a significant health concern, but excessive water consumption can be as well. While less common than dehydration, athletes partaking in water-loading practices are at a higher risk of hyponatremia, which can be life-threatening (Rondon & Badireddy, 2025). Hyponatremia, or water toxicity, typically occurs when too much water is consumed, too quickly. The extreme increase in water intake dilutes extracellular sodium levels in the body, leading to cell swelling. This cell swelling can cause seizures, rhabdomyolysis (rapid breakdown of muscle tissue), and other severe side effects, leading to death if untreated. Some medications and disorders can increase the risk of hyponatremia. Likewise, inadequate intake of electrolytes is a risk factor. While the consumption of electrolytes can prevent hyponatremia, athletes cutting weight will often reduce their sodium intake to reduce body water retention. This, paired with increased water intake and the loss of salts through exercise-induced sweating, creates a dangerous mix.
While many RWL practices result in, or rely on, weight loss through reduced body water weight, there are other health concerns not related to dehydration. Calorie restriction through fasting or smaller meals is used by athletes in multiple sports (Zhong et al., 2024). While not always a cause for concern, these methods may be taken to an unhealthy extreme.
Prolonged fasting and extreme diets limit vital nutrient intake, which can negatively affect health outcomes. This is especially concerning in youth athletes, whose development can suffer greatly from malnourishment (Dipasquale et al., 2020). Malnutrition in youth can directly impact their propensity for serious illness and delay or even halt necessary growth as they age. This is a more common concern in low-income families and areas, but is worth mentioning in the context of the topic at hand.
Given the acute nature of weight cutting, nutrient deficiencies are likely of minimal concern. This is especially true if the athlete is receiving dietary guidance from an appropriately trained professional. As weight loss attempts increase in frequency and/or duration, more focus should be devoted to ensuring proper nutrition. As mentioned previously, this is extremely important in youth athletes. Nutrient deficiencies often take time to develop, as the human body is capable of storing vital nutrients in some capacity. However, true deficiencies can lead to several negative health outcomes, some of which are not always symptomatic (Kiani et al., 2022). While calorie restriction can be utilized safely and effectively for weight loss in athletic contexts, it should be monitored by individuals who have at least a basic understanding of nutrition. Monitoring athletes for “red flag” signs of malnutrition or disordered eating habits should be a priority for coaches and other members of the team.
In post-pubescent and adult athletes, RED-S is a condition to be aware of. RED-S, or relative energy deficiency in sport, was previously denoted as the Female Athlete Triad. It was previously considered to be a concern only for female athletes, but recent research has determined that athletes of both sexes may be at risk (Dave & Fisher, 2022). This is most likely a concern for athletes who are in chronic energy deficiency, rather than those cutting weight for a single bout. However, some athletes may go through periods of weight loss to maintain at weights closer to their intended fighting weight, which may be too low for them. RED-S is often associated with a loss of menstrual cycle in women, and can increase the risk of osteoporosis, illness, and muscle loss in all athletes. Individuals who wish to go down a weight class should be monitored for symptoms of RED-S, indicating they may not be eligible for that intended class.
The final health concern I want to discuss is the increased risk for disordered eating habits and eating disorders. This is a concern in virtually all sports, as there is often pressure for athletes to look a certain way or maintain a specific weight range. Doherty et al. (2020) found concerning rates of disordered eating patterns in both male and female combat athletes, ranging from 7 days before, and up to 28 days after, competition. This was independent of weight loss. While the rates of eating disorders in athletes are often high, the introduction of weight-cutting practices may further exacerbate these concerns (Currie, 2010).
