Nutrition in Combat Sports

2 Making Weight in Combat Sports 23
2.2 Protocol for Weigh-In
For all combat sports that have weight classes, competitors are weighed by an official
at a specified time prior to competition. This “weigh-in” is conducted to ensure that
the competitors truly are at the weight class. Besides being checked for weight, competitors
may also be evaluated for contagious skin infections, finger nail length, and other
requirements (length of hair and beard stubble). The protocol for weigh-in will vary
between sports and different levels within a sport.
2.2.1 Wrestling
Youth division . At the youth level, weigh-ins occur approximately 2 h prior to competition.
In most cases, the majority of youth wrestling does not use official weight
classes. Instead, they are bracketed in groups of four or eight to make a weight class.
For official tournaments (state, regional, and national competitions), preset weight
classes are used and weigh-ins occur the day prior to the competition. This is also true
for adolescent wrestlers who compete in open styles – Olympic styles. A tournament
that lasts more than 1 day may require only one weigh-in to be held.
US Interscholastic and intercollegiate competition. At the interscholastic and
intercollegiate levels, weigh-ins are held close to the time that competition begins.
In part this is done to help discourage rapid weight loss by allowing relatively little
time to rehydrate and recover. Interscholastic competition provides a minimum of
30 min and a maximum of 60 min between weigh-in and the first match.
Tournaments may allow 2–3 h. Intercollegiate competition provides 2 h between
weigh-in and competition regardless of whether it is a dual meet or a tournament.
For multiple-day tournaments, wrestlers are required to weigh-in everyday of the
tournament and receive a 1-lb (0.45 kg) weight allowance on each successive day.
International open or senior division . Similar to the preset tournaments for
youth wrestling, weigh-ins for international competitions or wrestlers vying for
national teams occur the day prior to the competition. A tournament that lasts more
than 1 day may require only one weigh-in to be held.
2.2.2 Boxing
International seniors . According to the 2006 US Boxing Rules (Rule book, http://
www.usaboxing.org/ ), boxers must weigh-in everyday of a tournament. For US
Boxing Nationals the weigh-in is held between the hours of 7 and 9 a.m. The duration
between the close of weigh-in and beginning of competition is determined on a per
tournament basis. Boxers have two attempts to make weight and must be within 2 lb
(~1.0 kg) of the weight class at the first attempt.