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Verča Partikova: Kung Fu Academic

MMA fighter with a PhD in Sports Psychology

writing about mind, fighting & life in Asia

The Very Bright Side of a Fighter’s Weight Cut

Writer's picture: Veronika PartikováVeronika Partiková

The other side of the story about starving and dehydrating


Everyone talks about how weight-cutting can be bad for you. But there are reasons why I always look forward to it. I know it will be a pain, but it affects me in some really positive ways that I did not see coming.


Weight cutting is a process of losing a significant amount of body weight before a fight in quite a short period of time. I cut around 6kg in three weeks, but the majority of it is done within the last three or two days. 6 kg is a rather small amount to cut.


There are tons of sources describing all the dangers of bad weight cuts such as dehydration, decreased strength, or risk of stroke. That is, when the weight cut is done poorly, with small or no guidance, or when a fighter cuts too much. During my first weight cut, I did not have much information and absolutely no female fighter around who could help me. The guys in my gym told me (and believed it): “Well, just don’t eat.” That is an example of a bad weight cut.



Author: Veronika Partikova. My actual diet in the last days before a fight. I was not hungry!


Lots of people argue that it can be dangerous to cut weight, but we are in a tough sport and I would call a girl sitting on my chest punching me in the head — being 10kg heavier because she did cut and did not — dangerous.


This study, going against the mainstream “weight cut is bad for you” explains how weight cutting prepares athletes mentally for the fight and helps them focus and cope with the stress. If you think of it, the last weeks/days of diet and weight cutting really are like a path that is narrowing down towards the cage, and walking that path feels like you can do anything.


I noticed that two or three days after I cut sugar from my meals, not only my body cleans up, but my mind too. My diet isn’t anything drastic, and I am not starving until the last day. But once I eat clean(ish) there is some magic going on in my body and mind.


It is said that nutrition isn’t only what food you eat, but also what information you accept and how you talk to yourself. Since you are tapering mentally and physically for your performance, you are very careful of what you think about. That is the stage when, no matter if usually you have any doubts about yourself, you tell the person in the mirror: “You are the best! You gonna be awesome!” and you simply forcefully guard your mental space against even a tiny dark thought.


And, since you eat clean, you feel good about the meal decisions you are doing, and so digestion improves, as well.


I have felt on my own skin how eating clean, unprocessed food made me happy and gave me clarity. It is an amazing time when all your anxiety can’t reach you, and you see your goals clearly. That is, before the dip of the final cut and perhaps a water cut (getting rid of the last few kg) when you truly feel awful. But starving and reducing water is not what I would recommend to anyone.


Clean food really is what makes you a superhuman.


The message of this post is not to go into crazy weight cuts.


The message of this post is not to let heavier people punch you in the face. Or lighter people either, when it comes to it.


The message of this post is that diet can be very empowering for the mind of the athlete and fuel the body in the right way and that you can for sure taste the benefit too, by eating clean. It is totally worth it.


…she said, as she sips her milk tea with sugar.


Well yeah, the temptations are everywhere and I really enjoy eating and drinking unhealthy things. I keep my daily diet somewhere balanced and rather clean, so I can have my milk tea, but also energy for what is important to me (work, training, friends). However I know that the super clean eating time will come again, and I am not scared of that diet. I am looking forward to being a superhuman with a sharp mind again for a tiny while!

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