Weight Management, Health & Safety

Success in wrestling comes from more than just skill and strength. Staying healthy, making weight safely, and maintaining good habits are just as important. This section covers the essentials to keep athletes performing their best all season long.

✅ Weight Management

Weight Classes 

In wrestling, it wouldn’t be fair — or safe — for an athlete to compete against someone much heavier or lighter. To keep matches balanced, wrestlers are divided into weight classes.

For youth and for high school students during the off-season, tournaments often use pooled weights, grouping wrestlers with others of similar size and age. Weight is less of a concern in these events. 

Once the official season begins, high school wrestlers compete in specific weight classes set by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). On competition day, wrestlers must be at or below the limits listed below at weigh-ins. If a wrestler is even 0.1 pound over the limits below, they must wrestle in the next higher weight class.

Example: If a wrestler is 120.0 lbs or less at weigh-ins, they can wrestle in the 120-lb class. If they weigh 120.1 lbs or more, they must go up to the 126-lb class.

Safety Comes First

At DP, athlete health and safety always come first. We do not promote extreme “weight cutting.” Rapid or drastic weight loss can harm both performance and long-term health. Instead, our approach is consistent training paired with smart, sustainable nutrition. Wrestlers learn to fuel their bodies properly while maintaining strength and energy for both practices and competitions.

CIF Weight Certification

Before the season begins, all wrestlers complete a CIF weight certification, which uses an ultrasound test to measure body fat. CIF requires minimum levels—7% for males, 12% for females—and sets each athlete’s lowest safe weight class. 

DP Wrestling supports and follows these rules to keep athletes healthy and safe. 

Weight Allowance

During the season, wrestlers are sometimes given extra pounds (lbs) above their certified weight class at weigh-ins.

• Example: If your weight class is 126 lbs and there’s a +1 lb allowance, you may weigh in at 127.0 lbs or less.
  
  

Common Allowances:

• +1 lb if any team in the competition wrestled the day before.

• +2 lbs beginning January 1 (growth allowance for all athletes).

• +1 lb on the second day of a multi-day tournament (since all wrestlers competed the day before).
  
  

Cumulative: Allowances can stack.

• Example: After Jan 1 (+2 lbs), plus a team wrestled the day before (+1 lb), and it’s Day 2 of a two-day tournament (+1 lb) → up to +4 lbs allowed.

• In practice, it’s usually +1 to +3 lbs depending on the situation.
  
  

Scratch Weight

"Scratch weight" means no weight allowance - you must make the exact certified weight class.

• Example: For the 126 lb class at scratch weight, you must weigh 126.0 lbs or less at weigh-ins.

• Scratch weight is most common at the start of the season.

Why It Matters 

• Know whether your competition is scratch weight or has a weight allowance. This directly affects how you manage weight the night before weigh-ins.

• Coaches will confirm the weight allowance before each event, but it’s your responsibility to be ready.

Health & Safety First

At DP Wrestling, the priority is keeping athletes healthy and safe. Managing weight responsibly is more important than chasing an extra match at the wrong cost.

✅ Nutrition

Good nutrition is the foundation of safe weight management and peak performance. Wrestlers should focus on:

• Smart portions – avoid overeating, even with healthy options.

• Prioritize nutrient-dense, calorie-sparse foods:

  • • Fruits & vegetables — high in nutrients, low in calories.

    • Lean proteins — chicken, turkey, fish, tofu, beans, or lean beef to support muscle growth and recovery.

    • Complex carbs — whole grains, oats, rice, sweet potatoes and vegetables for lasting energy. Save simple carbs (like fruit or sports drinks) for quick fuel at competitions.

    • Avoid junk food — soda, chips, candy, fried foods, and oils are calorie-dense with little nutrition.

    • Hydration – water first; limit soda and sugary drinks.

For more information about what to eat the night before and on the day of a match, visit the Competition Day page. 

✅ Hygiene & Skin Health

Wrestling is a close-contact sport—skin infections can happen. Most are just annoying, but we don’t take chances. Keep yourself healthy and protect the whole team by following these rules: 

• Shower Immediately – No excuses. After every practice and match, hit the showers ASAP. Soap. Warm water. Full body wash. No quick rinses. Dry off completely.

• Wash Clothes Daily – Fresh gear every day. Wash after each use, dry on high heat, and keep sweaty gear away from clean stuff. Don’t let it rot in your bag or locker. Wash bedding every 1–2 weeks.

• Clean Your Gear – Disinfect gear regularly—daily if possible, weekly at the latest. Wrestling shoes stay separate from clothes.

• Check Your Skin – Know your body. If you spot a rash, sore, itch, or anything suspicious, tell a coach before practice.

✅ Concussions

Safety is our top priority. If an athlete shows any symptoms of a concussion (headache, dizziness, confusion), they are removed immediately and must follow return-to-play protocols. 

✅ Sleep

• 8–10 hours of sleep fuels strength, focus, and recovery.

• Consistent sleep = faster reactions and lower injury risk.

• Keep screens out, lights low, and your body rested.

• Sleep well, perform better.

✅ Staying Healthy Throughout the YEAR

• Maintain balanced nutrition, good health and sleep habits year-round, not just during season.

• Use rest days to recharge.

• Let coaches know about any injuries right away.

What's Next?

Introduction to Wrestling

Your guide to joining the team, team culture, health, competitions, and getting involved. Each section links to a dedicated page covering key topics: 

• 1a. Welcome to DPHS Wrestling - Everything you need to know for the high school team, including how to join, required gear, team policies, and schedules.

• 1b. Welcome to Lab Wrestling - Your guide to the club wrestling program, including how to join, required gear, team policies, and schedules.

• 2. Weight & Health – Focuses on weight classes, weight certification, weight allowance, nutrition, hygiene, and keeping athletes safe. 

• 3. Rules of Wrestling – An overview of the basic objective and rules.

• 4. Preseason – Covers the period from mid-August to early November, including practices, optional club sessions, preseason tournaments, and preparation for the season.

• 5. Competition Overview – Explains the different types of wrestling events, including off-season tournaments, in-season tournaments, and dual meets, with guidance on what to expect and how to participate. 

• 6. Off-Season Tournaments – Guides athletes through optional preseason and postseason tournaments, including USA Wrestling membership, SafeSport requirements, registration, weigh-ins, transportation, and what to expect on competition day.

• 7. Competition Day Guide – Provides detailed guidance for the day of a competition (and the night before), covering what to pack, weigh-ins, warm-ups, food and hydration, sportsmanship, match flow, and post-competition steps.

• 8. Varsity vs Junior Varsity – Explains the structure of the DPHS wrestling program, differences between JV and Varsity, the role of wrestle-offs, and how athletes earn their spot on each team. 

Upcoming topics: 

• Building Community – Booster Club, communication, volunteering, and fundraising.

• Alumni & History – Program highlights and photo archives.

• Long-Term Development – Off-season opportunities and preventing burnout.

No matter where you are in the season, this is the place to start and the place to come back to.