I understand your confusion...
Weight classes are confusing.
For a start in grappling, they seem to be different at every event (apart from IBJJF). Some can be as much as a few KG while others are just 0.4KG.
Some have weigh ins early then fights start an hour later. Some weigh in 15 mins before a fight. Some even weigh in minutes before (like last Saturday, I had to wait on the mats as my opponent was still getting changed).
All of this makes it very confusing to gauge what is best for you. It also makes it a nightmare for a nutritional coach like me.
I always ask my fighters what time will they be weighing in and what time will they be fighting. I tailor their nutrition to match not only themselves but the schedule they are on. If the schedule is unpredictable or changes suddenly then it makes it stressful for my clients. Not what you want on competition day!
Now I understand that running an event is stressful (I've helped run a couple) and not everything can be planned to the last detail. But if you are expecting to charge a premium for an event, then you better run it like a premium event (not pointing fingers).
With many events now saying that they adopt the IBJJF rules (feel sorry for the refs) then why aren't they sticking to the weight classes or even the rules themselves?
I personally like the idea of weighing in right before you step on the mat. It would help limit the number of people that starve themselves or do silly water loading and sauna protocols. Fighters would fight at their correct weight being fuelled and ready to fight. In my very limited and humble opinion it should be like this for every weight class,
This would obviously need more people to run the event and make it a lot more scheduled and organised. A bit harder to do? Yes. Better for the fighters and minimise complaints? Yes.
If grappling is going to continue to grow at the rate it is (did someone whisper Olympics) then the focus MUST change to fighter experience and not the experience or ease of the promotors.
Now a lot of promotors will say that they put fighters first at their competitions. When was the last time that gold medalists received a prize that was worth even the same as their entry fee or even a prize at all? However this is slowly changing with events either having better trophies or being low cost for fighters to enter.
All I want to see is events that put fighters first. Surely the money will follow the experience?
Thoughts?
Stay Healthy,
Mike
For a start in grappling, they seem to be different at every event (apart from IBJJF). Some can be as much as a few KG while others are just 0.4KG.
Some have weigh ins early then fights start an hour later. Some weigh in 15 mins before a fight. Some even weigh in minutes before (like last Saturday, I had to wait on the mats as my opponent was still getting changed).
All of this makes it very confusing to gauge what is best for you. It also makes it a nightmare for a nutritional coach like me.
I always ask my fighters what time will they be weighing in and what time will they be fighting. I tailor their nutrition to match not only themselves but the schedule they are on. If the schedule is unpredictable or changes suddenly then it makes it stressful for my clients. Not what you want on competition day!
Now I understand that running an event is stressful (I've helped run a couple) and not everything can be planned to the last detail. But if you are expecting to charge a premium for an event, then you better run it like a premium event (not pointing fingers).
With many events now saying that they adopt the IBJJF rules (feel sorry for the refs) then why aren't they sticking to the weight classes or even the rules themselves?
I personally like the idea of weighing in right before you step on the mat. It would help limit the number of people that starve themselves or do silly water loading and sauna protocols. Fighters would fight at their correct weight being fuelled and ready to fight. In my very limited and humble opinion it should be like this for every weight class,
- Weight class told to warm up 30 mins before first fight.
- All fighters weighed in 5 mins before first fight (first fighters weighing in first)
- Weight class starts.
This would obviously need more people to run the event and make it a lot more scheduled and organised. A bit harder to do? Yes. Better for the fighters and minimise complaints? Yes.
If grappling is going to continue to grow at the rate it is (did someone whisper Olympics) then the focus MUST change to fighter experience and not the experience or ease of the promotors.
Now a lot of promotors will say that they put fighters first at their competitions. When was the last time that gold medalists received a prize that was worth even the same as their entry fee or even a prize at all? However this is slowly changing with events either having better trophies or being low cost for fighters to enter.
All I want to see is events that put fighters first. Surely the money will follow the experience?
Thoughts?
Stay Healthy,
Mike