Introduction: Rapid weight-loss to participate in a lower weight-class is the most important problem in the current wrestling sport.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of rapid weight-loss on the physical fitness and exercise performance parameters in the teenage boy elite wrestlers.

Methods: Ten elite wrestlers (16.4±0.51 y, 62.3±8.31 kg, 172.6±7.44 cm) voluntarily participated in this study. Anthropometric parameters, body fat percent, long distance jump, height  jump, flexibility tests, Queen's step test, Illinois agility test, 60-meter dash, visual and audio reaction times, and grip force were measured in three sessions 1) before weight-loss, 2) after weight-loss and 3) 16 hours after weighing. Repeated measure ANOVA with Bonferroni pairwise comparisons were computed to identify any statistical differences between sessions.

Results: Current results shown 2.5 % rapid weight loss cause a significant difference in the grip isometric force (p<0.001), 60-m dash (p<0.05), audio reaction time (p<0.05) and after 16 h recovery, hand grip isometric force (p<0.001), 60-m dash (p<0.005), and audio reaction time (p<0.005) significantly delayed when compared with the baseline. Moreover, trunk flexibility (p<0.005) and Queen’s step test (p<0.005) were significantly different in comparison with the baseline.

Discussion: According to the results obtained in this study, rapid weight-loss has a negative impact on the performance and physical fitness parameters in the teenage elite wrestlers and after 16 h recovery did not return to the normal values.