Weight Loss Strategies in Male Competitors of Combat Sport Disciplines

Abstract

Background and objective: The use of suboptimal weight loss strategies in order to reach specific weight ranges as observed in combat sport disciplines can give rise to severe health problems. However, particular aspects regarding management of weight category comparing three sport disciplines remain to be investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to obtain information regarding the weight loss strategies that competitors performed before a tournament. Materials and Methods: This article describes the most common dietary-nutritional strategies used by 140 national university male competitors of judo (n = 52), karate (n = 40) and taekwondo (n = 48) in order to achieve a specific weight, according to the rapid weight loss questionnaire (RWLQ) and the EAT-27 questionnaire. Results: Around 50% of participants were not involved in a weight loss process. Among the remaining participants, we considered three periods for weight reduction: less than 1 week (35% in judo, 8% in karate and 19% in taekwondo), less than 1 month (17% in judo, 15% in karate and 26% in taekwondo) and more than 1 month (0% in judo, 5% in karate and 21% in taekwondo). Severe fasting, focused on food/water restriction, was the most commonly used strategy, being more frequent in judo players. Light weight judo practitioners generally lost 2–5 kg before the contest. One third of participants avoided carbohydrate consumption when performing food restriction. Finally, individuals that reduced weight in the last week seemed to develop an unhealthy psychological relationship with food. Conclusion: All these aspects could be particularly relevant, providing information regarding how competitors manage basic nutritional concepts that guide dieting strategies. This information is relevant to prepare future educational interventions in the area of nutrition for competitors, coaches and technical staff.

Circuit Body Weight Training for Karate Athletes (Kumite - Under 21 Years): How is the Effect and Correlation on Weight Loss and Kizami - Gyaku Zuki?

“…Then the results of the pretest and posttest in the weight class showed that the higher weight class showed less results compared to the lower weight class. These results prove that body weight can affect athletes' movement and physiological abilities such as fitness [14,31]. However, in losing weight other factors must also be considered, especially the athlete's motivation.…”

“…In general, body weight greatly influences the level of ability of martial arts athletes in the fighting category in demonstrating their technical and tactical skills. Based on research results in the sports of karate, judo and taekwondo, it shows that body weight affects mobility when fighting, whereas in judo it can affect the technique for slamming an opponent [14]. In addition, greater body weight greatly influences the level of damage received, as well as lighter body weight having an advantage in terms of agility [15].…”

Weight Loss and Competition Weight Comparing Male and Female Mixed Martial Artists Competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) Flyweight Division

“…Combat sports athletes have developed various strategies for weight cutting over the years, many of which have been researched. Common methods used by combat sports athletes include water loading, fluid restriction, dieting, increased exercise, sauna or hot bath, sauna suits, with rarer methods of spitting, laxatives, diuretics, diet pills, or vomiting [15,16,[22][23][24]37,46,47,[69][70][71][72][73]. While weight cutting practices have been shown to vary among combat sports [19,48], water loading, dieting, hot salt baths, and saunas were common strategies used among mixed martial arts athletes [12,16,21].…”

Weight Loss Method: Beginner Boxer's Perception

“…Athletes are weighed before the time between weighing and competition varying from less than 1 hour to 24 hours. To gain a weight advantage over an opponent, athletes will lose substantial weight over the days, weeks, and even months leading up to the weighing (Martínez-Rodríguez et al, 2021) & (Figlioli et al, 2021). In general, this activity has been carried out by many martial arts sports, but one example of martial arts that has been in the spotliregardingbout weight management is boxing.…”

“…There are many methods that boxers use to lose weight such as the use of sauna jacket supplements, reducing the number of calories intake, for orsting several days (Kim & Park, 2020). Although there are several traditional methods of weight loss, namely by limiting carbohydrate intake that occurs and nando, karate, taekwondo sports (Martínez Rodríguez et al, 2021). Pencak silat, methods used include increasing exercise, skipping meals for 1 to 2 days, and using a sauna jacket (Teo et al, some consumeconsume who consume herbal supplements, namely spirulina for 12 days from martial wrestling (Nordvall et al, 2021).…”