Connor John, Egan Brendan
School of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City University, Dublin D09 V209, Ireland.
National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin D09 V209, Ireland.
Sports (Basel). 2019 Sep 9;7(9):206. doi: 10.3390/sports7090206.
Rapid weight loss (RWL) is frequently practiced in weight category sports, including Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The aim of the present study was to describe self-reported methods of RWL in a sample of competitive MMA athletes comprising of both amateur and professional fighters. The previously-validated Rapid Weight Loss Questionnaire, with the addition of questions on water loading and hot salt baths, was completed anonymously online by athletes (n = 30; all male, n = 15/15 professional/amateur) from MMA clubs around Dublin, Ireland. All but one (97%) of the athletes surveyed lost weight in order to compete, with the average weight loss being 7.9% ± 3.1% of habitual body mass. The RWL score (mean ± SD) for this sample was 37.9 ± 9.6, and a tendency for higher [6.0 (95%CI; -1.1, 13.1) ( = 0.093; = 0.64)] RWL scores for professional (40.8 ± 8.9) compared to amateur (34.8 ± 9.6) athletes was observed. Frequencies of "always" or "sometimes" were reported as 90% for water loading, 76% for hot salt baths and 55% for 24 h of fasting. Fellow fighters (41%) and coaches/mentors (38%) were "very influential" on RWL practices of these athletes, with doctors (67%), dietitians (41%), and physical trainers (37%) said to be "not influential". RWL is highly prevalent in MMA across both amateur and professional athletes, and RWL scores are higher than other combat sports. Water loading and hot salt baths are amongst the most commonly used methods of RWL despite little research on these methods for body mass reduction or effects on performance in weight category sports.
快速减重（RWL）在包括综合格斗（MMA）在内的各级别体重类运动中经常被采用。本研究的目的是描述在一个由业余和职业格斗选手组成的竞技MMA运动员样本中自我报告的快速减重方法。先前经过验证的快速减重问卷，加上关于水负荷和热盐浴的问题，由来自爱尔兰都柏林各地MMA俱乐部的运动员（n = 30；均为男性，职业/业余各15名）在线匿名完成。接受调查的运动员中，除一人外（97%）都为了参赛而减重，平均减重量为习惯体重的7.9%±3.1%。该样本的快速减重得分（均值±标准差）为37.9±9.6，观察到职业运动员（40.8±8.9）的快速减重得分相比业余运动员（34.8±9.6）有更高的趋势[6.0（95%CI；-1.1，13.1）（P = 0.093；效应量 = 0.64）]。报告“总是”或“有时”进行水负荷的频率为90%，热盐浴为76%，禁食24小时为55%。同侪格斗选手（41%）和教练/导师（38%）对这些运动员的快速减重做法“非常有影响力”，而医生（67%）、营养师（41%）和体能教练（37%）被认为“没有影响力”。快速减重在MMA的业余和职业运动员中都非常普遍，且快速减重得分高于其他格斗运动。尽管关于这些方法在体重类运动中减轻体重或对表现的影响的研究很少，但水负荷和热盐浴仍是最常用的快速减重方法。
