Making weight

[Bilal Kreidieh]

May 22, 2013 15:09:47 GMT -5 Don Smith said:

True Bilal but at least you would know ahead of time that you would have 24 or 48 hours to recover. Then you could make up your mind how you wanted to handle that. It would be the same for everyone and that's what makes it fair. If someone in the 242's came down and armwrestled you, and you won, it's no big deal. But, if you lost, now you could argue it didn't count and rankings shouldn't change. In order for the rankings to be legit and the sport to have integrity it must be the same for everyone. Hard enough to get fans already (do to the fact people just don't understand the sport) but you could lose some if people think the sport is rigged.

I guess the only thing I see as an issue is that someone can come in who normally walks around at 227 lbs and barely makes weight for 220 lb weight class (or pulls up into the 242 lbs if 220 lbs is not in a tournament) and decide to cut ridiculous water weight and drop to 202 lbs - which would normally make the cut off for the 198 lbs weight class. Two days after, when he's on the table, he's already stuffed his face with sweet potatoes, rice, pasta and every simple/complex carb you can think off and hydrated really well after dropping a ton of water weight. The guy would weigh at easily 20 lbs over his weight class. Now what happens there? If this guy is ranked in the 242 lbs weight class and he comes in and beats the #1 ranked guy in 198 lbs, does he take his rank? What if he never makes that weight again? If he wins nationals at 198 lbs when he's never pulled 198 lbs, is he national champion in that weight class? I think it makes things a little confusing and also a huge advantage when you got people weighing 190 lbs pulling people weighing over 220 lbs.

[Jay Riehle]

I'm not exactly sure where the corruption is here??? When I was cutting from 255lbs I weighed in the one tourney in Woodstock @ 201lbs and although I didn't ask, I was told "sorry it has to be 198.0lbs and again in Peterbourgh I thought I could cut to 176lbs, I made 179lbs and same idea...No dice. I would never ask to compete in a class I couldn't make. Even if it was a half of a pound. I've seen it where Shea Dickie had to cut .2lbs or they wouldn't let him in to the class and that was at a sanctioned "Southern's" where we train with the guys doing the weigh ins. Guess I'm just asking is there really "corruption" in the O.A.A.'s curcuit events??? I also can't say I'm opposed to weigh ins the day before. I think the idea is fine especially with people travelling long distances to compete (i.e.-MCG) Take for example the most heavily regulated sport right now...MMA these fighters bust their asses to make weight to compete, and if they make it to the top or championship status, they must maintain this weight or continue to cut to remain champion. Doing the weigh ins the day prior allows them to make their desired weight and still be able to compete at a healty/rehydrated state and if anything by making this cut and to rejuvenate will give their competitor who does not have to make the drastic cut the upper hand.

[Jay Riehle]

I can see what your saying Bil, regarding Prov's and Nat's. Although the competitor made his weight that day and won his championship, there is nothing stating he has to defend that title at the next event. I beleive Joe has taken this factor to the next level, if you want to be an Arm Melter Champion you had better d**n well be ready to defend it otherwise your stripped of the title. And I couldn't think of a worse way to lose a title if it is because you couldn't make weight or just didn't want to. Fairly disgraceful if you ask me, but hay that's just my opinion.

[Don Smith]

I agree Jay, Arm Melter has it right. It forces the competitor to look in the future and decide if he/she wants to keep making the weight.