Sumo is a type of wrestling in a loincloth (mawashi) on a specially equipped area (dohyo).
The following weight categories are defined in sumo competitions:
- Boys 13-18 years old: up to 75 kg, up to 100 kg, over 100 kg and absolute weight category.
- Men: up to 85 kg, up to 115 kg, over 115 kg and absolute weight category.
- Women: up to 65 kg, up to 80 kg, over 80 kg and absolute weight category.
Cloth
Competitors must wear a loincloth - mawashi. However, in amateur sumo it is allowed to wear swimming trunks or tight black shorts under the mawashi. The width of the mawashi is 40 cm, there is no specific length prescribed, but the mawashi must be long enough to be wrapped around the athlete's torso 4-5 times.
Athletes are prohibited from entering a fight wearing objects that could injure the opponent. This primarily applies to metal jewelry (rings, bracelets, chains, etc.). The wrestler's body must be completely clean and dry, his fingernails and toenails must be cut short. Emblem of the club, federation, number, etc. it is allowed to attach (tie) to the mawashi.
Venue: Dohyo
Sumo competitions are held on a square area with a side of 7.27 m, which is called dohyo.
There are two types of dohyo:
- mori-dohyo - a clay or earthen trapezoid 34-60 cm high;
- Hira-dohyo is a flat dohyo, which is used for training and for competitions in the absence of a mori-dohyo.
The bout arena is a circle with a diameter of 4.55 m, the center of which is the intersection of two diagonal lines of the square specified in clause 5.1. The perimeter of the fighting arena is limited by a rope of rice straw - Cebu Dawara.
In the center of the circle on the eastern and western sides of the dohyo, two white starting lines (shikirisen) are applied to the surface at a distance of 70 cm from each other. The length of the shikirisen is 80 cm, width is 6 cm.
The inside of the circle is sprinkled with sand. Sand is also scattered outside the circle, along the Sebu-Dawara, to a width of about 25 cm, to form a “control” strip - janome. In controversial cases, the presence or absence of marks on the janome helps to correctly determine the outcome of the fight.
Composition of the panel of judges
IN panel of judges includes: the chief judge of the competition, the deputy chief judge, the chief secretary, judges, informants and other service personnel.
The Chief Judge is responsible for the implementation of all provisions relating to general rules refereeing, including the appointment of referee panels.
Composition of the judging panel
The refereeing panel should consist of 6 people:
- team leader - simpante,
- referee - gyoji,
- 4 side judges - simpans.
Wrestling rules
Except in special situations, the following provisions determine the winner of the bout:
- the wrestler who forces the opponent to touch the dohyo with any part of the body outside the sebu-dawar wins;
- The winner is the wrestler who forces the opponent to touch the dohyo with any part of the body other than the soles of the feet, within the cebu-dawar.
Special situations include the position of shinitai (“dead body”) - a complete loss of balance, inevitably leading to defeat.
The attacker does not lose the fight by touching the dohyo with his hand in order to soften the fall and avoid injury when completing a technical action, as a result of which the opponent ends up in the position of shinitai. This situation is called kabaite.
The attacker does not lose the fight by stepping behind the sebu-dawara in order to soften the fall and avoid injury when completing a technical action, as a result of which the opponent ends up in a shinitai position. This situation is called kabaiashi.
The attacker does not lose the fight by standing up for the Sebu-Davara when he, having lifted the enemy, takes him out and lowers him behind the Sebu-Davara. This situation is called okuriashi. However, the attacker loses the fight if, while carrying out this technical action, he goes behind the Sebu-Dawar with his back forward.
The attacker does not lose the fight if, when performing a winning throw, the rise of his leg touches the dohyo.
It is not a failure if the horizontal front part of the mawashi (orikomi) touches the dohyo.
A wrestler may be declared defeated by a decision of the judges in the following cases:
- If he cannot continue the fight due to injury,
- If he performs kinjite (prohibited acts),
- If he ends the fight on his own,
- If he deliberately did not rise from starting position,
- If he doesn't follow the gyoji's commands,
- If he does not appear in the waiting sector after the second official call,
- If the maebukuro (codpiece) of the mawashi comes untied and falls off during a fight.
If the fight lasts longer than the set time, but the winner is not determined, it is stopped and the fight is repeated.
Prohibited actions (kinjite):
- Punching or finger poking.
- Kicks to the chest or stomach.
- Hair grabs.
- Grab by the throat.
