Weight Loss In Wrestling Essay

1259 Words3 Pages

For more than a half century, rapid weight loss in wrestling has remained a concern among educators, health professionals, exercise scientists and parents. Wrestlers often justify their choice of weight class with the belief that they have excess fat to lose. However, studies show that in the off-season, high school wrestlers have 8-11 percent body fat, well below their high school peers who average 15 percent. Most wrestlers practice these weight-loss techniques believing their chances of competitive success will increase. Ironically, weight cutting actually impairs performance and endanger the wrestler's health. The combination of food restriction and fluid deprivation creates an adverse physiological effect on the body, leaving the wrestler …show more content…

Now high school wrestlers must do a certification test at the beginning of the year. During this test athletes get their height and weight measured, and also has to supply a urine sample to test hydration. The height and weight measurements help find the athlete’s body fat percentage. An athlete is not allowed to compete and a weight in which their body fat percentage is below 7%. Of course the acceptation is if a doctor’s approval is gotten to allow the athlete to wrestle that weight. The right weight to cut weight is to do it slowly and start early. Along with exercise, a wrestler should minimize his caloric intake, but not too low that it is unhealthy. This will result in the gradual loss of bodyfat. Writer Jeff Cochran opens up “Cutting Weight Can be a Dangerous Process for Wrestlers.” with how cutting weight is just a part of wrestling. He goes into past events in wrestling in which wrestlers had to lose large amounts of weight fast. Cochran then explains the present issues in weight cutting. Finally he writes about the way he believes that wrestlers should lose weight and how the system should be set up. Schedule daily weigh-ins before and after practice to monitor weight loss and dehydration. Weight loss during practice should be regained through adequate food and fluid

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