I am thinking about using the sauna to cut some water weight for an upcoming competition. I have used various water/sodium loading protocols and immersions baths but I have never used the sauna before to make weight (the hotel has a sauna so it seems like the easiest method). I have an 18 hour period before the weigh-in and the meet. Most of the stuff I have read suggests using the sauna for 15-30 minute periods with breaks in between sessions.
My 2 questions are: how do you use the sauna to produce weight loss and what kind of weight loss do you normally see in a 15 or 30 minute sauna session - meaning do you lose 1 pound for every 15 minutes or what? Also do you have a maximum weight loss that you have had success with? I was thinking a 3% bodyweight loss would be reasonable. Any feedback or experiences you had would be welcome.
[quote]Tim Henriques wrote:
I am thinking about using the sauna to cut some water weight for an upcoming competition. I have used various water/sodium loading protocols and immersions baths but I have never used the sauna before to make weight (the hotel has a sauna so it seems like the easiest method). I have an 18 hour period before the weigh-in and the meet. Most of the stuff I have read suggests using the sauna for 15-30 minute periods with breaks in between sessions. My 2 questions are: how do you use the sauna to produce weight loss and what kind of weight loss do you normally see in a 15 or 30 minute sauna session - meaning do you lose 1 pound for every 15 minutes or what? Also do you have a maximum weight loss that you have had success with? I was thinking a 3% bodyweight loss would be reasonable. Any feedback or experiences you had would be welcome.[/quote]
Kroc doesn’t use a sauna, so that is irrelevant to Tim’s question. Unfortunately, I have nothing to add, as I have only used Kroc’s immersion method, and not a sauna.
I’ve used a sauna once after some water manipulation trying to make 175 for a strongman comp.
I think I started around 185, was down to about 179 or so after fluid manipulation (3 gallons/day w/ dandelion root + sodium for a couple days before hand, then a day of minimal water intake), then lost the rest in under two hours in the sauna.
I don’t recall the rate of weight loss, but it was pretty quick IMO even starting from a semi dehydrated state.
3% sounds about right after the water manipulation stuff which I didn’t really do right.
I wasn’t too happy after getting out of the sauna, but was physically fine otherwise and back to tip top shape after some fluids, food, and a nap.
How many pounds you usually lose when you do water/sodium loads? And whats your weight?
Im thinking making weight on my next compt and thinking how many pounds people usually lose.
Sorry, I’ve got no advice on your dilemma. I was wondering what you do currently? I have a morning weigh in this weekend and was wondering if I could drop a few lbs and recover properly before lifting.
Im currently drinking 1.5gallons water a day, with extra salt in my diet, thinking ill stop that 18h out then rehydrate after the weigh in.
When i cut weight for wrestling in high school i had those figures nailed down pretty good. I would lose almost exactly 0.25 pounds an hour doing nothing (no eating, no drinking, no spitting in a cup, etc). I would lose almost exactly 1.0 in 45 minutes of maintaining a sweat. I say maintain because my method was to expend as little energy as possible getting started, aka a few sprints in a sweat suit, and then id just do enough to keep it flowing. That would either be a very light jog, or sitting in a sauna. This was all while i was already pretty dehydrated, and only weighed 140-180 though. Might be a good low end for the number range you are looking for.