Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2006, 20(3), 689-692

2006 National Strength & Conditioning Association

THE EFFECT OF A COMPETITIVE WRESTLING SEASON
ON BODY WEIGHT, HYDRATION, AND MUSCULAR
PERFORMANCE IN COLLEGIATE WRESTLERS
THOMAS W. BUFORD,' STEPHEN J. Rossi,' DOUGLAS B. SMITH,* MATTHEW S. O'BRIEN,'' AND
CHRIS PICKERING^
' AB. Harrison Human Performance Lab, Department of Athletics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater,
Oklahoma 74078; and '^Athletic Training Education Program, Department of Athletics, Oklahoma State
University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078.
ABSTRACT. Buford, T.W., S.J. Rossi, D.B. Smith, M.S. O'Brien,
and C. Pickering. The effect of a competitive wrestling season
on body weight, hydration, and muscular performance in colle-
giate wrestlers. J. Strength Cond. Res. 20(31:689-692. 2006.
The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the
effects of a collegiate wrestling season on body weight, hydra-
tion. and muscular performance. Twelve Division I collegiate
wrestlers (mean SE; 20.75 0.41 year) volunteered to par-
ticipate in testing sessions during midseason and 3 weeks fol-
lowing the season. Testing consisted of weigh-in, providing a
urine sample for hydration analysis, and a measure of isometric
leg extension peak torque. Weight significantly increased ip <
0.05) following the completion of the competitive season. No sig-
nificant change in urine specific gravity (p > 0.05) was observed.
Muscular performance was affected by the season as peak torque
(P*T) and PT-to-body weight ratio increased significantly (p <
0.05). Foiiowing the collegiate wrestling season, augmentation
in body weight and muscular performance of the wrestlers oc-
curs without alterations in hydration status. Further research
is warranted on what type of strength training program would
most effectively reduce the decrements in strength associated
with weight loss and the strain of a competitive season.
KEY WORDS, peak torque, weight loss, specific gravity
INTRODUCTION
n 1998, the National Collegiate Athletic Asso-
ciation (NCAA) implemented a Wrestling
Weight-Certification Program (WWCP) in re-
sponse to the death of 3 wrestlers during the
1997 season. The institution of this program
was intended to curb the unsafe weight fluctuation prac-
tices of college wrestlers during the competitive season.
Two main changes brought about by the WWCP include
(a) establishing a permanent healthy weight class early
in the season for each wrestler and (b) eliminating tools
that are used to accomplish rapid dehydration (7, 20).
While the WWCP has helped to reduce the extreme cy-
cling of weight (7, 20), tbe in-season weight of wrestlers
still varies greatly from their nonwrestling weight.
The impacts of the competitive wrestling season and
weight loss associated with it have long been of interest
to investigators (14, 19. 21, 23, 24). An interesting ques-
tion lies in whether wrestlers wbo lose weight for wres-
tling season are able to resist deleterious effects (i.e.,
strength losses) generally associated witb weight loss.
Kraemer et al. (10) suggested that wrestlers have an
adaptive nature tbat allows tbem to resist performance
effects from weight loss alone. However, tbe addition of
additional stressors reduced performance over tbe course
of a 2-day tournament. It could be bypotbesized, tben,
that tbe loss of weight combined with tbe cumulative
stress and fatigue that accompany a competitive season
could cause losses in strength.
Research on tbe effect of a wrestling season on
strength variables has produced mixed results. Utter et
al. (19) reported tbat wrestlers wbo fluctuated body
weight (BW), and even lost significant amounts of fat-free
mass during tbe season were successful in maintaining
strength and power througbout the wrestling season.
Scbmidt et al. (14) on tbe otber hand, reported a signifi-
cant decline in back squat and bencb press strength from
pre- to midseason, and levels were also lower at midsea-
son tban postseason. Tbere were, bowever, no changes in
muscular power over tbe course of the season. Further-
more, Wenos and Amato (22) reported significant decreas-
es in hamstring isokinetic strength and endurance follow-
ing 4.5 months of a season, yet no significant difference
was observed for quadriceps strength or endurance.
Dehydration (often by use of saunas or rubber or plas-
tic suits) bas previously been reported as a com^mon metb-
od of losing weight by weight-class athletes sucb as wres-
tlers (5, 9, 12, 15, 21, 22). It has been suggested tbat the
real danger stemming from dehydration exists when rap-
id weight loss is practiced prior to competition (1, 13). Tbe
WWCP bas helped to slow these practices in intercolle-
giate competition as it banned tbese practices in order to
protect tbe athletes. The NCAA selected a urine specific
gravity (USG) of 1.020 as tbe limit for euhydration status
during WWCP assessments. Although athletes may pass
with a eubydrated status during the WWCP assessment,
it can be logically assumed that they still will be in a
debydrated state at various points during tbe season. Ut-
ter (20) reported significant increases in USG from pre-
season to beginning season and preseason to peak season
in starters. Values for tbe starters f()r beginning, peak,
and postseason were all above the 1.020 threshold.
Tbe reported effects of dehydration on muscular func-
tion bave been variable (5, 8, 9, 11, 15, 21, 22) and do not
provide conclusive evidence on the effects of dehydration
on muscular strengtb and endurance. Previous studies
have reported no change in peak torque (PT) or time to
fatigue (Tfat) (9), changes in Tfat with no change in mus-
cle strength (5, 11), and decreases in muscle strength (8,
15). In addition, Webster et al. (21) reported significant
decrements in upper-body PT, but nonsignificant reduc-
689
690 BuFoRD, ROSSI, SMITH ET AL.
tions in lower-body PT following 36 hours of dehydration
and a mean 4.9% loss of BW in college wrestlers. Shireffs
(17), meanwhile, reported that up to 7% of body mass can
be tolerated without a reduction in maximal isometric or
isotonic contraction force.
METHODS
Experimental Approach to the Problem
The primary purpose of this investigation was twofold: (a)
examine the relationship between BW and the isometric
maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of the quadriceps
muscles in wrestlers, and (b) determine the effect of in-
season weight loss on these variables. Secondary purpos-
es were to determine the hydration status of the wres-
tlers, mid- and postseason, and to examine any relation-
ships of hydration status to the aforementioned variables.
It was hypothesized that BW and muscular ftinction
would be greater following the season, and USG would be
lower following the season.
Subjects
Twelve men from the NCAA Division I national champion
Oklahoma State University wrestling team volunteered
to serve as subjects for the current investigation. Subjects
represented various weight classes. Testing sessions con-
sisted of midseason and postseason. Postseason testing
occurred 3 weeks following the conclusion of the NCAA
Division I Championships. Subject characteristics were as
follows (mean SE); age 20.75 0.41 years; height
177.59 1.75; and weight (mid) 75.11 3.53 kg, (post)
80.30 2.98 kg. Subjects were informed of potential risks
of participation in the study and gave their written con-
sent to participate, which was consistent with the uni-
versity's institutional review board policies. All subjects
had previously passed physicals determining their ability
to participate in intercollegiate sports.
Procedures
Peak Torque Determination. The subjects were seated and
securely strapped into a Biodex (Shirley, NY) dynamom-
eter chair. The angle of hip flexion was maintained at 90,
while the knee angle was placed 60" from horizontal. The
subjects' dominant limb, based on kicking preference, was
used for testing. Three maximal isometric voluntary knee
extensions were performed for a period of 2 seconds each.
The maximal PT achieved during the 3 trials was their
maximal PT.
Hydration Analysis. Upon anival at the laboratory,
each subject provided a sample of urine. A Hand Refrac-
tometer 300 CL (Atago, Inc., Tokyo, Japan) was used to
test the USG of each urine sample collected throughout
the study. USG was chosen because it is the measure-
ment used for testing by the NCAA. Previous literature
{2-A, 16) as well as unpublished data from our laboratory,
shows USG to be a viable option for measuring hydration,
as it as a correlation of >0.90 with urine osmolality. A
USG of 1.020 gm\ ' was used to determine if each subject
was adequately hydrated. Each test was conducted by a
certified athletic trainer who was familiar with the in-
strument. It was calibrated with distilled water before
each use. Hydration analysis was based on data for 11
subjects, as one subject's tests provided inconclusive data.
All subjects had passed the WWCP assessment and met
the USG 1.020 g-ml ' threshold during the preseason.
TABLE 1. Changes in body weight and hydration status be-
tween mid- and postseason.*
Mid
Post
Body weight (kg)
USG (g ml I)
75.11 3.53
1.024 0.0015
80.30 2.981
1.022 0.0024
6.9
0.2
* Values are mean SE. USG = urine specific gravity.
t Significantly different from previous testing session, p <
0.001.
