Does sodium loading really work?

Not sure if it really helps. Phone Post 3.0

Leigh - For weight cutting?

No. I've tried it numerous times. Just makes you hold more water while loading and you have to cut it again. You'll flush loads of sodium when you water load. I've even stopped using distilled water cos it makes no difference. 8L of water a day with no sodium in will get you dry. Phone Post 3.0
Yea for cutting. It just never made any sense to me. Phone Post 3.0

8L is alot! How many days out from weigh ins do you start loading? Phone Post 3.0

Leigh - Well, the theory is that your body starts to expel excess sodium and continues when you stop.

In reality, in my experience, it just messes up your numbers. Phone Post 3.0
Made it hard for me to lose weight before. Phone Post 3.0

How many days/hours out do you stop drinking water Leigh? Do you taper down or just stop?

Leigh - For weight cutting?

No. I've tried it numerous times. Just makes you hold more water while loading and you have to cut it again. You'll flush loads of sodium when you water load. I've even stopped using distilled water cos it makes no difference. 8L of water a day with no sodium in will get you dry. Phone Post 3.0
Hey Leigh! I'm in Australia and we don't seem to have distilled water here so I was always wondering weather it would make a difference at all as opposed to using normal water??? I usually do the water cut (8 litres for 3 days, increase sodium n limit carbs, then down to 3 litres no sodium or carbs followed by no water or food 24 hrs out from weigh in).

I also have trouble putting the weight back on as I usually water cut from 72-71 down to 68 n sweat suit the last kilo (I fight at 67) the most I've gotten back up to was about 70kgs fight time. Do u have any tips??? Phone Post 3.0

Thanks Leigh, and yes I will talk to Doug.

Thanks Leigh! So your saying after weigh in u start out with plain water?? I've always started out with electrolytes (hydrolyte) then after about 2 litres I've continued with water.
I'm currently out injured so I'm going to experiment with a practice cut in a few weeks, I was thinking even though I can't train I can still do it and rehydrate the way u just said and it should still give me an indication of how much I can lose and gain???? only exception being I can't run ATM so sauna suiting is out. Thanks a lot Phone Post 3.0

Leigh - Jeremy, Doug can probably help you with this better than me. I do 8L for at least 3 days to turn off anti-diuretic hormone. Conventional wisdom is to go Sun-Tues 8L, Weds 4L, Thurs 2L, nothing 24 hours out. My experience is that tapering doesn't make that much difference and water loss stops after about 12 hours. I'll still lose another kg in the next 12 hours, which is 45 mins less time cutting.

Gammo, carb and sodium load. Plain water after weigh ins, not electrolytes or carbs. When you feel hydrated and you're weeing again, start with some simple sugars. I have rice pudding. Get the cheapest ones as they don't use fatty cream. From there, is carbs and salt. Low sodium salt is better, as its half potassium.

After my last practise cut, I ate a couple of tins of rice pudding, 500g grapes, a load of chips covered in salt, some dried fruit, a load of baby rusks with milk and a pizza. I put on 7kg by the evening and like you, I only cut 1kg in water. The only way I have found to exceed your starting weight is to use glycerol to super hydrate but it affected me negatively. In a non-contact sport, I think glycerol is excellent though. I gained 10kg and was strong as fuck.

Check your blood pressure before and after your cut. If it's low afterwards, you need more electrolytes to increase plasma volume.
Totally making this a note on my phone. I have about 10lbs to lose by next friday 7pm(9 days) I will try to waterload sun-tues the best i can and switch to distilled wed-thurs tapering as you mentioned. I am 6'0" so making 135 always sucks lol Phone Post 3.0

I will bath mine off 3-5lbs. I also have an iv rehydration lined up. What is you experience with iv rehydration? For me it has always made feel great. I dont eat until i have a bag or 2 of solution in me.

