What Can You Drink That Gives You Energy Before A Wrestling Match?

Wrestling is unique among scholastic sports in that participants not only train hard but frequently do so while on a highly restrictive diet. The structure of wrestling competition means that many wrestlers are dehydrated and hungry in the hours immediately before competition. What those wrestlers choose to drink during that time can have a substantial effect on their performance.

Cutting Weight

Between two wrestlers of equal skill, the larger wrestler is more likely to win. For this reason, wrestling competition is structured into weight classes. A few hours before competition, a wrestler must prove that he is at or below the maximum weight for his weight class. To reach that weight, many wrestlers substantially deny themselves food and water during the days prior to weighing in.

Water

Water is essential to all of your physiological processes, including those that allow your body to access energy reserves and to act under physical exertion. Although it contains no calories, drinking water after weighing in can help you return to a healthier level of hydration -- healthy enough for your regular bodily processes to begin acting normally.

Sports Drinks

Sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade contain a mixture of fluids, calories and electrolytes that is in many ways ideal for restoring your energy after a weight-cutting fast. However, the sugar and salt content of these drinks is often very high. It's a good idea to dilute a sports drink with water when you drink it immediately after weighing in.

Recovery Drinks

Sports performance supplement manufacturers also make drinks designed specifically to help you recover after a workout. Although the period after a weigh-in is actually before your workout, you will be suffering from the dehydration and depleted reserves common after a workout. Recovery drinks can be expensive, but are another solid choice for this purpose.

Drinks To Avoid

Never drink sugary beverages like soda or fruit juice after weighing in. The calories in those beverages will provide you with a temporary "sugar high," but it will be gone long before your match -- leaving you with less energy than when you started. Energy drinks are another bad idea. The caffeine, taurine and other stimulants can give you the illusion of extra energy, but do nothing to replenish the reserves you depleted while cutting your weight.

How To Drink

Regardless of what you drink, you should drink it in sips. Gulping your drinks down, no matter how thirsty you are, can upset your stomach and make you vomit up the precious fluids you just tried to restore. Even if you don't vomit, a heavy and sloshing stomach will not be an asset to you during your wrestling match.