Urine specific gravity (U_SG) is the most commonly reported biochemical marker used in research and applied settings to detect fluid deficits in athletes, including those participating in combat sports. Despite the popularity of its use, there has been a growing debate regarding the diagnostic accuracy and the applicability of U_SG in characterizing whole‐body fluid status and fluctuations. Moreover, recent investigations report universally high prevalence of hypohydration (∼90%) via U_SG assessment in combat sport athletes, often in spite of stable body‐mass. Given the widespread use in both research and practice, and its use in a regulatory sense as a ‘hydration test’ in combat sports as a means to detect dehydration at the time of weigh‐in; understanding the limitations and applicability of U_SG assessment is of paramount importance. Inconsistencies in findings of U_SG readings, possibly as a consequence of diverse methodological research approaches and/or overlooked confounding factors, preclude a conclusive position stand within current combat sports research and practice. Thus the primary aim of this paper is to critically review the literature regarding U_SG assessment of hydration status in combat sports research and practice. When taken on balance, the existing literature suggests: the use of laboratory derived benchmarks in applied settings, inconsistent sampling methodologies, the incomplete picture of how various confounding factors affect end‐point readings, and the still poorly understood potential of renal adaptation to dehydration in combat athletes; make the utility of hydration assessment via U_SG measurement quite problematic, particularly when diet and training is not controlled.

Purpose:To examine the influence of rapid weight loss (RWL) on competitive success in elite youth Olympic-style boxers. In addition, this study examined the practice and prevalence of weight reduction, weight-management protocols, and related symptoms in youth boxers from 12 European countries (N = 83, all males, mean [SD] age 17.1 [0.9] y).Methods:The data were collected using an extensive questionnaire on weight cutting and its associated protocols and symptoms prior to highest-level continental championships. Competition results were obtained at follow-up using a dichotomous variable: medal winning vs nonwinning at the European Championships.Results:Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that “boxing experience” was significantly related to the criterion competitive outcome (odds ratio = 1.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–1.66; NagelkerkeR² = .11), with a higher likelihood of competitive success for more-experienced boxers. Of all the youth boxers, only 25% were included in the RWL group, irrespective of their weight-class stratification. More than 45% of all the youth boxers self-reported the simultaneous combination of different weight-cutting methods that are known to be serious health hazards. Finally, 33% of the boxers experienced muscle weakness as a consequence of RWL.Conclusions:Our study provided evidence of pathogenic weight-management protocols that are widely adopted by youth boxers, and yet the present outcomes showed that RWL did not translate into competitive success in these elite Olympic-style boxers in Europe. Therefore, the authors suggest a mandatory educational program that should simultaneously target all the mentioned issues including both health- and performance-threatening consequences.

In this study, the authors attempted to determine whether the dynamics of blood lactate and glucose in wrestling depend on the weight class. Blood lactate and glucose curves during and after a wrestling match were determined. We also explained the dynamics of blood lactate and glucose in the context of recent glucose and lactate metabolism research. A sample of 60 youth wrestlers (15-20 years) were divided into three weight groups. Each athlete participated in one wrestling match. During the fight, the athletes' heart rate, glucose, and blood lactate were measured. The differences in body mass between the athletes did not affect the dynamics of lactate and glucose in wrestling competition (Fisher LSD test). We established that lactate and glucose dynamics are the same for all weight groups (Fisher LSD-Lactate 1 < 2 < 3 = 4 > 5, Fisher LSD-Glucose 1 = 2 < 3 < 4 < 5). Understanding lactate and glucose metabolism in wrestling is important for wrestling coaches because they need to evaluate a wrestler's anaerobic energy status.

The aims of this paper were: a) to present weight reduction habits of adolescent wrestlers; b) to establish differences in mood states between weight groups; and c) to determine relations between weight loss and indicators of hydration with mood states. Adolescent wrestlers do resort to rapid weight loss (RWL) regimens in their training process and competition – 70.1% of the subjects reduced their body mass and the reduction regime usually lasted one week. Similar habits have been reported in other studies despite the well evidenced detrimental effects of RWL. Urine specific gravity (USG) values suggest that all the subjects were in the state of dehydration ranging from a mild to a high one. The groups of low weight (LW) and middle weight (MW) wrestlers reduced their body mass significantly more than others (BM; p<.05) and their sensation of fatigue was significantly higher (p<.05). The variables body mass reduction and %BM reduction were correlated with negative mood states, whereas the indicators of hydration in one of the groups (MW) established ambiguous relations with dehydration and positive mood states.

IT IS GENERALLY ACCEPTED THAT VOLUNTARY WEIGHT CUTTING BEFORE ENTERING A COMPETITION HAS BECOME A HABITUAL PRACTICE AMONG COMBAT SPORTS ATHLETES. APART FROM ANTIDOPING REGULATIONS BANNING THE USE OF DIURETICS, THE OLYMPIC GOVERNING BODY HAS NOT ESTABLISHED POLICIES AIMED TO MONITOR AGGRESSIVE WEIGHT CUTTING. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR COMBAT SPORTS ATHLETES TO REDUCE ADVERSE AND HEALTH-THREATENING SIDE EFFECTS EVOKED BY DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO ACHIEVING COMPETITION WEIGHT. THEREFORE, DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RELIABLE AND ACCURATE HYDRATION ASSESSMENT TOOLS ARE WARRANTED. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO REVIEW CURRENT RESEARCH FINDINGS OF MEASUREMENT CHARACTERISTICS CURRENTLY DEPLOYED IN COMBAT SPORTS RESEARCH.

Identifying factors influencing wrestling performance is important for determining which capacities should be developed the most. This research aimed to investigate whether anthropometric indices, generic fitness, and specific fitness performance determine the competitive success of young wrestlers. This research included 49 Croatian Greco–Roman male wrestlers aged 17.75 ± 1.51 years. Variables included training and competing experience, anthropometric indices, generic fitness (countermovement jump and handgrip strength), and specific wrestling fitness test (SWFT). Wrestlers were separated into medallists and non-medallists (i.e., wrestlers who won a medal at the previous National Championship and wrestlers who did not win a medal, respectively). The t-test for independent samples was used to determine the differences between the two categories in all variables. Moreover, discriminant analysis was performed to identify differences in a multivariate manner. Medallists and non-medallists did not differ in anthropometric indices and wrestling experience. Medallists had better results in the countermovement jump (t = 2.55, p < 0.01), handgrip strength (t = 2.77, p < 0.01), and SWFT performance (t = 2.29, p < 0.05) than non-medallists. The discriminant analysis confirmed that performance categories differed in generic and specific fitness tests (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.73, p < 0.05). It could be suggested that coaches should develop both the generic and specific fitness of their wrestlers to become more successful at competitions.