I have written numerous articles about finding your right weight for Jiu-Jitsu and have been experimenting competing at 4 different weight classes such as Super Heavy (-100), Heavy (-94,3), Medium Heavy (-88,3) and now medio (-82,3). At the moment, I’m at Medio and really feel better from a conditioning, movement, explosivity, speed, flexibility point of view. The only possible drawback is being a little less stronger and of course looking much skinnier :). Living in Eastern Europe where most people are big and stocky, you will always have people who are trying to feed you :). Having a body fat percentage anywhere between 7 to 15% is recommendable for Jiu-Jitsu players however staying constantly at that weight all year round is really important to avoid drastic last minute weight cuts.
From Beaking Muscle :
“When cutting weight, the most common amount was 2 to 5% of bodyweight, but 40% of all athletes had lost 5 to 10%, and some lost even more.
As an athlete or a coach, it’s important to focus on keeping your weight cutting under control, and maintaining a weight close to your competition weight year round. Active weight cutting is also more aggressive than passive weight cutting, which can often be just as effective in my experience as a coach. If you need to cut weight, look for a trainer that does not recommend extreme weight loss and extreme methods.”
For more information about effects of weight cutting, read entire article