With previous cuts i feel blowing back up to 155 has made me sluggish and slow so i am gonna try to stop at 150lbs 152 at most i wanna be that weight when i walk in to the cage. My last fight i was 160lbs didnt like how heavy i was. Phone Post 3.0

Leigh - I tried an IV once but fucked it up and got a ball of water in my arm, hahahaha.

I can't get above 150 without glycerol. 15lbs is as much as I can put on. Phone Post 3.0
Luckily i have a nurse doing mine, dehydrated veins are hard to find. But i got 6kilos actually to lose in 9 days. Not too bad i suppose. Phone Post 3.0

I used the sodium load and distilled method a few times, I didn't lose a huge amount of weight but it made a difference and I never had problems with cramping.

Until one time it just didn't work, it had no effect at all and I ended up having to cut it all in a sauna anyway and got some insane cramping that I never had before. So I stopped doing it.

Leigh -
Sequoyah Sandford -
Leigh - I tried an IV once but fucked it up and got a ball of water in my arm, hahahaha.

I can't get above 150 without glycerol. 15lbs is as much as I can put on. Phone Post 3.0
Luckily i have a nurse doing mine, dehydrated veins are hard to find. But i got 6kilos actually to lose in 9 days. Not too bad i suppose. Phone Post 3.0
I do 6 in 7 days comfortably. If you do it over 9 days, you could probably eliminate the active cut completely. Phone Post 3.0
I lost another half a kilo since practice so its gonna be a walk in the park. I am a little cranky tho due to calorie/carb reduction lol Phone Post 3.0

I personally know people who have made sodium loading work quite well.

But I agree with Leigh that if you are able to dial stuff in without it, why bother. It seems that manipulating water intake (along with calories etc) works well enough.

I have never actually used sodium loading for me personally. I've never felt I needed to as my other strategies have worked just fine.

TAKU

The last time I cut I did a sodium load and used distilled water for the last 8L I had to drink. Bloated from 181.5 to 183 and then I was down to 170 within 2 days. I sweat out the last 5 lbs on the car ride and with a quick epsom salt bath. Never once did I feel tired or sick.

Weighed in at 165 and was back up to 180 the next morning feeling great. Do what works best for you but I had great a great experience with sodium loading and using distilled water.

Leigh - I think you could have done that without the sodium or distilled water. I also put on 15lbs and I'm a lot lighter than you.
What would you say the minimum is for water loading? As for as amount of water to be consumed? Phone Post 3.0

Leigh - No worries. Electrolytes are critical but yes, start with plain water. I only drink plain water - carb drinks just bloat me.

Use a hot bath instead of a sauna suit Phone Post 3.0
Thanks a lot! I usually drink for 2 hours then begin eating and I usually find that after 2-3 small helpings of food (I always eat pasta and veggie pizza after weigh ins) I'm totally stuffed and can't eat or drink anymore!
When u use the hot bath to u use Abolene or sweet sweat at all??? When cutting the final kilo or so I usually sweat suit it with either of those creams n do a few laps n it comes straight off but I wanna experiment with the bath n c how it goes!! I've voted u up by the way Phone Post 3.0

Leigh - I think you could have done that without the sodium or distilled water. I also put on 15lbs and I'm a lot lighter than you.

Yeah, I can definitely cut the same weight without the sodium and distilled water. This was just the easiest cut I had ever done. No idea if that was actually the difference, but I thought Id share my experience anyways.

I only have 5.5kilos left today. I will water load sunday-tues like you said regardless how bad 8l are gonna suck lol Phone Post 3.0

Leigh - Mix it with some flavouring. Goes down way easier and the carb content is negligible. Also easier to prep it before hand and let it warm to room temperature. I use two 2L bottles, so one sits for 3-4 hours while I drink the other.

If it makes you feel any better, other people I've spoken to drink 3 gallons (11.5L) Phone Post 3.0
I use crystal lite 0 cal/carb and yea i am gonna fill up a couple gal and have at it! 3 gal is crazy lol Phone Post 3.0