TABLE 2. Changes in muscular performance following the
completion of the competitive season.*
Mid
Post
PT (N m) 182.38 9.63 233.57 7.75t 28
PT:BW(Nm-'kg ') 2.48 0.16 2.95 0.15:|: 19
'^ Values are mean SE. PT = peak torque; BW = body
weight.
t Significantly different from previous testing session, p <
0.001,
t Significantly different from previous testing session, p <
0.01.
Statistical Analyses
Data analysis was performed using SPSS 11.0 for Win-
dows {SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL). A paired-samples ^test
was conducted for mid- and postseason time points for
each of the following variables: BW, PT, and USG. In ad-
dition, a PT per unit of BW ratio was calculated and an-
alyzed with a t-tesi. An a level of ^0.05 was considered
significant for all analyses.
RESULTS
Body Weight and Hydration. A significant increase ip <
0.05) in BW was seen between mid- and postseason (Table
1). This represented a mean 6.9% increase in BW follow-
ing the completion of the sea.son. Hydration status, how-
ever, remained relatively unchanged. At both time points,
subjects were slightly dehydrated, but no significant dif-
ference was seen between testing sessions (p > 0.05) (Ta-
ble 1K
Muscular Performance. The completion of the season
led to a significant (p < 0.001) increase in PT in the iso-
metric leg extension exercise (Table 2). A 28% increase in
PT was shown during postseason testing. A significant ip
< 0.05) increase in PT-to-BW ratio was also observed, as
postseason levels were 19% greater than midseason (Ta-
ble 2, Figure 1).
DISCUSSION
The results of the present investigation imply that Divi-
sion I collegiate wrestlers significantly reduce their BW
in order to compete during the season. A 6.9% increase
in BW was seen in these wrestlers only 3 weeks following
the completion of the competitive season. USG measure-
ments revealed no significant changes in hydration status
from midseason to postseason (p > 0.05*. Subjects were
classified as dehydrated at both time points, with USGs
of 1.024 and 1.022 at mid- and postseason, respectively.
This supports prior research claiming that wrestlers have
augmented regulatory center in terms of hydration (23,
25, 26). In comparison to nonwrestlers, wrestlers seem to
have higher osmolalities or USGs even when euhydrated.
While the physiological mechanisms underlying this phe-
BODY WEIGHT, HYDRATION, AND MUSCULAR PERFORMANCE 691
E
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Subject Number
Midseason PT/BW Ratio Postseason PT/BW Ratio
FIGURE 1. Peak torque (PT) per unit of body weight (BW) for
midseason and postseason.
nomenon are unclear, we hypothesize that it is related to
the constant weight loss and weight gain undergone by
wrestlers throughout their careers. With an increase of
nearly 7%in BW in 3 weeks and no change in hydration
status, it is unclear whether this weight is merely water
weight. It does appear, however, that wrestlers become
accustomed to the weight gain-loss process and have a
certain amount of water weight that is used only for
weight loss. A measurement of total body water in future
studies would be beneficial to confirm this, however.
As stated previously, the effects of dehydration on
muscular performance have heen inconclusive in the lit-
erature. Bigard et al. (5) reported no significant difference
of hydration status on isometric MVC, yet reported a sig-
nificant difference (p < 0.05) in 25% MVC isometric en-
durance time. Schoffstall et al. (15) reported a significant
(p < 0.05) decrease in bench press 1 repetition maximum
(IRM) due to acute hydration accompanied by a mean
1.7'}f decrease in body mass. Each of these studies pro-
duced dehydration hy passive means (i.e., saunas); how-
ever, several other investigations have induced dehydra-
tion through exhaustive exercise (8, 11). The use of ex-
ercise as a dehydration source may be inherently limiting
on muscular function, however, as gtycogen stores may be
depleted and central nervous system activation may be
impaired if proper rest periods are not observed. (6, 11).
In addition, it has been suggested that warm or hot mus-
cle may fatigue faster than cold muscle (18). It might be
possible that muscle temperature may affect the PT pro-
duction of specific muscles. Therefore, these rapid dehy-
dration techniques, whether passive or active, could re-
duce muscular function on the basis of muscle tempera-
ture as opposed to hydration status alone. Greiwe et al.
