Reigning US Open Wrestling Champion Shares “Crazy” Thanksgiving Story That Led Him to Shed 25lbs in a Week

A career as an athlete requires a person to pay special emphasis on their health and fitness. However, things go a notch higher in combat sports like wrestling, where wrestlers can’t compete if they don’t weigh under a specific number. This can also result in disqualification, and a Nittany Lion had found himself down this road after a major slip-up.

Jason Nolf is 3x NCAA Champion from Penn State University and wrestles in the 74kg weight class. A recently uploaded video on social media showcases the wrestling champ unveiling his baffling Thanksgiving weight cut story. In fact, Nolf was forced to lose 25lbs within just a week’s time to qualify for a match.

Jason Nolf narrates a tale of unchecked indulgence

Jason Nolf is one of America’s top wrestlers who has several national and international gold medals under his belt. This year, the 27-year-old defended his US Open Championship title in Las Vegas. FloWrestling recently invited Nolf over for a podcast episode where the wrestling champion narrated a tale of the sin of festive gluttony. According to Nolf, “ I remember Thanksgiving break came and I went home, and I was like, I’ll just eat like one roll, and I absolutely went crazy during Thanksgiving. I remember like, at this point I was eating whatever I wanted, because I was like, I was like, Thanksgiving.”

Nolf’s unchecked eating soon retaliated. He added, “I ended up having to cut like 25 pounds in a week. And I was like, I don’t know how I’m going to lose this.” While he did manage to lose the weight after a grueling week, he faced trouble for the drastic cut in the wrestling match. He got taken down and immediately went dizzy. 

Eventually, however, the Nittany Lion prevailed over his opponent and successfully pinned him down. But how do top wrestlers cut weight in a short time and get ready for their matches?

The harsh ways to drop weight in wrestling

Wrestlers go through rigorous disciplinary routines involving workouts, diets, and other procedures that enhance weight loss. According to a study on collegiate wrestlers by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, “Wrestlers rapidly lose weight via dehydration, using saunas, workouts and abstaining from fluids until after they are weighed an hour or two before the match.”

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After their weigh-ins, wrestlers resume hydration, but the process takes 24-48 hours to take effect. The study also warned that drastic weight-cutting makes a wrestler more prone to injuries. Thus, while one can cut a massive chunk of body weight before a match like Jason Nolf, it might not be the healthiest practice.

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