- Grabs the vertical parts of the mawashi.
- Wringing the opponent's fingers.
- Biting.
- Direct blows to the head.
Rituals
Sumo, like other traditional martial arts in Japan, maintains and honors rituals and etiquette.
The rituals consist of ritsu-rei (standing bow), chiritezu (water purification) and shikiri (preparation).
Chiritezu is a unique ritual that originates from the ancient Japanese custom of washing a warrior before battle.
Chiritezu is performed by both wrestlers simultaneously when entering the dohyo. They squat down in a sonoke position, balancing on their toes. The heels are lifted off the floor, the torso and head are held straight, the hands are placed on the knees. The wrestlers lower their hands and nod to each other. Then the athletes bring their outstretched arms together at chest level, spread them to the sides with their palms down and again bring them together in front with a clap of their palms, straighten their arms and spread them to the sides parallel to the ground with their palms up, and at the end of the ritual turn them with their palms down.
Sikiri— pre-launch preparatory movements. The wrestlers squat down with their legs spread wide and their torso bent forward. At the same time, the hips and shoulders are held horizontally, and the hands, clenched into fists, rest on the surface of the dohyo along the shikirisen, without touching, which corresponds to the “ready!” position.
The transition from shikiri to tachiai (starting jerk-lift) must be carried out by athletes simultaneously.
Rituals are integral and important integral part sumo and should be performed without haste, with dignity and calm, emphasizing the harmony and greatness of sumo.
Fight
The duration of the fight is:
- For age group 13-15 years old - 3 minutes;
- for the age group 16-17 years - 5 minutes;
- for adults 18 years and older - 5 minutes.
If after the specified time the winner is not determined, a re-fight (torinaoshi) is scheduled.
There is no break between contractions. The next contraction begins immediately after the end of the previous one.
Calling participants
Competitors enter the dohyo-damari in the following order:
- V team competitions the two teams that will compete next must leave and position themselves in the dohyo-damari before the end of the previous match;
- in individual competitions, the wrestler must be in doha-damari 2 grabs before his own.
While on dohyo and dohyo-damari, competition participants must behave with dignity and avoid rude expressions so as not to hurt the feelings of others.
Wrestlers are invited to the dokhio by the judge-informant via a microphone in a loud and clear voice 2 times. If, after the second official challenge, the participant does not enter the dohyo, he is considered a defeat.
Presentation of participants
Wrestlers take part in the competition under the numbers they received in the draw. The informant judge introduces all wrestlers in each weight category at the beginning of the competition by name. Before the start of each fight, the participants are introduced by name, indicating their data (age, height, weight), titles and ranks.
The beginning of the fight
The fight begins at the command of the gyoji after performing the necessary rituals.
Stopping the fight
Gyoji may stop the bout one or more times due to injury, improper clothing (mawashi), or any other reason beyond the participant's wishes.
The time spent on breaks per wrestler may be established by the Competition Regulations.
End of the fight
The fight ends when the gyoji, having determined the outcome of the fight, announces: “Sebu atta!” - and pointing with his hand in the direction of the dohyo (East or West), from which the winner began the fight. The wrestlers on this team must stop wrestling.
Announcement of the winner (katinanori)
After the end of the fight and the announcement of “Cebu atta!” gyoji and wrestlers return to their original positions.
The loser bows (rei) and leaves the dohyo. The winner assumes the sonkyo pose and, after the gyoji, pointing at him with his hand, announces: “Higashi no kachi!” (“Victory of the East!”) or “Nishi no Kati!” (“Victory of the West!”), drawls right hand to the side and down.
If the bout is terminated due to the use of a prohibited technique by one of the wrestlers, the winner is declared in the prescribed manner.
If it is impossible for one of the wrestlers to continue the fight due to injury, his opponent assumes the sonkyo position, and the gyoji, in the established order, declares him the winner.
If one of the wrestlers fails to appear, the wrestler who comes out in doha assumes the sonkyo position, and the gyoji, in the prescribed manner, declares him the winner.
On TV they seem funny, like fat guys in funny headbands. They raise their legs high, make strange noises, and then grab each other and try to throw each other down.
Probably every person who sometimes watches a sports channel thought to himself that sumo is not a sport at all, but rather entertainment, fun for the audience. But who would know what emotions are in the air at these competitions, how long the learning path is and how important it is to correctly understand the philosophy of combat in order to reach heights! What is the average weight of a sumo wrestler? Does it have to be big or is it a stereotype?
