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Sumo Schools (JAPAN)
Want to become a sumo fighter? Join the Sumo School.
A Sumo fight is one of the most interesting amd traditional wrestling sports in the World. Unlike other sports Sumo does not demand a fit body.
Sumo is the traditional national sport of Japan. Just as baseball and soccer have become popular within Japan, the ancient traditions of Sumo are gaining popularity outside of Japan. There are six Grand Sumo tournaments (basho) held during the year, in each odd numbered month. Three are held in the capital of Tokyo, and one each are held in the cities of Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka. There are only seventy salaried professional wrestlers in the two top divisions of Sumo, with hundreds of men striving to break into these ranks.
Watching Sumo wrestling is really enjoyable: To enjoy the combat sport of Sumo, there are only a few things to know. Two men meet in a ring that is 4.55 meters across. They wear thick silk belts around their waists. The object is to force your opponent out of this ring (dohyo) or to make any part of his body (excepting the soles of the feet) touch the playing surface. There is a referee and several judges watching the action to call the winner. These bouts are very brief, averaging only a few seconds, although some exciting matchups can go on for two or three minutes. The combatants cannot pull hair, gouge eyes, or strike with a closed fist. Pushing, tripping, slapping and various body throws are commonly seen in Sumo.
Judo was derived from ancient Sumo throwing techniques.
If you are interested in Japan, Sumo is a fascinating way to
learn about the culture of the country. Men and women alike are fans
of the sport, and it is deeply and traditionally Japanese. The wrestlers
belong to teams, and live communally in a lifestyle that is completely
dedicated to the sport. Sumo is a way of life as well as a sport, and
all involved wear distinctive clothing and are considered role models
all year round. A strict meritocracy, you gain rank and pay in Sumo
only by winning; lose and you drop in rank. An additional attraction
of Sumo are the men from foreign countries who struggle to achieve fame
and fortune in Japan. Recently, men from Canada, Argentina, Brazil,
Mongolia, China and the United States have found success.
The training regimen for Sumo wrestlers is strict and rigorous and is generally supervised by retired Rikishi. There are numerous Sumo schools in Japan and young recruits usually enter as teenagers. Each youth must pass a weight class before acceptance. The schools teach rules, etiquette, basic techniques and the history of Sumo. Scouts from various “stables” , or Sumo training centers, visit schools to recruit promising students who they hope might become the next stars of the Sumo ring. Once a young man enters a stable he must be totally committed to the years of training required to become an accomplished rikishi.
Even within a Sumo stable there is a specific and strictly enforced ranking. The youngest recruits are often required to rise as early as 4 AM to train and are expected to act as assistants or to wait on the older rikishi during mealtimes. All meals are prepared using high protein foods for optimum weight gain. For centuries it was believed that the larger the wrestler’s girth, the greater his chance of becoming a grand champion.
However, health problems have plagued Sumo wrestlers for decades. Many ailments are a direct result of rapid and excessive weight gain. In an effort to produce healthier fighters various stables no longer practice force feeding. Others have also adopted weight training and other forms of exercise to create slimmer, yet equally powerful wrestlers