Looking for how to water cut for a two hour weigh in at a powerlifting meet? This calculator can help.
If you’re looking for a broader guide on cutting weight for a meet (24 hour and 2 hour weigh in), I highly recommend Powerlifting To Win’s guide.
Most powerlifting meets, including USAPL and IPF, require that athletes weigh in 2 hours prior to competing. This water cut spreadsheet helps you know how much water to drink so you can cut 5-15 pounds easily.
This spreadsheet is based off of Mike Hedlesky’s article. He claims he’s used this to drop 10-15 pounds without sacrificing strength. I’ve personally used this water cutting guide to drop 8-ish pounds prior to a meet and still hit PRs. I highly recommend reading it.
This spreadsheet makes everything dead simple. Just plug in your meet date and your weight in pounds. The spreadsheet will calculate everything else for you.
Reddit discussion on this method here.
Good luck!
After Weigh-Ins
After weighing in, there are a few steps you should follow to rehydrate and refuel.
- Drink a liquid with electrolytes like Pedialyte or Gatorade. Sip the drink and don’t chug it so it can digest normally.
- According to MMA Channel, fighters will often drink coconut water to help rehydrate after weighing in, so that might be a good option for powerlifters too.
- Eat foods rich in protein and carbohydrates. These should be foods you’re used to eating and are easy to digest.
Personally, I usually bring two Pedialytes with me to drink on meet day. I start sipping one immediately after weigh-ins and then I drink the other one throughout the meet. I also bring donuts for energy and Chipotle or something similar for protein and additional carbs. I’m not saying this is optimal, but it seems to work okay for me.
