Hypothetically, we can say a wrestling athlete is using 2k to 2. So an athlete walking around at one hundred eighty pounds should be getting at least grams of protein to help them recover from the training. For instance, the wrestling athlete who is performing ten sets of a clean on the minute, developing their dynamic reactiveness, who then has to go perform some squats, they need to make sure they have enough energy to hit that squat so their absolute strength can improve.

It is paramount that wrestling athletes are getting that one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Wrestling athletes also need to make sure they are getting enough carbohydrates in without eating a ton of junk.

We also believe that sleep needs to be considered part of a nutrition regiment. Getting eight to ten hours of sleep a night, that will help the body recover. Taking protein before bed will help the body feel less sore, have more energy, and be able to get more work done at the gym during the next session.

The greater energy for more work will translate to greater progress. Now the off-season is a time to experiment.

Before we go forward, it is okay to have a cheat day every two to three weeks. But wrestling athletes who want to be a state champ or NCAA all-American, have to take their off-season nutrition seriously. This is a time to experiment. Maybe the wrestling athlete likes dairy and nut butter.

Put the foods in the diet and eat a little bit of excess and see where the weight goes. If only minimal weight is gained, the athlete can handle the food. However, if the athlete gains ten to twelve pounds, we know it is directly related to the extra calories from dairy.

Dairy is very calorically dense though. This means that if the weight is packed on from the dairy products, it is an easy removal from the diet in-season to help make weight. Nut butter, almond, cashew, peanut, should not be considered protein. Nut butter should be considered fat.

Fat is not bad. But they can cause weight gain because they taste really good. It is hard to stop eating things that taste so good.

This is another one of those foods, like dairy, that can be used to gain weight to move up weight classes--just make sure to not get fat, instead hit the weights and recover effectively.

Play with the pre-workout nutrition. Eat bananas before going to lift. Have some oranges before lifting. Maybe try some coconut oil with apple sauce before going to lift or wrestle. Have some dark chocolate. Experiment with various different foods. The athlete must gauge how they feel lifting and wrestling based on the food they eat prior to the exercise.

Do this before wrestling in-season to see how the body reacts to different foods. From this test, athletes can get comfortable with specific foods by utilizing the off-season to experiment with how the body reacts to different foods.

Wresting athletes need to be taking creatine. Utilizing whey protein will help get greater levels of muscle protein synthesis.

Just stick with these two supplements in the beginning. Maybe, later on, use collagen for joint health and use beta-alanines in a pre-workout for some help with tournaments in the summer.

Trying to gain weight to go up a weight class? Eat calorically dense food. Trying to stay in the same weight class? Focus on nutrition. Make sure to utilize the pre-workout nutrition experiments to figure out what works best, not having cheat days in excess. Look at things from a macro perspective.

Proper fueling ensures that a wrestler will be able to perform optimally on the mat, make weight safely and effectively, and have the energy off the mats to take care of academic demands.

To gain more knowledge and specific details on how you can tailor a nutrition and hydration plan to meet your needs, be sure to check out the full My Sports Dietitian eBook for wrestling, which can be found exclusively at www. Sports Nutrition for Wrestling Performance.

Off-Season: The goal during this time is to lay a foundation for healthy eating, which can then be built upon and adjusted throughout the year. This foundation can be broken down into six fueling fundamentals: Purpose: Wrestlers are ultimately fueling for overall performance, but they may also want to focus on a specific goal, such as: Increasing energy or endurance, injury recovery or prevention, or better mental focus —on or off the mat.

Quality: High-quality foods will help wrestlers reach their goals, while poor choices will hurt their wrestling performance.

Therefore, wrestlers must focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods instead of empty calories. Nutrient-dense foods provide more nutrients per calorie consumed, while calorie-dense foods provide less nutrients per calorie consumed.

Examples of nutrient-dense swaps include: Choosing nuts over a bag of chips Choosing a sweet fruit berries, peaches, apples over a cookie or candy Choosing whole grains brown rice over refined grains white rice Quantity: Effective training, recovery, and improved performance rely upon matching calorie consumption to expenditure.

It is important to consistently provide your body with adequate fuel to support your training. A consistent failure to meet energy demands results in a blunted metabolism, which my impact: Immune function, leading to illness Tissue repair, prolonging the time needed to recover from exercise Performance, leading to excessive fatigue Timing: When you eat is as important as what you eat.

A strategic fueling plan is crucial for optimizing training, recovery, and performance. This is especially important when a wrestler is in a calorie deficit during weight management.

Implementing strategies to effectively fuel your workouts through pre and post workout nutrition can minimize muscle breakdown when trying to reduce body weight. Consistency: Use the off-season to develop sustainable eating habits that can be carried over into fueling weight cuts or maintenance in the pre-season.

Focus on supplying your body with adequate amounts of lean protein, carbohydrates to fuel training, nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats. A whole day of suboptimal fueling can interfere with your weight management plan, so it is important to stay consistent. Hydration: While important in all sports, hydration is especially critical in wrestling.

Athletes who are not properly hydrated are at a greater risk of experiencing declines in performance and greater fatigue. Pre-Season: This is the optimal time to focus on weight management. During this time, it is important to keep the following factors in mind: Target weight : The target weight should include a buffer for the wrestler to be well fueled and hydrated while training, which will allow for any needed weight cut.

The target weight is dependent upon age and experience. As wrestlers become more physically mature, they can safely lose a moderately greater amount of weight in a short amount of time.

Only about 1. Therefore, losing more than 1. It is critical to balance carbohydrates and protein evenly during the day — this will ensure that the body has adequate energy and building blocks to repair and retain muscle.

Athlete Energy Deficit AED : AED is when calorie intake is insufficient to meet total energy expenditure for an athlete. When this occurs for a prolonged period of time, the body protects itself by adjusting calorie expenditure and reducing metabolic rate — thus slowing any attempted weight loss and causing increased fat retention.