#57 ENGL: The Science of Making Weight - with Dr. Reid Reale

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Reid Reale, who is the Head of Performance & Nutrition at the UC Performance Centre in Shanghai, about the science of cutting weight for combat sport and his experience of working hundreds of fighters:

• Does “cutting weight” really provide athletes with an advantage over their opponent?
• Acute weight-cut techniques:
  •  What are the pros and cons of the different methods?
  • What errors do you see fighters making regularly?
  •  What weight-cut techniques are most dangerous and why? 
  • What is the maximum weight (in kg or %) that an athlete can lose for a fight that is considered safe?
  • Do you have any safety protocols in place to avoid health concerns at your UFC performance institute? 
• Do you see “big difference” between smaller camps/amateurs and fighters from larger and more experienced fight camps?
• How many athletes work with a weight-cut expert (nutritionist)? And are they any good?
• How much weight cycling do you observe among fighters between fights
• What are the potential harmful side effects of continuous weight cycling?

Info about Dr. Reid Reale:

• Reid Reale - Instagram account
• Mentorship programme for upcoming nutritionist working with combat sport athletes
• Study - Waterloading 
• Study - Knowledge and practices of MMA fighters
• Review 1 - Nutrition for combat sport athletes
• Review 2 - Acute weight-loss strategies for Olympic combat sport athletes

Info about athlEATcoach
Unser Meal-Prep Rezepte eBook
Unser Praxisguide für Sportler
Nutrition coaching for athletes (DE & ENGL)
athlEATcoach Instagram
athlEATcoach website