Learning from Jordan Sullivan
The Fight Dietitian who made "weight cutting" a science instead of a gamble
The Story
For decades, "making weight" in combat sports was a brutal trial of willpower—plastic suits, saunas, starvation, dehydration to the point of kidney stress. Fighters would lose 15-20% of their body weight, then try to perform at the highest level.
Jordan Sullivan, founder of "The Fight Dietitian," looked at this tradition and saw something different: a medical procedure being executed without medical expertise.
His approach transformed the weight cut from a dangerous gamble into a calculated physiological intervention. His clients include UFC champions Israel Adesanya, Alexander Volkanovski, and Leon Edwards.
The key insight: A healthy fighter is a dangerous fighter. Performance is a downstream effect of physiological health.
Who is Jordan Sullivan?
| Credential | Detail |
|---|---|
| Education | Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Nutrition Sciences; Master of Dietetic Studies |
| Certification | Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) - Australia |
| Clients | Israel Adesanya, Alexander Volkanovski, Kai Kara-France, Leon Edwards |
| Known For | The "52-Week Fight Camp" philosophy; the "5% Rule"; Trainade hydration formula |
Sullivan treats the weight cut as a clinical procedure, not a test of mental toughness.
What ISP Students Learn
Lesson 1: The "52-Week Fight Camp"
Traditional fighters operate on a boom-bust cycle:
- Camp: Extreme discipline, caloric restriction
- Off-camp: Rapid weight gain, metabolic dysfunction
Sullivan rejects this completely.
His philosophy: Stay within 10-12% of fight weight year-round.
Why it matters:
- If you're 20% above fight weight, your training camp becomes a "fat camp"
- Energy restriction compromises recovery and blunts training adaptations
- You're training to lose weight instead of training to win
What this means for young athletes: Don't swing wildly between "on" and "off" nutrition. Consistency beats cycles.
Lesson 2: The 5% Rule
Sullivan's most important safety parameter:
Never lose more than 5% of body weight through active dehydration (sweating) in the final hours before competition.
Why 5% matters:
- Below 5%: Manageable, recoverable
- Above 5%: Cardiovascular impairment, kidney stress, "dry brain" (reduced cerebrospinal fluid), increased concussion risk
The math: If you weigh 170 lbs, your maximum acute water cut is 8.5 lbs.
What this means for young athletes: There's a physiological limit to safe weight cutting. Respect it.
Lesson 3: Smart Weight Manipulation Sequence
Sullivan's protocol manipulates body compartments in sequence, saving dangerous dehydration for last (if needed at all):
| Step | Method | What It Removes | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Fiber Diet | Gut residue (1-2 kg) | Completely safe |
| 2 | Carb Tapering | Glycogen-bound water | Safe |
| 3 | Water Loading → Restriction | Extracellular water | Moderate risk |
| 4 | Sodium Manipulation | Additional water | Moderate risk |
| 5 | Active Sweating | Final water weight | Highest risk—cap at 5% |
The insight: Most of the "weight cut" should happen through gut clearing and glycogen manipulation—NOT dehydration.
What this means for young athletes: There are smart ways to lose weight that don't involve suffering in a sauna.
Lesson 4: The Science of Rehydration
Getting back to normal after weigh-in is as important as making weight.
The problem with plain water: Drinking too much plain water triggers urination before you're actually rehydrated.
Sullivan's approach:
- Rate: ~1 liter per hour (matches kidney filtration capacity)
- Content: Sodium + glucose to activate SGLT1 transporters
- Goal: Replace 150% of fluid lost
The Refuel Shake (post-weigh-in):
- 1 Liter water
- 2g electrolyte powder
- 3g creatine (cell volumization)
- 30g glucose
- 20g whey protein
- 5g glutamine
What this means for young athletes: Rehydration is a science. Don't just chug water.
Key Takeaways
| Lesson | One-Liner |
|---|---|
| 52-week camp | Stay close to competition weight year-round |
| The 5% rule | Never dehydrate more than 5% of body weight |
| Smart sequence | Gut clearing and glycogen manipulation before sweating |
| Rehydration science | Sodium + glucose + controlled rate |
How This Shows Up at ISP
Jordan Sullivan's safety-first approach shapes how ISP thinks about weight management:
- We emphasize year-round consistency over boom-bust cycles
- Weight manipulation (when needed) follows physiological principles
- Students learn the difference between safe and dangerous practices
- The 5% rule is taught as a non-negotiable safety limit
When ISP students think about body composition, they think about health first, performance second.
MMA is a Glycolytic Sport
Sullivan firmly rejects low-carb/ketogenic diets for combat athletes:
The science: MMA involves high-intensity, anaerobic bursts (takedowns, scrambles, striking exchanges) that are fueled almost exclusively by glucose.
His recommendation:
- Training: 30-60g carbs per hour for sessions up to 90 minutes
- Fight day loading: 8-10g per kg of body weight
The rice cake protocol (fight day):
- Rice cakes (high glycemic)
- Nutella (energy density)
- Banana (potassium)
- Honey (immediate fuel)
The Big 5 Supplements
Sullivan's evidence-based supplement stack:
| Supplement | Why |
|---|---|
| Creatine | Explosive power; aids rehydration |
| Beta-Alanine | Buffers acid during intense efforts |
| Whey Protein | Convenient high-quality protein |
| Omega-3s | Anti-inflammatory; joint and brain health |
| Vitamin D3 | Hormone support; especially for indoor athletes |
Learn More
- How ISP Works →
- Francis Holway — Body Composition Science →
- Maughan & Shirreffs — Hydration Science →
"A healthy fighter is a dangerous fighter."