Performance Concerns
While health is the primary concern of physicians and other experts, performance is probably what athletes are most concerned with. After all, the objective of weight cutting is to improve an athlete’s chance of winning in competition. While weight-cutting practices become more common and more aggressive as the competitive level increases, current research is conflicted regarding the competitive advantage of these practices (Giannini Artioli et al., 2010). At this point, it is difficult to discern what, if any, influence weight cutting has on athletes’ odds of winning a match. This provides a prisoner’s dilemma to athletes, as there is no concrete evidence to suggest that cutting weight hinders performance significantly enough to increase the chances of losing a match, but the perception of weight cutting providing a size advantage over an opponent persists. Therefore, to err on the side of caution and appeal to tradition, athletes will likely choose to continue cutting weight. After all, the chances of their opponent cutting weight are high.
Psychological effects of weight cutting must be considered when discussing possible performance impacts. As highlighted by Wittbrodt & Millard-Stafford (2008), dehydration can negatively impact attentional focus, reaction time, and motor coordination. Given the moderate effect size of these changes, it is reasonable to expect some performance deficits to be exhibited during competition. Lakicevic et al. (2020) reported a decrease in vigor and increases in fatigue, tension, and anger in a meta-analysis summarizing the effects of RWL on judokas. While psychological outcomes were only measured from three studies, they were in high agreement with each other and used the same test: the Profile of Mood States (POMS). These mood changes may affect performance both in competition and training during weight cuts. Increases in stress may also negatively impact interpersonal relationships, resulting in more difficulties working with training partners during drilling and sparring.
While psychological changes seem to be fairly consistent in terms of outcome, physiological outcomes are less clear in regards to RWL. Maximal strength is a relevant factor in combat sports and is typically measured through 1 repetition-maximum testing (Folhes et al., 2022). In particular, Folhes and colleagues found a moderate correlation between an athlete’s isometric maximal lumbar strength, their maximal 1RM bench press, and their competition level. Lakicevic et al. (2020) reported mixed findings regarding RWL and strength outcomes. It seems, however, that higher percentages of weight loss contributed to a higher likelihood of experiencing negative strength outcomes. Reale et al. (2017) reported no changes in isometric strength in athletes undertaking a water-loading protocol. Martínez-Aranda et al. (2023), in agreement with Folhes and colleagues, found mixed results regarding strength outcomes in response to rapid weight loss. More specifically, Martínez-Aranda found more pronounced negative effects in individuals who lost 5% or more of their total body mass during RWL. Furthermore, these effects were more pronounced in athletes who had multiple matches during the same competition.
Martínez-Aranda and colleagues reported similar findings regarding the effects of rapid weight loss and power outcomes. Power is generally defined as the ability to produce force over a certain amount of time. Studies included in the meta-analysis that found performance decreases found that, even after a rehydration period, measures of power remained lower than at baseline. In addition, Jeppesen and colleagues (2024) noted female endurance athletes sustained a 4% relative reduction in lower-body power when exposed to a 14-day low energy availability (LEA) protocol followed by a 3-day optimal energy availability (OEA) protocol. This study supports the concerns brought forth by Martínez-Aranda and colleagues (2023) that the effects of RWL practices may negatively impact athletic performance for up to several days.
Practical Recommendations
While research is expanding in the area of weight cutting, much of it does not directly indicate best practice recommendations. This is logical, as approaches will need to be individualized to the athlete. That being said, general recommendations and guidelines can be set.
General Weight Management
One of the most obvious recommendations to make for athletes is to monitor and manage weight during the off-season more closely. This monitoring does not need to be exact, but should help athletes stay closer to their fighting weight during time off from competition.
Reale et al. (2024) suggests that highly trained, lean athletes can lose approximately 0.25% to 0.5% of their total body mass per week while still maintaining or even gaining muscle mass. For an athlete who walks around at 70kg, this amounts to 0.18 - 0.36kg per week, or 0.75 - 1.5kg (1.65 - 3.3lbs) per month. This is an important consideration for athletes who cut significant amounts of weight through dieting in the weeks leading up to a bout. While athletes carrying significant levels of body fat may be able to lose weight at faster rates while maintaining muscle mass, it may be wise to encourage athletes to walk around closer to their fighting weight when possible. Athletes who need to cut more than 5% of their bodyweight to make their prospective weight class should plan ahead.