(9), however, employed sauna induced dehydration until
4% BW was lost and reported no significant changes in
either isometric MVC or time to fatigue,
The results of the present study indicate that hydra-
tion status does not appear to be the primary mechanism
that causes the reduced muscular strength as no sigtiifi-
cant differences in hydration levels were observed con-
current to the changes in PT. Body weight was signifi-
cantly decreased during the season, however. The results
of this study indicate that BW is more likely the primary
factor in strength reduction. However, hydration status
is still a potential factor if extensive dehydration were to
cause significant BW loss. It is also possible that there
are certain fatiguing effects of the wrestling season that
decrease muscular strength which are absent during
postseason testing. It is most likely this interaction be-
tween the extent of BW loss, dehydration, and environ-
mental stressors that causes a reduction in muscular per-
formance in wrestlers. Further research on each of these
variables, as well as their interaction is warranted.
All of the athletes participated in an in-season main-
tenance phase strength training program that was meant
to attenuate strength losses. The athletes lifted 3 days
per week in a crcuit training-type program. Despite this,
we observed a significant increase in PT (p < 0.05) at the
postseason testing session. As for a relationship of quad-
riceps strength to BW, isometric MVC increased abso-
lutely 28% and PT-to-BW ratio increases were slightly
less, but still significant at 19% (p < 0.05). Increase in
the PT-to-BW ratio implies that increased BW improves
the strength of the quadriceps muscles. It would be in-
teresting to examine different strength training programs
in relationship to isometric and dynamic strength during
the season to determine what type of program would best
attenuate strength losses. We hypothesize that due to the
complex physical demands of wrestling, a high volume
circuit training workout may be overly stressful on the
body of a wrestler. While sport-specific training is useftil
in most sports, wrestlers most likely obtain sufficient aer-
obic and anaerobic conditioning through practices and in-
dividual weight loss workouts. We hypothesize that a low-
er volume, in-season resistance training program with
longer rest periods may be more beneficial to wrestlers
by reducing the overall workload over the course of a sea-
son. Further research in the area is most certainly need-
ed, however.
Caution must be used when interpreting these results,
as they may not be easily applicable to rates of success.
Significant losses in MVC accompanied the weight loss,
but these subjects were also members of the Division I
National Championship team. These losses may be rela-
tive, however, due to the fact that wrestlers intentionally
cut weight to wrestle at lower weights than their pre-
season weights. Perhaps future investigations are war-
ranted comparing weight loss practices and strength dec-
rements among various success levels of wrestlers.
In summary, these Division I college wrestlers showed
significant increases in BW following the conclusion of
the competitive season with no concurrent, significant
changes in hydration status. Isometric muscular peak
torque was significantly greater following the season than
during midseason testing. Therefore, it appears that hy-
dration status is not the primary cause of strength losses
during the college wrestling season. Instead, strength
losses are more likely related to the total amount of BW
lost during the season. We find it pertinent to discover
what type of strength atid nutrition programs would be
most beneficial to wrestlers, in order to battle the fatigu-
ing effects of weight loss and the competitive season that
appear to reduce muscular performance in such a unique
sport.
PRACTI CAL APPLI CATI ONS
Wrestling is different from other sports in terms of the
stress that it places on the body. The athletes are con-
stantly performing intense training, dieting, and in a
state of dehydration. These factors place additional
692 BUFORD, ROSSI, SMITH ET AL.
stresses on a wrestler's body that are not a problem for
other types of athletes. Traditionally, conditioning meth-
ods for sport have tried to mimic the sport as closely as
possihle (i.e., sport-specific training). In this manner, tra-
ditional wrestling strength and conditioning methods
have entailed a circuit training-type program intended to
stress both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems.
However, it is possible that a training regimen with a
high total workload produces cumulative stress on the
body of the wrestler that could be reduced with a program
of higher intensity and lower volume. Lowering the vol-
ume of each workout could perhaps lower the cumulative
fatiguing effect of the program over the course of the sea-
son. The athletes generally receive sufficient metabolic
training in practices and individual weight-loss workouts.
Perhaps the strength and conditioning (S & C) program
should solely aim to maintain strength during the course
of a season. A reduced work-to-rest ratio may be neces-
sary for wrestlers during their in-season lifting. In addi-
tion, it is important to maintain communication between
the S & C coach and the wrestling coach in terms of mon-
itoring fatigue in the athletes. If performance is suffering
both on the mat and in the weight room, then it is likely
that the athlete's body is overly stressed.
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Address correspondence to Thomas W. Buford,
twbuford@excite.com.