What is "sumo"
Japan seems to us to be a country of exquisite traditions, long tea parties, patient eating of rice with chopsticks, a country of miniature women who do not acquire wrinkles in old age and retain ballerina legs. How could sumo appear in a country with the most correct food system? I must say that martial art sumo comes from ancient times. The first mention of it dates back 2 thousand years ago. This explains the abundance of ancient myths and tales associated with such a struggle. Then the importance of the struggle was enormous, because the winners became the rulers of the country or were even called gods. Although several countries claim the right to be the inventor of sumo wrestling, the Japanese still consider it theirs. It contains too many traditions and customs.
Is there a maximum for a wrestler?
Is there a standard weight for a sumo wrestler? Many people still believe that if you can eat whatever you want without control, then you can become a sumo wrestler. I would like to dispel these myths once and for all - a weak-willed person who has gained a life-threatening amount of kilograms will not be able to adapt to the fight. So you need to gain weight wisely. By the way, not every sumo wrestler has a lot of weight: after all, there are weight categories in sumo. So it’s not a matter of size, but of the quality and depth of knowledge. The largest wrestler was found in America. With a respectable height of 2 meters and 3 centimeters, he weighs 313 kilograms. One must think that he is invincible in a fight! But he has such a weight on his health, because excess body weight affects the condition of the liver, heart, and kidneys. Arthritis, diabetes and hypertension begin to progress.
The Japanese have a healthy lifestyle, which is why they live on average up to 82 years, but sumo wrestlers often barely live past 60. After all, physical fitness rarely goes along with overweight. The Japanese are also very measured people, so after completion sports career, which, by the way, is possible for a sumo wrestler only up to 35 years of age, return to a moderate diet, adhering to balanced sports loads. Over the course of a few years, they lose weight. If you look at a sumo wrestler’s weight through the eyes of a professional nutritionist, you will discover serious deviations from the norm. Thus, a sumo wrestler is 2.5 times higher than that of a healthy person. To get in this shape, you need to eat according to special diet and lead the lifestyle prescribed for athletes. But stereotypes do not work here, because sumo wrestlers do not gain weight by absorbing a huge amount of food with a predominance of fat.
How to gain weight correctly
The question may seem strange, because the media is all about cultivating a slim and athletic body, and not jiggling folds, but sumo wrestlers do not look like ordinary overweight people. They remain fit, strong and active. The requirements for the daily routine of sumo wrestlers are strict, but somehow subtly resemble the daily routine of kindergarten. This is understandable, because gaining weight as a sumo wrestler is not so easy. In addition to a clear number of meals, they have time to sleep. At first glance, it seems that this is the dream of a sweet tooth and a lover of delicious food! But it's not that simple. Sumo wrestlers eat twice a day, both times before bed, since calories are absorbed faster during sleep. A sumo wrestler who respects himself and his coach cannot uncontrollably eat a chocolate bar or sit all evening in front of the TV with a pack of chips, because he has a special menu aimed at accumulating fat reserves, but in order for the weight to be distributed evenly, the fats consumed must be correct. So, the wrestlers start their day with a long workout on an empty stomach. The training lasts from 4 to 6 hours, and its complexity is as great as that of a ballerina. Hypothetically, such activity should speed up the metabolism and burn fat, but in reality it leads to a decrease in the metabolic rate, which the smart body perceives as an alarming signal and begins to stock up on fuel for the future. By the way, this can also be taken into account by girls who are losing weight, who deny themselves breakfast and cannot control the amount of food they consume, which is why they overeat for lunch. After training, the wrestler has lunch, and the calorie content of lunch should not fall below 10 thousand calories! That is, for lunch, a sumo wrestler must consume the daily norm of eight adults! After lunch, you need to sleep for 3-4 hours so that the body has time to convert the calories received into fat. When you wake up, it's time to start your second workout. And then another 10 thousand calories for dinner and bed.
