How to Cut Weight For Wrestling

Step 1

First and foremost, don't wait until the last minute to do your weight cutting. It's always good to be within 2 pounds of your desired weight class the night before weigh-ins because as most wrestlers know from experience, you lose about about 2 pounds during your sleep. This will allow you to maybe have a little bit to eat and drink the next day but don't go overboard with it. If you end up putting your weight cutting off until the last minute you'll quickly notice a lot of negative effects like fatigue, sick feeling, and dizziness which will ultimately hinder your performance on the mat tremendously.

Step 2

Working out is the most effective way of cutting weight in a short amount of time due to it getting rid of excess water weight and fat. The most common method of cutting weight for a lot of wrestlers is running or some other form of conditioning activity. What I have come to realize is that the best way I lost weight and at the same time boosted my cardio was by live wrestling in practice. It will benefit you in many more ways then just plain running. Another form of work out that will help with weight cutting is full body strength training. This kind of training is crucial for weight maintenance and strength maintenance.

Step 3

The first thing that pops into peoples heads when they think about wrestling is starvation. However, starvation is only experienced by those wrestlers who don't properly and safely cut weight. You should never starve yourself to lose weight because it will only slow your metabolism down. The goal is to lose fat, not muscle and water. This is possible by eating more frequent but very small portions of balanced meals containing lean proteins, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates.