Wrestling is an incredibly demanding sport with meets almost every weekend, practice, working out and even having to maintain weight. A wrestler needs strength, speed, technique, cardiovascular endurance and a strong mindset. Some wrestlers would have to starve themselves for days just to be able to wrestle at a certain weight class.  

If cutting weight, a calorie deficit is way more beneficial to health then not eating at all. When malnourished, the body has little to no energy to do daily tasks without fatigue.

“I’ve bulked up thirty pounds. This week I have to lose ten pounds. It’s gonna be hard but there’s always a sauna. My eating habits really haven’t been affected by bulking, I’ve just been eating as much as I can,” freshman varsity wrestler Jack Lavender said.

If a wrestler doesn’t make a weight class there’s a possibility the wrestler will not be able to wrestle at all. That’s why it’s crucial for a wrestler to either gain weight or lose weight. Having to lose weight so quickly can cause a lot of problems to a wrestler’s body. 

“It’s just tiring. I am trying to stay as positive as possible. Mentally I’m tired, but trying to stay positive is a very important part of our sport. To play my part on the team is to keep a strong forward mindset,” junior varsity  sophomore wrestler Bradley Langabeer said. 

Cutting weight involves a lot of different components. 

“Beforehand, I drink a lot of water so I can detox my system. Afterwards I stopped drinking a good amount of water. I drink a little bit but not as much as I usually do. And I start eating a lot less and I eat meat. It’s mainly just carbs throughout the day, so I’m still energized for the tournament. After I weigh in, I usually have something like PD light or honey so I’m still energized for the tournament. I also drink Pedialyte instead of water, so I have electrolytes in my system,” freshman varsity wrestler Connor Donnely said.