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Wrestlers are the greatest athletes on the planet with the worst diets. To be successful, wrestlers need strength, speed, flexibility, endurance, agility and power, all of which are negatively affected by the caloric restriction and dehydration incurred during a typical weight cut.\nI have personally seen weight cutting ruin wrestling careers. Teammates and friends of mine have quit, hated the sport, lost interest, or became injured all from the root cause of weight cutting (though not all injuries are caused by dehydration). I personally have been so dehydrated and malnourished that stepping in front of a car sounded like a good idea, so I could eat and drink without repercussions from coaches. I know I\u2019m not the only one that has felt this way.
\nWeight cutting has been around in combat sports for many, many years. The common perceived advantages of cutting weight is that it allows you to be bigger, faster and stronger than your opponent. But at what point does a perceived advantage become a disadvantage? With the current certification and weigh-in protocols for high school and collegiate wrestling, athletes aren\u2019t able to find success with short-term rapid weight loss.
\nOften, wrestlers are pressured by coaches, parents or teammates to obtain a lower weight class in pursuit of greater success. While the team may benefit overall, the athlete usually competes at suboptimal levels. Ideally, male athletes would compete at body fat ranges from 7%-12%, and most optimally between 7% and 9%. Ideal body fat levels for female combat sport athletes range from 16% to 20%. The most successful male combat athletes on the planet, (Olympic athletes), have been shown to compete between 6.9% and 7.9% body fat. Unfortunately, individuals practicing weight cutting often fall victim to one of two things:
\n1)\tThey don\u2019t achieve optimal body weight and body fat before the season starts
\nOR
\n2)\tAthletes are at or below an optimal body weight and body fat, and continue to lose weight through calorie and fluid restriction
\nAthletes choosing to use harsh weight cutting methods end up throwing away all the hard work (strength and endurance gains) they invested in the off-season. Unfortunately, small guys get the short(er) end of the stick. Weight classes are spread out, which puts certain guys in \u201climbo\u201d – stuck between weight classes \u2013 too small for one, maybe too big for another.
\nAdditionally, small guys end up having to lose a greater percentage of body weight compared to bigger guys. Ten pounds on a 125-pounder is NOT the same as 10 lbs. on a 197-pounder (8% of body weight compared to 5%). Although each person will react differently to the effects of dehydration, research consistently shows that as dehydration levels increase, performance dramatically decreases and risk for injury increases.<\/p>\n
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