ideal weight
In medicine, ideal body weights are usually described for groups of people (classified according to height, age, and sex) and are expressed as weight ranges associated with optimum health. Ideal weights for individuals are specific and difficult to define. Some tables of ideal weights refer to the average weight for persons of a given height and sex, but this average may not be the ideal weight for the good health of a particular person. Some coaches refer to the ideal competitive weight for a particular sport, but this may be quite different from the desirable weight for health. For example, long-distance runners usually do best when they are significantly underweight for their height.
In the past, coaches used to determine by eye whether an athlete should lose or gain weight. The technique was sometimes called the binocular scanning method. Despite its impressive name, the method is very subjective and unreliable. In the modern, highly competitive world of sport, coaches use the latest scientific knowledge and techniques to determine and maintain ideal weight.
Ideal weight is specific to a particular individual and his or her sport. It should be considered in conjunction with body composition. Athletes striving for optimal performance should have just the right weight, and the right combination of carbohydrate energy stores, fat, muscle, and bone to give them sufficient size, strength, power, and endurance to meet the specific demands of their sport. See also body mass index.
