Questions on weight loss...

beison

So I got a question about "dieting".... =D

I'm a sprinter at 180lbs and 5 foot 7. I got legs that can squat 400 lbs, and a pretty sweet jump that helps me podium in crits and road races alike. Now with all that muscle, comes a lil bit of a gut. I'm not talking anything huge--I'm at 10% body fat right now, but still... factor that into way too much upperbody muscle, and you got a short, heavy guy, who just got dropped on his last road race due to a 3/4 mile long 400 foot climb (6 laps of that was too much...hehe).

Now my body type comes from wrestling, but that also means I can drop that weight easily. I know how to lose 5 lbs per week. Only problem with this, is that I'm a collegiate cyclist, and we're smack dab in the middle of our season. I'm doing a good job of training, and getting in about 10 hours per week. I'm eating a bunch to replinish the lost calories and come back strong on the bike the next training day/race weekend (we have 2-3 races every weekend).

So my question is, should I concentrate on getting super lean, down to like 5% body fat now (which I'm confident I can do), or should I wait until the preseason next year to do it? If I lose weight right now, won't my performance gains go down?

What's a fat sprinter to do? hehe

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Felt_Rider

I am similar in stature 5'6" was close to 190 at one time, but I am down to 168 at the moment and chipping away at a slower pace (1/2 pound per week maximum). Leaning up very slowly will allow your body to adapt and your climbing efforts should improve. All aspects of cycling have improved as I get leaner (not carrying the extra baggage). I can't squat in the 400's anymore though.

Losing 1 pound or less per week (slightly less calories) would hopefully not be detrimental to your power output and recovery.

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cmacblue42

wow, robbie mcewen is 5'6" and 147.... Lose a lot of the gut and much of the arm muscle. You need realy strong abs (which I need to work on) and legs to be a good sprinter.

So lose the much of arm muscle (but dont become a climber) and replace belly fat with belly muscle.

frenchyge

Sprinters (fat or otherwise) are probably going to get dropped in circuit races with 3/4-mile, 400' climbs in them. Nothing you can really do about that, so avoid them if possible.

So, at 180lbs and 10% body fat, you're asking about losing the 9lbs to get down to 5% body fat? Or, are you open to the possibility of losing a lot of the upper body muscle and reshaping yourself into the typical scrawny cycling stud?

Not sure what you're thinking, but I would *not* recommend what I understand to be the common wrestling weight-loss approaches (mostly involving massive water loss) for cycling.

Steve_B

I'm curious as to what specifically they would be. Dehydration? Glycogen depletion? Inducing diarrhea?

frenchyge

Dehydration and starvation, for sure, then get creative.

http://www.wikihow.com/Lose-Weight-in-Wrestling

http://www.amateurwrestler.com/heal...ing-weight.html

jsirabella

No different than bodybuilding...fairly crazy but works...have done it.

http://www.t-nation.com/article/bod...d_in_6_days&cr=

Read this article and you can do it but not very healthy but may get the chicks giving you a second look....

-js

frenchyge

Sweet! Imagine the impact when you stand atop the podium and lift up your jersey to reveal.....



Ba-DOW!!

swampy1970

I used to be ripped like that - but try lifting your Descente skinsuit like he's lifting his wifebeater and you'll look like a fool. Story of my life really......