Does weight loss improve athleticism?

An interesting article I read about Lance Armstrong.

"In his autobiography, Lance Armstrong relates that the debilitating chemotherapy he endured to fight cancer inadvertently contributed to his unprecedented success in the Tour de France. Chemotherapy caused him to lose significant weight, and in the process, literally reshaped his body. In making his comeback from cancer, he competed at a body weight that was 15 pounds lighter than his previous competition weight. Carrying less weight, he was able to conquer mountain stages at a pace that overwhelmed his competitors. Case in point: On the tortuous Alpe D’Huez, his coach estimated that if he’d added back those 15 pounds, he would have also added a whopping 3 minutes and 47 seconds to his finishing time! In competing at a lower weight, Lance had increased his power-to-weight ratio, which dramatically impacted his hill-climbing ability. And as they say — the rest is history."

It's all about what kind of power to weight ratio you can achieve.

 

Almost, there's also an aspect of how much power you need.

Pure endurance athletes will always gain an advantage by losing weight, they don't need to be powerful, their requirements are dominated by the fact that they need to carry their bodyweight as efficiently as possible for as long as possible.

Pure power athletes, like power lifters, don't care about the weight they carry as they only require a very short burst of energy.

Think of it like the difference between a car battery and a watch battery.

 

You're right completely, only I think it's myofibril hypertrophy that causes muscle mass gains. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy would be the low volume high intensity training you are discussing. Joel Jamieson(MMA, Seattle Seahawks, a pro hockey team trainer) and Lyle McDonald www.bodyrecomposition.com are the only guys I believe who have put scientific research and programming with training adequately . Both do a fantastic job discussing the three energy systems, and there role on training. I like Rossboxing also, although I think Joel Jamieson of www.8weeksout.com is by far the most accomplished conditioning trainer. His methods are built in common sense and fundamental, scientific research. Although I am not huge MMA fan anymore, his methods have a big crossover into boxing. I have his book and it is excellent.

 

That is a very good point.

 

I think everyone has their own optimal bodyweight.

Depending where you are in relation to this the answer is yes and no. Obviously there are a lot of fatties and people mildly overweight who will becoem much better athletes with weight loss.
On the other hand if you are a decent weight losing more can just leave your physically drained and you could be losing muscle mass. I remember reading an interview with Manny Steward about Hagler-Leonard; he said much to his surprise for some reason Hearns turned up at 145, not 147 at the weigh in. He reckoned those 2 pounds might have cost Hearns the fights, saying theres a certain point at which additional weight loss can and will have a big effect.

 

losing weight isn't always the answer...

before i started boxing i was fat/chubby and weighed around 165+, after starting boxing i lost alot of weight and weighed around 128 lb, i thought i was fit but my diet was ****, after sorting my diet out i weighed around 145-148 and felt the best i ever did.

 

I like threads like this. Used to box and do muay thai myself and used to be lean as hell and fitter than anyone I knew. However three and a half year on the backhift = no training, ridiculous sleeping/eating patterns, gain of around 2 stone, general lack of enthusiasm for life in general with no motivation to wake up is killing me slowly at the moment. The extra weight, probably gained from drinking habits, are most likely what are causing me to have excruciating knee problems.

Granted, I am an unhappy man at present and need a new job, but I have to find a way to lose a stone I think, running is out as my mri scan is soon. Anyone know of any other ways to burn this excess weight that won't impact my knees so much? Is swimming as effective as running for the weight loss?

 

its very effective for weight loss. swim hard go slim

 

tomorrow it begins then, I feel a bit of a detox coming on after 4 days of ridiculous boozing in zagreb.

Let's hope the knee holds out.

 

Just for the record, I'm not fat, I'm quite a slender built six foot bloke but have noticed that I just generally feel heavier playing football and stuff like that. Couple of stone heavier than I was though when fighting, weigh about thirteen n half stone now. Maybe just weak knees.

 

Is your name what you have for breakfast? Na seriously good luck. Im close to remedying a knee complaint and im able to get training often now. Weighed my heaviest a month ago at 13st2lb and nearly thought, '**** it...im destined to be fat forever'. Im the type of bloke who looks at a kebab and puts on 2lb so i needed to change everything. Now at 12st8lb with two weeks until pre season begins and i feel rejuvinated. Never in my life hav i kept to a healthy living promise for more than two weeks but i wanna see if the pace i had as a teenager returns once i hit the 11st mark. Im only 5'7'' so wanna end on 11st5lb ish after a weights programme. Now pass me that carlsberg.

 

Excellent post.

 

if you loose to much weight you could make yourself weak best thing to improve power and athleticism is to loose weight and then regain some in muscle and get ripped

 

Power = mass x acceleration, nothing to do with bodyweight or body composition.