What to eat at Wrestling Tournaments
Want your wrestler to perform at their best on the day of a big tournament? A large part of how a youth wrestler performs will be dictated by how they feel on any given day. If they feel rested, refreshed and energetic they have a shot – but if they are chronically dehydrated, bloated and sluggish it’s gonna be an up hill battle.
Many wrestlers, especially following a weight cut, make the mistake of gorging on snacks and pizza from the concession stand. Even youth wrestlers (who, in my opinion, should NOT be cutting weight), will feel like they need to “treat themselves” to some junk on tournament day.
Try this “Match Day Cheat Sheet” instead:
Immediate post weigh in:
20-32oz water + 1 packet NDR Hydrate
Continue to drink another 4-6oz water every 20 minutes until thirst is satisfied.
15-20 minutes post weigh in
2 servings fruit: banana, pineapple, watermelon or grapes
Honey Stinger Waffle or Simple Mills Pita Crackers + Honey
Lunch:
4-6oz chicken breast
1 cup brown rice
Soy sauce or hot sauce
Why?
Lean protein and healthy carbs provide energy without slowing down your digestion or causing bloating.
Sip thru out the day:
Water + NDR Hydrate + Amino Recovery
Why?
NDR Hydrate replaces sodium and other electrolytes at the same ratio they are lost when you sweat.
Amino Recovery provides Amino Acids to provide fuel to the body and prevent loss of muscle tissue. All the benefits of protein without your body needing to digest and break it down.
After every match:
Honey Stinger Waffle
Or
Grapes (or other fruit) + crackers
Why? Easy to digest carbs and natural sugars fuel the body without weighing you down.
Foods to avoid:Dairy
Fried Foods or anything high in fat
Pizza or other “gut bombs”
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