Weight Management in Amateur Wrestling

CONTEXT Unhealthy weight loss practices continue to plague amateur wrestling. The National Collegiate Athletic Association weight loss guidelines are beneficial but have not solved the problem. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION All relevant databases through 2008 were searched using PubMed. The references of relevant articles were then searched for additional publications. STUDY TYPE Clinical review. RESULTS New rules approved by the National Collegiate Athletic Association have been implemented in an attempt to prevent drastic weight loss practices in wrestlers. Although some are effective, such as establishing a minimum wrestling weight and decreasing the period between weigh-ins and actual wrestling, unsafe weight loss practices still occur. CONCLUSION The attempts made by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to prevent drastic weight loss in wrestling have been effective to some degree. The mind-set of athletes, coaches, and clinicians needs to change if further improvements are to be made.