Curious to hear other people’s experiences with this. Is thinner always better (to a point)? Have you found more success (and speed) as you dropped weight?
I used to do karate heavily until I blew my ACL. I would do 6-7 sessions a week of hard cardio, was pretty damn fit, and weighed in at 205-210. Now with running biking and swimming 15-20 hours per week I am down to 166 pounds and wondering if I should try and hit 155-158 for race days. I raced last year at 170 to 175 but I was not nearly as lean as I am this year after p90Xing in the offseason. The weight seems to be dropping a lot easier this year.
I actually think this comes down to experimentation. How do you feel training at that lower weight? If you lose too much your training suffers as you go past that sweet spot.
Pick up the book “Racing Weight” Pretty good info in there that will provide some guidance.
Unfortunately, there is no nice formula for calculating your optimal race weight. I tend to have a bit of Zen philosophy when it comes to training, so my personal opinion is that if you are in tune with your body you will just know. When I was running competitively, I could easily feel a 2 pound fluctuation in weight and knew when it was time to gain or lose a pound or two.
This year it’s 175 and I definitely feel the difference. I don’t think I can lose anymore weight (and frankly I don’t want to). I like having some beach muscles and I eat like a horse.
Honestly, your training will dictate the weight you are entering a race assuming you don’t have really bad nutritional habits. As to weather or not it’s optimal, that will depend on your training.
I’ve found this advice the best. 10% fits best for triathletes. Don’t kid yourselves that triathletes have “significantly” more muscle mass the runners of the same height. A few kilograms at best. So I’ve found 10% below Stillman’s height/weight ideal for most triathletes. Not the 20% that Co was - sheesh!
I think it was Scott Tinley who had the best and simplest advice. “Get in great shape and weigh yourself”.
Nice! Along the lines of, “Don’t buy upgrades, ride up grades.”
For what it’s worth I think Matt Fitzgerald does an excellent job discussing this question in his book Racing Weight. He addresses optimal racing weight quite thoroughly
Funny, this comes out for me to exactly where I thought my race weight should be, which is 145 - 151.
I am currenlty 160 so by the time I get to my A race, I will be at 145-151, which will work well.
I’ve found this advice the best. 10% fits best for triathletes. Don’t kid yourselves that triathletes have “significantly” more muscle mass the runners of the same height. A few kilograms at best. So I’ve found 10% below Stillman’s height/weight ideal for most triathletes. Not the 20% that Co was - sheesh!
I read somewhere on this site that if you masturbate, A LOT, that you will soon reach race weight. It sounds like you are missing that component to your training right now!
I read somewhere on this site that if you masturbate, A LOT, that you will soon reach race weight. It sounds like you are missing that component to your training right now!
This is BS. I read that about masturbating and weight loss and proceeded to up my daily “sessions” from 1 - 2/day to 4 - 5/day and I lost precisely 0kg in 4 weeks. I also developed RSI in my wrist so I would not recommend masturbation as a form of weight loss. Sorry.
so I would not recommend masturbation as a form of weight loss. Sorry.