weight -lean muscle and fat both can be come issues for creating injuries. Especially over use injuries and muscle pulls tears. Moving 200lbs+ of muscle or fat takes it's toll on older ligiments and muscles that aren't used to doing ballistic type activities like sprinting and jumping you achillies and hamstring don't care if it is 200 lbs of muscle or 200 lbs of lard that it has to accellarte against the force of gravity. Both are going to beat them up. If you are below 14-16% body fat you probably don't need to worry about cutting calories too much. I think around 10% body fat is probably where most of us would feel the best (light weight with energy) Bubba -that is probably what you are noticing I think primarily you should be shooting for a body fat % and not a target weight. One thing that can impact you performance and energy level is if you are trying to cut weight or cut calories during the 2 wks and even 3 wks prior to a comp. It's too late by then and you will notice a decline in energy if your are depriving your body in the 2wk pre comp time frame in fact you should be consuming more calories than you are expending during the day and work outs. So most of the weight loss should be done in the off season. then just eat smart/healthy during the season.
A good friend who is a top fitness expert used to tell his personal training clients who wanted to lose 20 pounds, “if you could stay at this same weight yet be 6% body fat would the weight still be an issue?” The answer was usually no. I’ll focus on my training and conditioning and follow the natural path of my body for awhile. Bubba
while this is true for most people who are concerned with how they look and general health. It's different for a vaulter who is concerned with being powerfull for their body weight and the impact of that weight on their bodies- or the impact of the weight of their body on the ground.
with that being said however. I feel like I'm too heavy at 10% at 195-200lbs. I kind of struggle on the other end of giving up lifting weights. I vaulted my best at 175lbs in college. I've been as big as 229lbs and 7% body fat. At that weight even at my current weight it's a lot harder for me to rock climb, climb a rope, do rings, waterski, etc. essentially any activity that I have to move my body weight with my arms.
An optimist is one who sees a light in darkness....a pessimist blows it out.