It's the accepted practice now in the collegiate and post-collegiate levels. In high school, people still stick to the old school death by dehydration method, but more experienced people know about the hyperhydration methods.
Actually, some of the best athletes move up weight classes now. Cael Sanderson (only 4x undefeated NCAA champ) comes to mind. It's being determined that moving up and eating well increases your strength and speed, and makes you more successful than cutting too hard (to a point). Everyone these days is incredibly lean and well trained- the difference factor is in stamina now, and it is night and day between someone who cut too much weight and someone slightly smaller, but better nourished, than his opponent.
That's pretty much the opinion I found when I trained with the more elite powerlifters. The top guys only cut when they want to take a national or world record in a lower weight class, and even then they try to lose as much weight as possible by dieting months in advance.
Actually, some of the best athletes move up weight classes now. Cael Sanderson (only 4x undefeated NCAA champ) comes to mind. It's being determined that moving up and eating well increases your strength and speed, and makes you more successful than cutting too hard (to a point). Everyone these days is incredibly lean and well trained- the difference factor is in stamina now, and it is night and day between someone who cut too much weight and someone slightly smaller, but better nourished, than his opponent.