Wrestlers aim to maintain weight 1 ounce at a time
by Katie Carrera
Staff Writer
To be a fierce competitor, athletes often allow their entire lives to be consumed by their sport, merging two worlds where life becomes sport and sport becomes life.
While every sport depends upon conditioning and practicing, wrestling has the added aspect of requiring athletes to maintain a precise weight in order to compete.
Because it is rare for a person’s body weight to rest solely at any single weight, by adding extra workouts and becoming conscious of what they are eating, wrestlers often cut weight in order to be at the appropriate level at any given meet’s weigh-in.
“It’s part of the sport, “165-pound wrestler Tony DeAnna said. “Some guys cut more than others. Cutting weight isn’t something that you have to do to wrestle. It just so happens that most of the guys do it.”
One of the Ohio wrestlers who cuts a significant amount of weight to compete at his weight class, DeAnna said the toughest part about cutting weight is simply how drained he becomes after additional workouts combined with a regular training schedule and a full course load.
Although the possibility exists, it is rare for wrestlers to tip the scales on any given weigh-in, because they hold themselves accountable and it is no one else’s fault if they fail to make weight.
“I’ve never stepped on the scale the day of the match and not been able to wrestle, “DeAnna said. “But I’ve been sick and things like that because cutting weight can take its toll on your body if you aren’t getting enough sleep.”
All the exhaustion and time commitment that comes along with making weight takes a toll on just about every facet of a wrestler’s life.
Because of the effect that cutting weight had on his school work, Ohio’s Frank Brown made the decision to bump up a level from his 133 pounds, where he started the season to the 141-pound weight class.
“Working out three times a day with a heavy schedule is tough, “Brown said. “I have two classes that depend on participation, and if you have to make weight on a Saturday and you’re already cutting hard on Tuesday you just don’t have any energy to participate.”
Moving up a weight class is not at all uncommon. Both 184-pound starter Brian Cesear and 149-pound wrestler Aaron Gomoll moved up a weight class for this season.
At the beginning of last year Cesear weighed about 215 pounds and needed to get down to the 174-pound level, which he said affected his wrestling.
“I had to go to every practice every day and practice on my own every night just trying to sweat off more weight, “Cesear said. “I was barely eating anything -I was pretty much useless. By the time I got down to 174, I was too tired to do much of anything.”
Although they ended up exhausted, Ohio coach Joel Greenlee said he believes wrestlers who need to cut weight should work it off rather than starve themselves, although they can’t gorge themselves the night before weigh-ins.
“Some guys can lose more working out, “Gomoll said. “Some have to eat less. Everyone knows their own body, and everyone’s body is different. There isn’t really any set equation.”
In the end, why do the wrestlers put themselves through the stress of making weight? Because they are competitors within a sport where cutting weight is sometimes required and is just a normal part of life.
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