The following article on making weight as a lightweight rower has been written by Tom Kay, a three-times World Champion and double Olympian, who finished his international career with a World Silver Medal in the single scull in 2003.

Firstly it is important to say that everyone is different and will be affected by weight loss in their own particular way. It is also important to understand that the same person may be affected differently at different times - due to changing circumstances such as state of health for example.

The following thoughts are based on my own experiences and you should know that I am not scientifically qualified. I was however an international lightweight oarsman for 15 years and have won world championships and set world best times at weight; so have some experience.

The whole point of making weight is to gain entry to a lightweight event - but still be able to race! If you can't race well at the required weight, don't try.

There are broadly three ways you can lose weight. You can exercise more, you can eat less or you can lose water (sweat).

Extra exercise is probably the wrong way to go. It takes a long time to burn off a significant number of additional calories (you need to burn about 7700cals over your needs for 1kg fat loss - that is about 10hours of pretty hard work). If you try this route you may well end up doing the wrong training for your race preparation, not to mention that all that training will make you very hungry...

Reducing your intake of calories is the best long-term way to lose weight. If you can eat 500cals less than you are using per day, it will average out at about 500g (1lb) per week weight loss, which is about the right rate to be sustainable. Make sure you eat well though. Eating a healthy balanced diet cutting out snacks and eating between meals will often be enough to promote weight loss for most people.

Water loss - in rowing this is usually done through sweating - is a short term and unsustainable method of making weight. You could sweat on a run or in a sauna. Here though I urge EXTREME CAUTION, I only mention it at all, as I know people will use this method anyway.

If you need to lose a few grams to dip under the weight limit at the last minute, you may need to resort to a sweat run. Be aware, though, that even a couple of hundred grams can adversely affect your performance!

The DANGER is in over heating and/or dehydrating. Be prepared, know your limits and don't do it if you are at all ill or "coming down with something"; or if you have too far to go to make the weight.

In summary then, preparation is everything if you want a good performance.

• Eat less and well
• Do the correct training preparation to race
• Leave yourself long enough to lose weight gradually
• Only sweat a little if you absolutely have to on the day and you are completely healthy

If you can't do these things and make the weight, you should race open weight.