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Ways to Quickly Lose Weight Before a Wrestling Match

Apr 24, 2011 | By Ryan Biddulph
Ways to Quickly Lose Weight Before a Wrestling Match
Photo Credit Jeff Randall/Digital Vision/Getty Images

Wrestlers desire to shed weight quickly to move into a lower weight class and gain a competitive edge. The athletes use a variety of techniques to lose weight rapidly -- ranging from wearing plastic suits, using laxatives or taking diuretics. Some wrestlers take these practices to extreme levels which can be life threatening. Taking a long-term approach by following a balanced, nutritious diet can help wrestlers stay near competition weight without risking their health. Sticking to a consistent exercise program is also key.

Intense Exercise

Engaging in strenuous exercise can increase weight loss quickly but has potentially dangerous side effects like spiking your blood pressure and elevating your heart rate. Sustained intense exercise also results in overtraining, sapping your energy and reducing your power. Engaging in resistance training for several hours to drop weight rapidly could lead to over-training and exhaustion. Ride an exercise bike for 60 minutes at a moderate pace to shed water weight.

Dehydration

Pre-weigh-in dehydration is a tactic wrestlers use to shed weight quickly before a match, engaging in vigorous exercise or sitting in saunas to sweat out water weight. The practice can cause a dangerous drop in electrolyte levels. Vanderbilt University notes severe cases of dehydration can lead to heart attack, heat stroke and kidney failure. Refrain from using desperate last-minute strategies like forced dehydration to lose weight. Three American college wrestlers died during the 1997 season while engaged in dehydrating practices to lose weight and qualify for wrestling matches. After the deaths the NCAA responded with several rule changes including banning the use of saunas, impermeable and rubber suits, adding a 7 lb. weight allowance to each class and moving the weigh-in time from 24 hours to two hours before the match. Each rule helps promote a more sensible and safer approach to losing weight before a competition.

Healthy Weight Loss

Eat less sugars and avoid starchy foods to lose weight before wrestling competitions. These foods cause fluid retention which can bump up your bodyweight. Consume protein after workouts to fuel your muscles and boost your metabolism. Avoid carbohydrates at night as carbs which aren't burned for energy are stored as fat, increasing your weight. Some wrestlers use fasting as a way to lose weight but cutting calories too quickly reduces energy and strength levels which hinders athletic performance.

Tips

Avoid fad diets which can make weight loss more difficult. Eat six small meals per day to boost your metabolism and remain satiated. Attempting to lose weight rapidly results in muscle tissue loss. Lose weight at the rate of 1 to 2 lbs. each week.

References

Article reviewed by RandyS Last updated on: Apr 24, 2011

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