Wrestling is one of the most physically demanding sports, both on and off the mat. In tournaments, wrestlers are divided into weight classes. In order to gain a physical advantage over their competitors, most wrestlers will lose as much weight as possible for their pre-competition weigh-in to get into a lighter class. They will then try to gain back as much as possible in order to be bigger and stronger than their competition. There are several ways in which they do this. All of these methods are potentially dangerous, and must not be tried without supervision.
Fluid Restriction
In the days leading up to the competition, many wrestlers will drastically reduce their fluid intake. As they dehydrate, they begin to lose weight. In order to maintain a healthy body weight, the Food and Nutrition board recommends men drink 125 oz. of water per day. Restricting water reduces body weight, sometimes to unhealthy levels. Following the weigh-in, wrestlers will drink as much water or sports drinks as they can stomach to get this weight back on.
Heat
Heat quickly induces sweating, reducing hydration levels and body weight. Most wrestlers will use a sauna hours before weigh-ins to lose large amounts of weight in a short period of time. A pound of weight loss per hour is common. The sauna is an effective but potentially dangerous method for temporary weight loss. Wrestlers must be closely monitored in saunas to avoid dizziness and nausea from the combination of heat and dehydration.
Activity
Some wrestlers will lose weight through exercise such as jogging, or the stationary bike to induce sweating. Before a weigh-in, wrestlers may combine heat and exercise by jogging or stationary cycling in a sauna suit, a non-porous plastic or rubber suit which traps body heat during exercise.
Diuretics
Some wrestlers will resort to natural or pharmaceutical water pills to increase urination and speed water loss. Natural supplements such as dandelion and caffeine gently increase urination and cause moderate water loss. Drugs such as furosemide, a compound recognized by the American Heart Association as effective in the treatment of edema, cause a more dramatic amount of water loss. These drugs are potentially very dangerous, especially combined with heat and exercise. They are not recommended for healthy individuals.
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