making weight

any advice from you folks out there on losing the most amount of total weight (for competition purposes) with the least amount of detriment to strength/performance?
greatly appreciated.

It depends more on BF %'s than total weight loss - starting and ending BF %'s. If your BF% gets too low, your strength and endurance will suffer. I know I’m stronger and have better WO’s at 10-12% BF than at 6% BF. But when competing in weight classes, you have to find a happy medium and will depend on the individual as some are naturally leaner than others so it depends ultimately on your genes and you will have to see how your preformance changes at higher and lower BF %'s and see what you can live with. Good luck.

Angel Spassov brought his Bulgarian boiling thing to North America in the 80’s. You soak in a bathtub with the hottest water you can stand for about 1/2 an hour, then when you get out you wrap up in a bunch of towels so you don’t lose any heat. Arthur Dreschler says it’s a really good way to make weight & still stay strong.

Question: what type of competition. I don’t want to assume you mean bodybuilding - but you could be talking about wrestling, too. If it’s bodybuilding, if you’re starting out with a hight BF%, then begin your cutting phase as far out from contest date as possible. And lose slowly. If you’re BF% is low, then do the same thing, only closer to the show. You might also consider being “stage ready” one week out. I lose very little strength this way, and I train heavy up until the day of the show and I get very lean for contests. Often, I have to start eating more a week out from a contest, which really boosts my strength levels…

I would also like to know what sport you are competing in. For a fighter the best way is to slowly diet down to the weight you need to be at while maintaing your strength. Any type of rapid weight loss will result in loss of strength and stamina. It can also be dangerous.