The Truth About Weight Cutting in High School Wrestling

Don't Do It—Yet

If you’re just starting your wrestling journey or still under 18 don’t cut weight. Not yet.

I’m not a nutritionist, and honestly, I made a lot of mistakes with weight management early on. I learned the hard way. So here’s my best advice:

Focus on becoming a good wrestler first.Seriously. If your skills aren't there, it won’t matter what weight you wrestle. You won’t reach your potential, and stressing over weight will only slow your growth.

Instead of cutting, put your energy into:

• Getting better at wrestling

• Learning how to eat right

• Building a good lifting and cardio routine

• Sleeping enough

• Studying your matches and learning from them

• Figuring out what support you need from coaches and family

  
  

Wrestling is both a team and an individual sport.I know it’s hard when coaches ask you to drop to a certain weight. You don’t want to let anyone down. But think long-term. You’ve got a whole career ahead of you. And as young women, extreme weight cutting can mess with our hormones, periods, and mental health—sometimes in ways that can’t be undone.

The wrestling culture has to evolve. Too many of us were taught that rapid weight loss is just part of the grind. It’s not. Coaches and leaders need to recognize how dangerous it is, especially for young women. It’s not worth sacrificing your health for a weight class.

So here’s my advice—from one Olympian to a future one:

Get great first.Train hard, eat smart, stay consistent. When you’ve built real skills and understand your body, then you can start thinking about what weight class fits you best—and how to manage it in a healthy way.

Until then, wrestle where your body is at. Your potential is worth protecting.

Happy training,Randi Miller2008 Olympic Medalist 🥉Until Next Time, Happy Training

Randi Miller

2008 Olympic Medalist.