Cutting weight for wrestling is extremely dangerous. Wrestlers that have tried to cut too much weight are exhausted by the end of the week. Teenagers have died from unhealthy weight loss. Three boys in college wrestling have died because of the intense workouts. These boys are, Billy Saylor (19 years old) at Campbell University in North Carolina, Joseph LaRosa (22) at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and Jeff Reese (21) at the University of Michigan. Diseases and heart attacks are results of their rubber suited, hot room workout.
There should be limits for college and high school wrestling. The kids should only be able to lose about 5 healthy pounds throughout the whole season. They should be able to eat regular meals and not starve themselves. Excessive dehydration is deadly to the body, so wrestlers should be required to drink a certain amount of water each day.
Wrestling is a fun sport, but there should be limitations to the daily eating habits and workouts. Coaches and wrestlers believe they have everything under control and should be able to lose the weight they need to. Their way of thinking killed three college wrestlers. These kids are not invincible, nor should they be allowed to harm themselves for a sport.
There have been actions taken from the directors of the college wrestling and high school wrestling boards. I support these people and the ways they are now cracking down on specific problems.
Three effective rules of wrestling in college.
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The use of saunas, defined as a room with a temperature above 79 degrees, as well as rubber and impermeable suits, is now banned.
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A seven-pound weight allowance has been added to each class, an increase from the previous one pound allowance. This means that a wrestler in a 118-pound class can actually weigh up to 125 pounds.
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The weigh-in time has been moved from 24 hours before the match to two hours before the match.
Other actions that medical doctors want to be taken into consideration are:
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Preseason body fat measurements and minimum weight class determination.
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Maximum weight loss of two pounds per week.
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Provide wrestlers with educational materials about safe weight loss techniques and other ways to become the best wrestler they can be.
The amount of calories a wrestler should be consuming per day is at least 2000. But according to Dr. Schneider the average calories a wrestler cutting weight is about 1000. This is unhealthy to their body and inside systems. After awhile of cutting weight a wrestler can lower blood and plasma volumes, reduce blood flow to the muscles and kidney; decrease the ability to sweat, and produces electrolyte losses.
Teenagers in high school and college should not be allowed to danger their bodies for the sport of wrestling. It is dangerous, unhealthy and can lead to death.