Weight Cutting
Rapid weight cutting is prevalent in every level of wrestling. At least 40% of wrestlers at the international level cut their weight by 5-10% before a competition (11). This is an extremely high percentage and can lead to decreases in performance. The best way to insure that your performance is not limited is maintain your body weight very close to competition weight during the competitive season, which can be year round for international wrestlers.
The NCAA has developed many rules and regulations that dictate how much weight a wrestler can lose based on body fat and hydration level. While this is not the case at the international level, these guidelines are prudent to follow. The NCAA has developed a system measuring body fat and hydration level that states which weight class a wrestler can participate in (for more information see links page). Body fat should never be lower than 5% of males and 12% for females (17).
While hydration level for international wrestlers is not monitored, being hypo-hydrated by 2-3% does effect performance measures in a negative way. Higher levels of dehydration lead to greater decreases in performance. The best option for wrestlers is to maintain a relatively constant body weight so drastic weight cutting is not needed. If weight cutting is necessary, you should make sure to only cut a manageable amount of weight each week until the competition date. This is usually 1-1.5% of body weight per week (3). If more than this is needed it would be prudent to compete at a higher weight class for that competition and then compete at a lower weight class when the weight is attainable through manageable weight cutting techniques.
Possible Side Effects of Weight Cutting
Usually wrestler will use a combination of methods to help lose weight before a weigh-in. These usually combine calorie restrictions, excessive exercise, and fluid restriction. These methods will lead to low plasma volume, reduced muscle glycogen stores, impaired endocrine function, and may induce physiological and psychological stress (2, 4, 6). All of these can have detrimental effects to performance. To reduce the possible decrements in performance a high carbohydrate diet can be used in the days prior to weigh-in. Because of these weight loss methods, it is possible that testosterone concentrations in the blood will be lowered and uric acid levels can be elevated (2). Both of these factors will lead to decreases in performance and mental status before the competition. The decreases in performance can be from dehydration, decreased plasma volume, glycogen depletion, electrolyte imbalances, reduced blood buffering capacity, and can increase the chance of injury during competition. Weight cutting of between 3-4% of your body weight can result in a 21.5% decrease in anaerobic power and a 9.7% decrease in anaerobic capacity (4, 6). Both of these factors can greatly decrease your performance during a wrestling competition.
Advice for Cutting Weight
If you have to cut weight, the best way to do so is to taper your workouts, be in a hydrated state, and consume a high carbohydrate diet in the days leading to the competition. Losing weight over many weeks will help curb and negative side-effects. Typically it is recommended that weight be lost 1-1.5% per week (13, 17). When cutting the focus should be on losing fat mass, but body fat percentage should be no lower than 5% in males and 12% in females. Limiting carbohydrate intake during this period is not recommend because the body will still need energy to be able to perform at a high level.
Same day weigh-in's
If the weigh-in's are on the same day as the competition, weight cutting will have a much greater effect on performance than if the weigh-in's are the day or night before. This is because you will have less time to re-hydrate and less time to consume carbohydrates to help replenish muscle glycogen for optimal performance. If the weigh-ins are the same day it is important to not cut excessive amounts of weight because of the detriments that will be had on performance. If excessive amounts of weight are lost to make weight, see the recovery after weigh-in tab to help reduce the performance decrements that might be felt.
Day before weigh-ins
If the weigh-ins are the day before the competition, which is the majority of competitions, you do have more options for weight cutting than during same day weigh-in's. This is because you have more time to replenish fluids and muscle glycogen. If this is the case it is very important to consume enough fluids to equal the amount of body weight that you have lost through dehydration methods (saunas, sweat suits, excessive exercise), it is also very important to consume meals with high amounts of carbohydrates the day before and morning of competition. Having high amounts of carbohydrates in the diet will help replenish depleted muscle glycogen stores through the cutting process.
Rapid weight cutting is prevalent in every level of wrestling. At least 40% of wrestlers at the international level cut their weight by 5-10% before a competition (11). This is an extremely high percentage and can lead to decreases in performance. The best way to insure that your performance is not limited is maintain your body weight very close to competition weight during the competitive season, which can be year round for international wrestlers.
The NCAA has developed many rules and regulations that dictate how much weight a wrestler can lose based on body fat and hydration level. While this is not the case at the international level, these guidelines are prudent to follow. The NCAA has developed a system measuring body fat and hydration level that states which weight class a wrestler can participate in (for more information see links page). Body fat should never be lower than 5% of males and 12% for females (17).
While hydration level for international wrestlers is not monitored, being hypo-hydrated by 2-3% does effect performance measures in a negative way. Higher levels of dehydration lead to greater decreases in performance. The best option for wrestlers is to maintain a relatively constant body weight so drastic weight cutting is not needed. If weight cutting is necessary, you should make sure to only cut a manageable amount of weight each week until the competition date. This is usually 1-1.5% of body weight per week (3). If more than this is needed it would be prudent to compete at a higher weight class for that competition and then compete at a lower weight class when the weight is attainable through manageable weight cutting techniques.
Possible Side Effects of Weight Cutting
Usually wrestler will use a combination of methods to help lose weight before a weigh-in. These usually combine calorie restrictions, excessive exercise, and fluid restriction. These methods will lead to low plasma volume, reduced muscle glycogen stores, impaired endocrine function, and may induce physiological and psychological stress (2, 4, 6). All of these can have detrimental effects to performance. To reduce the possible decrements in performance a high carbohydrate diet can be used in the days prior to weigh-in. Because of these weight loss methods, it is possible that testosterone concentrations in the blood will be lowered and uric acid levels can be elevated (2). Both of these factors will lead to decreases in performance and mental status before the competition. The decreases in performance can be from dehydration, decreased plasma volume, glycogen depletion, electrolyte imbalances, reduced blood buffering capacity, and can increase the chance of injury during competition. Weight cutting of between 3-4% of your body weight can result in a 21.5% decrease in anaerobic power and a 9.7% decrease in anaerobic capacity (4, 6). Both of these factors can greatly decrease your performance during a wrestling competition.
Advice for Cutting Weight
If you have to cut weight, the best way to do so is to taper your workouts, be in a hydrated state, and consume a high carbohydrate diet in the days leading to the competition. Losing weight over many weeks will help curb and negative side-effects. Typically it is recommended that weight be lost 1-1.5% per week (13, 17). When cutting the focus should be on losing fat mass, but body fat percentage should be no lower than 5% in males and 12% in females. Limiting carbohydrate intake during this period is not recommend because the body will still need energy to be able to perform at a high level.
Same day weigh-in's
If the weigh-in's are on the same day as the competition, weight cutting will have a much greater effect on performance than if the weigh-in's are the day or night before. This is because you will have less time to re-hydrate and less time to consume carbohydrates to help replenish muscle glycogen for optimal performance. If the weigh-ins are the same day it is important to not cut excessive amounts of weight because of the detriments that will be had on performance. If excessive amounts of weight are lost to make weight, see the recovery after weigh-in tab to help reduce the performance decrements that might be felt.
Day before weigh-ins
If the weigh-ins are the day before the competition, which is the majority of competitions, you do have more options for weight cutting than during same day weigh-in's. This is because you have more time to replenish fluids and muscle glycogen. If this is the case it is very important to consume enough fluids to equal the amount of body weight that you have lost through dehydration methods (saunas, sweat suits, excessive exercise), it is also very important to consume meals with high amounts of carbohydrates the day before and morning of competition. Having high amounts of carbohydrates in the diet will help replenish depleted muscle glycogen stores through the cutting process.