Making weight, DeGale and Henry Wharton

[dalcumly]

I read in the papers this morning about how DeGales new strength and conditioning coach has moved him from dead lifting 50kgs to 155 kgs in 6 months. Moreover his 3 meals a day diet has meant he has no problem making 12sts.
It just reminded me of my meetings with Henry Wharton when I was researching for the book 'Henrys Dream' . He was preparing for a European title fight with Sam Storey in Halifax and although training like a beast, as always, and watching his food, he still was struggling to make the weight. On the morning of the weigh in, he went to the local leisure centre for a sauna to shift the last few ounces. After about half an hour in the sauna , in full tracksuit, he came out into the shower . Suddenly his legs gave way and he just slid down the glass onto the floor. His team had to pull him out and get him rubbed down . He was still at least a pound over!
They trained again, and walked about, and to everybodys astonishment made the weight.
Henry fought like a champion and won.
Changed days indeed.

[bripez]

Completely agree saunas were common practice, my brother was fighting Keith Wallace many moons ago on short notice and spent the days before in a sauna with no food or drink to make weight

Yeah, drying out used to be the practice years ago - now the recommend drinking more water rather than less!

[davie]

If Degale was ever deadlifting 50kgs for anything other than cardio I'd be pretty surprised

[Deserter]

If Degale was ever deadlifting 50kgs for anything other than cardio I'd be pretty surprised

Agree 100%!

[bripez]

Who is the best deadlifter - Tyson Fury or Degale ? ........

Also, any self respecting weight trainer includes 20kg for an Olympic bar in their calculations - are we to believe that Degale would walk into a gym and deadlift 15kg a side?

[mickey1975]

Nutrition has evolved, Henry wouldn't have had a clue. At our old gym, they'd tell you not to drink water! He was just happy to make the weight so he could on the drink the night before the fight. He swears it brought out the best in him. He has Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McDermott advising all his lads on nutrition.

[bripez]

He has Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McDermott advising all his lads on nutrition.

Is that because he is a mate and is free? - it would make more sense to use somebody with experience of sports where making a weight is important.

[davie]

If Degale was ever deadlifting 50kgs for anything other than cardio I'd be pretty surprised

Agree 100%!

I'd also be a tad surprised if he's throwing about 150kgs as a 12 stone fighter

[bripez]

If Degale was ever deadlifting 50kgs for anything other than cardio I'd be pretty surprised

Agree 100%!

I'd also be a tad surprised if he's throwing about 150kgs as a 12 stone fighter

True, 3 and a bit plates a side - it isn't worth the risk of injury if nothing else.

Would a top boxer actually even deadlift? - I could imagine them doing ballistic type stuff such as power cleans etc. but not necessarily the traditional deadlift.

[mickey1975]

He has Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McDermott advising all his lads on nutrition.

Is that because he is a mate and is free? - it would make more sense to use somebody with experience of sports where making a weight is important.

They are friends, and he trains there, I'm sure Brian has some knowledge being the boss of the best Rugby Team in Britain! He's not some part timer.

[fizzjambo]

If Degale was ever deadlifting 50kgs for anything other than cardio I'd be pretty surprised

Agree 100%!

I'd also be a tad surprised if he's throwing about 150kgs as a 12 stone fighter

150kgs isn't a huge deadlift though. If he's doing sets of 10 with it then that's different but just in terms of building up to a single lift it's hardly unusual for a 80kg athlete

[davie]

Agree 100%!

I'd also be a tad surprised if he's throwing about 150kgs as a 12 stone fighter

True, 3 and a bit plates a side - it isn't worth the risk of injury if nothing else.

Would a top boxer actually even deadlift? - I could imagine them doing ballistic type stuff such as power cleans etc. but not necessarily the traditional deadlift.

It's certainly a good strength exercise. An absolute staple for the the body builder.
Would it be more beneficial that something more 'explosive'?
I don't know enough about that to pass an opinion, leave that to the strength and conditioning guy I suppose.
But the weights maybe surprise me.

Perhaps the 150kg is just a 1 rep max type figure they've done in tests as opposed to what he throws around each day. But again, as you say, trying to deadlift to your max capacity runs a good risk of injury.
I'm no bodybuilder or power lifter by any stretch but I enjoy a bit of weight training and my goals are certainly more attuned to heavy lifts than a boxer, I would have thought. I've weighed as much as 16 st and 150kg is a fairly heavy lift.

[davie]

Agree 100%!

I'd also be a tad surprised if he's throwing about 150kgs as a 12 stone fighter

150kgs isn't a huge deadlift though. If he's doing sets of 10 with it then that's different but just in terms of building up to a single lift it's hardly unusual for a 80kg athlete

Not massive but it's a solid lift, particularly for someone 3/4 my body wieght.
I also struggle to imagine a boxer wanting to do single lifts or even 3-5 reps sets.
Have we any strength and conditioning guys on that could shine some light on it. It just sounds a bit much to me

[fizzjambo]

I'd also be a tad surprised if he's throwing about 150kgs as a 12 stone fighter

150kgs isn't a huge deadlift though. If he's doing sets of 10 with it then that's different but just in terms of building up to a single lift it's hardly unusual for a 80kg athlete

Not massive but it's a solid lift, particularly for someone 3/4 my body wieght.
I also struggle to imagine a boxer wanting to do single lifts or even 3-5 reps sets.
Have we any strength and conditioning guys on that could shine some light on it. It just sounds a bit much to me

I'm just under 90kgs and about ten years past being fit and I'd do 3-5 reps at 150kg at my top end. Properly fit I'm probably there or there abouts sizes wi DeGale so it's seems fair enough to me. I think so long as a boxer is lifting with the correct technique deadlifts are an excellent lift for fighters.

[Oiky]

Yeah, keeping form and technique correct and deadlifts are good for a fighter

[Deserter]

I'd also be a tad surprised if he's throwing about 150kgs as a 12 stone fighter

150kgs isn't a huge deadlift though. If he's doing sets of 10 with it then that's different but just in terms of building up to a single lift it's hardly unusual for a 80kg athlete

Not massive but it's a solid lift, particularly for someone 3/4 my body wieght.
I also struggle to imagine a boxer wanting to do single lifts or even 3-5 reps sets.
Have we any strength and conditioning guys on that could shine some light on it. It just sounds a bit much to me

It really isn't mate. General rule is that someone of decent strength who trains regularly should be able to do 2.5xbodyweight for a one rep max. In Degale's case that's well north of 150kg.

[davie]

Fair do's
Maybe I'm just a poof that can't lift for poo

[Counter-puncher]

Lol do u even lift bro?

[mickey1975]

I know a guy who's not huge, but in incredible shape, a fitness model, who does way over 200. In fact he may have even competed at it. I'm sure he said 250.

[Supremo]

Yes a boxer would deadlift. One of the most important strength builders without strength you don't have a base for power. I would expect de gale would lift more than 150

[samwbr]

There are lads at the crossfit gym I was at that deadlift 200kg + with ease. The top competing lads there were doing some incredible lifting.