Let me start with this, for my readers who don't participate in powerlifting, cutting weight is the practice of dropping a significant amount of water weight (usually greater than 5%) the week before a powerlifting meet. Don't get cutting weight confused with losing weight. It's not the process of going on a diet to lose fat.

For those entertaining cutting, here's my first question for you. Have you been "competing" in powerlifting for over five years? If you have not, then you shouldn't even entertain cutting weight.

I go with a hard and fast five-year rule because as far as I'm concerned, you are a novice in the sport until you have put at least that much time in on the platform. During those first five years, your focus should be on getting bigger, stronger, and honing your technique. Cutting weight does nothing to help any of those three attributes.

Ok, let's say you have been competing for more than five years, what's your actual motivation to cut? If you are cutting to set a federation submaster, one knee wrapped, no belt, fire division state record, don't bother. Do you want to know why? Nobody cares. Sorry for the butt hurt.

For the most part, cutting weight is counterproductive. The whole reason to powerlift is to get bigger and stronger. Just watch the beginning of the video below where Dan Green is interviewed by Dave Tate. Dan is one of the strongest powerlifters in the world. He discusses how if he did what most lifters do as far as picking a weight class, it would have held him back.

I can hear it already, what a hypocrite Dizenzo is, he's cut weight a lot of times. First, my hypocrisy knows no bounds. However, I had my day in the sun. I packed on the pounds in order to get as big and strong as my body could handle. I had gone way beyond five years of competing before I ever cut a pound.

There are a few good reasons out there to cut. Maybe if you want to go after an All-Time world record, that's a pretty good reason. I cut for that and set the All-Time record in the bench a bunch of years ago. Guess what though? I had to go to work the next day just like everyone else. And just like the submaster, one knee wrapped, no belt, fire division state record I mentioned above, nobody cared about my All-Time world record either.

I have also cut weight to be in big-time cash meets. If you are getting invited to those types of meets, chances are you're well beyond that five-year novice to intermediate level lifter. Most meets nowadays and even a lot of the "World" level meets are nothing more than glorified local meets where you're lucky to have another lifter in your class and division. Save cuts for worthwhile events.

The biggest reason for a lot of my cuts has been to bring my weight down. When I was at my biggest I always promised myself I'd take the weight off. Moving down weight classes was always fun motivation for me.

Honestly, if you want to cut, go at it. However, know it can very likely end up holding you back. If you are going to cut, really think about why you are doing it and if it's worth it. Just don't do it becuase it seems like everyone else is.

Lastly, cutting can be very dangerous. If you are going to do it, I highly recommend working with someone who knows what they are doing. That's both with the cut and the rehydration process. Don't do a half-assed search on the internet. There are a lot of imbeciles out there and sadly, social media and the internet gives them a platform they don't really deserve.