Weight-cutting is to wrestlers what Kryptonite is to Superman.  It’s draining, and makes you weak… especially when it’s done by purely destructive methods such as starving, dehydrating and not strength training.  (This brutal combination is what so many wrestlers resort to, and it quickly leads to burnout and injuries).

Here is a little checklist I made to help you stay on track with weight-cutting:

SUPPLEMENTS (important for muscle preservation while cutting weight):

• L-Glutamine
• Branched Chain Amino Acids
• Meal Replacement Formula

STRENGTH TRAINING:

• 2 days per week OR 3 days every 2 weeks (ex. Monday – Friday for week 1, ONLY Wednesday on Week 2)
• Full Body workouts during in-season and weight-cutting
• 1 or 2 sets to failure on each exercise (except for plyometric or speed exercises)
• Specialization Workouts if you need work on any aspect of your technique

NUTRIENT-DENSE FOODS:

• Pecans, Walnuts
• Almond Butter
• Sweet Potatoes
• Ezekiel Bread
• Lean Red Meat (Buffalo is my favorite)
• Non-fat yogurt
• Low-fat cottage cheese
• Whole Eggs (free-roam)
• Chicken Breast (free-roam)
• Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries

WATER:

• Double daily intake for 3-5 days before weigh-in (up to 2 gallons)
• 2 days out from weighing in, cut in half (1 gallon)
• 1 day out from weighing in, drink 6-8 oz every 3 hours until 3 hours prior to weigh-in