How To Cut Weight For Wrestling

If you know how to cut weight for wrestling the right way, you can still retain enough energy to perform well in your next match. Crash dieting and excessive exercise are often a necessary evil in the sport of competitive wrestling. The downside is a loss of strength and insufficient energy, which can cause performance problems against a well-prepared opponent. By losing weight for wrestling in a safe manner, you should be confident that you will perform up to your capability.

1. Consult with your coach before you cut weight for wrestling. You may be able to move up a weight class and avoid having to put yourself through the rigors of rapid weight loss. If you are unable to compete in a higher weight class, work with your coach to develop a proper diet and exercise program based on the amount of time you have to lose the required amount of weight.
2. Monitor your weight loss on a daily basis. Water weight is fairly easy to shed, but if you have to lose some mass, you will need to increase your cardio and decrease your calories. Do not put yourself at risk by taking diet pills or inducing vomiting to lose weight for wrestling. This will only weaken you and make the weight loss meaningless since you will surely be defeated on the mat.
3. Consider eating a little more for added energy. You can use the extra energy to exercise for a longer period of time. As the day of your weigh-in nears, start to cut calories as needed until your target weight is within reach. If you feel your safety is at risk, do not sacrifice your health to lose weight for wrestling one match.
4. Once you have met the weight, do not load up on food. Your body has become adjusted to being calorie-deprived while you cut weight for wrestling, so overloading it with food can cause you to become tired and may affect your wrestling performance. Eat a balanced meal the day of your meet, and once the match is over you can treat yourself to a feast. Unless, of course, you have another match coming up in the not so distant future.