How To Prepare for the Hydration Test
How To “Prepare” For The Hydration Test is the nature of this post…
Notice that I didn’t write How To “Beat” The Hydration Test or How To “Cheat” The Hydration Test, or How To “Trick” The Hydration Test.
This is because the hydration test is actually your best friend as a wrestler. It forces a wrestler to come in at a hydration level that is acceptable for health. It also forces you to be as strong as you should be for the wrestling mat. Let me explain…
Your muscles are comprised of about 90% water. If you were to come in to the Weight Certification completely dehydrated and it was “OKed”, you would have to keep up this constant state of de-hydration in order to make weight a couple of times per week for months at a time. This would be the worst thing you could do in order to keep strong and energetic.
But… you don’t want to carry any extra water either. A bloated body can make a difference between getting forced to a higher weight class or not. For this reason, I like to have wrestlers “borrow” a weight-reduction technique from bodybuilders. You see, bodybuilders need to come into a competition with absolutely no extra water under their skin. But they don’t de-hydrate because this causes the muscles to become flat. (It’s a crazy um… sport, but their nutritional methods are on-point).
This technique is very similar to the water-restriction method I’ve outlined in my weight cutting video.
It goes like this:
5 Days Before Hydration Test: Drink 2 gallons of water (sodium as usual)
4 Days Before Hydration Test: Drink 2 gallons of water (sodium as usual)
3 Days Before Hydration Test: Drink 2 gallons of water (sodium as usual)
2 Days Before Hydration Test: Drink 1 gallon of water (cut out sodium)
1 Day Before Hydration Test: Drink 8 oz of water every 3 hours (cut out sodium)
This method keeps you hydrated enough to perform but not bloated and holding water. It’s a natural method that allows you to take a healthy first step towards preparing for the hydration test as well as a way to take weight off quickly for a weigh-in without resorting to hurtful tactics.
As always, leave me any questions or comments…
Steve
October 4th, 2011 at 5:35 am
Steve,
Great tips! How would this vary for wrestlers of different sizes (i.e. 100 lbs, 140 lbs, 180 lbs)?
Thanks,
PJ
October 4th, 2011 at 7:05 am
Hi Steve, how much weight could i cut using this plan?
October 4th, 2011 at 8:55 am
hey steve, my weight certifications are this thursday should i just continue from the 3 days before hydration test? or is there another way?
thanks
October 4th, 2011 at 9:51 am
My boy is in the lower weights (120) and I’ve read it can be dangerous, even deadly, to consume too much water.
Is the 2 gallons appropriate for his weight, or more suitable for some one in the 200+ lb range like you and I ? In other words is this safe if it’s done as a “one size fits all”?
Last year he tested 5.5% body fat at the hydration test and weiged 1.5 lbs higher than his weight and was forced to wrestle the higher weight all season
thx for your input
October 4th, 2011 at 11:25 am
What about the day of the hydration test?
We test after school.
I have always told them to eat a small breakfast (1 slice whole wheat toast, serving of fruit, one egg, and 8 oz of water) and drink 8 oz of water for lunch (they bring their lunch to eat immediately after weigh ins).
I totally agree about being over-hydrated…
Jeff Wyatt
October 4th, 2011 at 1:29 pm
Jeff,
I think your plan is just fine. A small breakfast with 8 oz of water, water again at lunch and then eating after the test is great.
Well thought out Coach…
Steve
October 4th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
Andy,
Great question!! I think this amount of water should be safe and definitely not deadly. BUT… for guys under 150lbs we can go with 1.5 gallons of water for days 5, 4 and 3. Reduce to 3/4 gallon for the day before. Then proceed with 6-8 oz. 24 hours prior.
Steve
October 4th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
Yes Mike… go with the 3 days out! You will still get some flushing out of extra fluid. Good luck!!
Steve
October 4th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
Jason,
Plan on this helping you drop 3-5 lbs. It is one of many weight-cutting methods but the only one that actually helps you stay strong while pulling water out of you.
Steve
October 4th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
PJ,
Glad you like the tip. Stay with my plan for wrestlers over 150lbs. Wrestlers under 150lbs would modify with 1.5 gallons instead of 2 gallons on the first 3 days. Then drop to 3/4 gallon of water instead of 1 gallon. For the final day, go with the 6-8 oz of H2O every 3 hours.
Good luck my friend…
Steve
October 5th, 2011 at 11:29 pm
Hydration Testing in NY is 8 weeks away I’m going to cut to 132 from 145 should I start drinking two gallons of water starting tomorrow?