How to stay in a weight class?

Torsten Hauptmann · 10-06-2009, 01:06 PM

Besids cutting weight prior to competition. Is it all genetics or do weightlifters tailor their training and nutrition to not gain mass if their bodytyp works best in competion at a specific weight?

Júlíus G. Magnússon · 10-06-2009, 04:56 PM

They tailor their training and nutrition to not gain mass.

Brian DeGennaro · 10-06-2009, 05:13 PM

If you are gaining weight, decrease your caloric intake slightly, and if you are losing, do the opposite. It is pretty straightforward, at least for me. Also, a lot of weight can be stored as water alone, so cutting back on that can help all by itself.

Garrett Smith · 10-06-2009, 08:14 PM

I simply cut out most non-Paleo stuff and I easily drop the couple of pounds I need to for my weight class(es).

Especially beer.

Torsten Hauptmann · 10-06-2009, 11:35 PM

does not performance decrease when eating not enough?

because proper nutrition does help to repair the tissue which got damaged through training and therefore mass gain is going to happen as long as genetics alow it - or am i wrong? a weightlifter should not get that fast mass as a bodybuilder because of the low reps but weightlifters squat a lot and in order to train they still have a lot of volume because 25 singles is the same at 5X5.

can one please futher explain me how it works to stay in a weight class and still to improve performance?

Brian DeGennaro · 10-07-2009, 06:41 AM

You eat enough to maintain your bodyweight but also enough to adequately recover from workout to workout. Also, many if not most lifters train a few kilos above their weight class in order to lift heavier in training and create an awesome training effect. For example, from one of the announcers at the Sydney Olympics, I heard that Dimas weighed WELL over 85kg, close to 90+ the week before the competition, and had done 185/220 in training if i recally. Dimas was an extreme however, because most lifters I know will weigh up to only 3kg more at the most.

One thing that I have noticed that is in order to adequately recover from heavier workouts I must eat more, yet I will not gain weight. Also, the stronger you get, the more you have to eat to maintain weight and recover.