Maintaining a healthy off-season weight poses only benefits to an athlete. This does not require athletes to abstain from their favorite foods or meticulously track intake, but ensures an easier weight cut and may support training adaptations, as well. Frequent weight changes that are high in magnitude may stress the immune system of the athlete (Jeppesen et al., 2024). In addition, frequent weight cycling can increase the risk of binge eating disorder and body dysmorphia in athletes (Currie, 2010). These are detrimental to both the health and performance of individuals, and therefore, efforts should be made to mitigate risk factors.
Weight cycling is not required to make improvements in strength or power for athletes. In addition, even athletes looking to increase muscle mass and improve body composition can do so without dramatic cycling practices (Garthe et al., 2013). Historically, gaining a lot of muscle mass was avoided in combat sports due to fears that it would cause athletes to slow down. However, resistance training has become more popular as the understanding of its utility has grown. As this popularity grows, it becomes important to understand that traditional bodybuilding techniques may not be the most effective at producing outcomes that are beneficial for the combat sport athlete. While some hypertrophy is to be expected from a good strength program, it should not be the primary goal of a program targeted towards improving combat sports performance.
Athletes looking to gain muscle mass or improve overall body composition should aim for a small calorie surplus, or even avoid a surplus in favor of a neutral energy balance. This will ensure proper nutrition to support performance during workouts and for muscle protein synthesis without substantially increasing fat mass carried by the athlete. This, in turn, may facilitate easier weight cuts and allow for year-over-year improvements.
Acute Weight Cutting
As competitions close in on athletes, a more aggressive approach may be utilized to make weight. Coaches and athletes should confer closely to choose the appropriate weight class for the athlete. The health of the athlete should remain the priority of the coach and athletic support team. Although professional and elite amateur athletes may have the privilege of a nutritional team, this is unlikely for scholastic and lower-level amateur athletes.
Youth athletes should be dissuaded from acute weight-cutting practices due to their higher risk of adverse effects, both physical and psychological. Instead, youth athletes should strive to maintain a healthy weight year-round and plan to compete in the weight class they naturally fall into. Weight-cutting practices may negatively interfere with their development, self-image, and ability to perform in school (Giannini et al., 2010).
Adult athletes who are at risk of disordered eating or have other health conditions should also be dissuaded from acute weight-cutting practices. Coaches and other teammates are likely to be the most impactful in providing advice, and many athletes will likely choose to partake in some form of weight-cutting practice regardless of external pressures, especially if they have done so in the past (Giannini et al., 2010; Martínez-Aranda et al., 2023; Zhong et al., 2024). Understanding this, risk reduction should be the priority.
Acute weight-making techniques should be as short and as conservative as is possible. Athletes do not confer benefit from weighing in below the weight limit and therefore should strive to make weight by thin but predictable margins. By only reducing body weight to what is absolutely necessary, athletes will prevent additional performance and health detriments.
Acute weight-cutting practices above 5% of an athlete’s starting weight should be discouraged, as chances of performance and health detriments are significantly higher at this cut-off (Martínez-Aranda et al., 2023). Water-loading is likely the safest option, especially when monitored by appropriately-trained professionals (Reale et al., 2018). Care should be taken to avoid hyponatremia, especially in organizations that require rehydration tests. Induced sweating through intense exercise or sauna use should be closely monitored as well to prevent excessive dehydration and heat-related illness.
Acute weight-cutting should immediately be ceased if an athlete displays symptoms of confusion, excessive weakness, illness, or psychological distress. Medical intervention should be sought out, especially if an individual loses consciousness or control of their body. While unlikely, especially during acute weight-cutting of small relative magnitudes, medical emergencies are possible. This is more likely for individuals that have underlying medical conditions that may or may not be previously known.
Resources
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