Patterns of rapid weight loss and recovery of hydration/body composition in elite tug of war athletes
Cargando...
Fecha
2026
Título de la revista
ISSN de la revista
Título del volumen
Editor
Generalidad de Cataluña = Generalitat de Catalunya, Consell Català de l'Esport
Doyma
Doyma
Resumen
Rapid weight loss prior to official weigh-ins is a widespread practice in weight-class sports, but its application in tug of war (TOW) has received little attention. Given that team categories are determined by total Body mass (BM), athletes often resort to acute weight manipulation to gain a competitive advantage. The aim of this study was to examine day-to-day changes in body weight, body composition, and hydration status in elite TOW athletes before and after official weigh-ins, and to explore potential sex differences. Ninety-five elite TOW athletes (41 included in the analyses; 19 women, 22 men) were assessed during the 2019 European Outdoor and the 2020 World Indoor TOW Championships. Measurements were performed on the weigh-in day (Day 1) and on the two subsequent competition days (Days 2 and 3). BM, body composition, and hydration status were assessed using multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. Repeated-measures ANOVA and regression analyses were applied to evaluate changes across days and associations between variables. Athletes showed significant increases in BM (∼3.9 kg/5.6 %), total body water (TBW), extracellular (ECW) and intracellular water, fat-free mass (FFM), and BMI between the weigh-in and competition days (all p < 0.001).However, changes in FFM should be interpreted with caution, as they are likely driven by hydration-related fluctuations rather than true alterations in lean tissue mass. The observed pattern suggests that elite TOW athletes likely undergo rapid pre-weigh-in weight reduction followed by aggressive rehydration and recovery. These patterns were similar between men and women, with trivial to small effect sizes across all variables. Findings highlight the need for safe and evidence-based weight management strategies to protect athlete health while maintaining performance.
Palabras clave
Rapid weight loss
Rehydration strategies
Athletic impairment
Biomarkers of dehydration
Body composition
Rehydration strategies
Athletic impairment
Biomarkers of dehydration
Body composition
Descripción
Materias
Cita
Castañeda Babarro, A., Martinez de Aguirre Betolaza, A., Agirre Elordui, S., Calleja González, J., & Cayero Alcorta, R. (2026). Patterns of rapid weight loss and recovery of hydration/body composition in elite tug of war athletes. Apunts: Medicina de l’esport, 61(231). https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APUNSM.2026.100518