In a recent episode of the Grapplers Perspective podcast, accomplished grappler PJ Barch shared a candid look into his wrestling past, including his experience using Adderall as a weight-cutting aid during his high school wrestling career.
Barch revealed that his introduction to the prescription medication came through older wrestlers who suggested it could help with weight management.
“I guess it kind of started with hanging out with older wrestling kids my sophomore year,” Barch explained. “We were going on these trips all over the place to wrestle, and I was hanging out with some wrestling kids. One of them told me, ‘Hey, there’s this stuff called Adderall, and Adderall makes you not eat, so you can cut a ton of weight.'”
The fighter admitted that what began as a weight-cutting strategy became problematic. “I started carrying Adderall around during wrestling season, taking it sometimes. Meanwhile, I didn’t know I was really getting high and stuff too. I mean, I took it for probably a good reason to start, but I ended up being a little bit of a fiend for the stuff.”
This experimentation with the medication eventually led to serious consequences for his athletic career. “I got caught with it in school my junior year, and this went pretty bad. I ended up having to change high schools. It was a pretty turbulent couple of years, to be honest.”
Despite this setback, Barch managed to win a state championship in his senior year before walking onto a Division I wrestling team in college, where he continued to struggle with balance in his life. His path eventually led him to Hawaii, where he began his transition to MMA and ultimately to jiu-jitsu, where he has found considerable success.
Barch’s revelation offers a glimpse into the extreme measures some wrestlers take to make weight and the potential consequences that can follow. Now training at 10th Planet South Bay in San Diego, Barch has established himself as one of the top competitors in the grappling world, with notable performances at ADCC and other major competitions.
Barch’s openness about his past struggles adds depth to his journey in combat sports and provides perspective on the challenges athletes can face beyond the competitive arena.