Pleasant gastronomic pleasures
But the described daily routine does not mean that a wrestler should push food into his mouth, even when he doesn’t feel like eating. And there is no need to completely cut down on your consumption of goodies. The weight of a sumo wrestler allows you to drink beer and sake with meals, but alcohol does not provide any nutritional value. During the meal, the wrestlers communicate and sometimes get so carried away that they do not notice how they eat a huge portion. Especially to gain weight, they treat themselves to a dish with an intriguing name - “chanko-nabe”. The recipe contains a lot of meat, rice and vegetables. It is better to take fattier meat, and more filling vegetables. At home, you can prepare it from everything that is in the refrigerator, that is, you can take beef, pork, poultry, fish and seafood. The meat is seasoned with bean paste and sesame oil, and flavor is added with ginger, garlic and soy sauce. Don’t forget about the side dish, for which rice is stewed with tofu bean curd, eggplant, Chinese cabbage, carrots, radishes and spinach. Japanese noodles with eggs, mushrooms and seaweed wouldn’t be out of place in the recipe either. A couple of years on a diet with such a main dish - and the average weight of a sumo wrestler will be 150-200 kg. And the secret speed dial masses in consuming this enchanting amount of calories before bed. Please note that with an abundance of ingredients, wrestlers do not consume fast carbohydrates, flour and sugar. That is, in fact, they do not eat anything harmful, so they do not pollute their body and after completing their career they can easily return to their original weight. It is this approach that distinguishes the Japanese from Europeans, who can limit the amount of vegetables and fruits they consume to the limit in favor of fried potatoes and donuts with chocolate.
Sumo history
As already mentioned, sumo appeared in ancient times. The first evidence of wrestling dates back to the middle of the 7th century. In 642, a wrestling tournament was held at the Emperor's court in honor of a Korean ambassador. The tournament was a success due to the entertainment and emotionality of the fight, so it set a trend and was held annually at the end of field work in the fall. A ring or, as it is called, a dohyo, was formed on a raised platform, outside of which there were sharp stakes. There were also some rules. You cannot hit your opponent with an open palm, you cannot aim at the eyes or genitals. After all, sumo is noble, so there is a ban on chokeholds. Do not grab hair, ears or fingers.
But slapping, pushing, and grabbing parts of the mawashi, except those that cover the genitals, are allowed. In amateur sumo, it is important how much a sumo wrestler weighs, since pairs are formed according to weight. But professional wrestling weight categories doesn't recognize it. The main thing is the average weight of a sumo wrestler: almost everyone has it under 100 kg, but wrestlers top divisions, bearing the proud title of sektori, must have a mass of more than 120 kg. Many people who are far from sumo will be surprised, but the percentage of fat in a sumo wrestler is the same as that of the average person. Accordingly, the bigger the sumo wrestler, the more muscle mass and weight. Sumo is a sport that does not recognize restrictions, so anyone can get carried away with it.
Lifestyle nuances
The stereotype that there are no tall and slender sumo wrestlers would be wrong. Sumo wrestler Chiyonofuji, famous in certain circles, was above average height. There are no sizeless wrestlers. Still, a person weighing 200 kilograms or more is unlikely to be able to fight without shortness of breath and arrhythmia. The average weight of a sumo wrestler is far from the declared “ceiling”, and “light” wrestlers have an advantage over heavyweights, as they are more mobile and technical. A fight was noted in history when the wrestler Mainoumi threw against the wrestler Konishiki, who was twice his weight. A very big sumo wrestler limits his arsenal of techniques and faces annoying problems such as excessive sweating and clumsiness. In amateur sumo, pairs do not have representatives in different weight categories, but have their own divisions.
Contact martial arts involve two wrestlers on a professional or amateur basis. Professional sumo presents a colorful competition with the participation of selected heavyweight wrestlers. There were no women among the wrestlers. Sports sumo can be equated to Greco-Roman wrestling, as wrestlers divided by weight enter the competition. By the way, the first sumo wrestlers were samurai or ronin, interested in an additional source of income. In the 17th century, 72 canonical sumo techniques were recorded, based on sacred rituals with divine symbolism. Since even from the time of its inception, sumotori were a category of people close to the emperor and therefore were supported by the state.
And the game is worth the candle
Indeed, is there any rational grain in being a sumo wrestler?
Is it worth gaining weight, trampling on the world standards and giving up the opportunity to show off in a bikini on the beach? After all, sumo has long ceased to be exclusively masculine looking sports, on international competitions Women are becoming more and more active. Sumo has many rules: wrestlers of the same hei, siblings, cannot fight in a duel. Sumo wrestling is pretty profitable business, so participants interested in it can at least become quite rich. If we calculate on average, then in a year a wrestler of the highest category, who is also called yokozun, receives as much for wrestling and outside earnings as a world-class football player. In Japan, practicing sumo is doubly profitable, since professional fights are held only here.
Coming out to fight
A respected wrestler cannot go to the dohyo uncollected. Every detail is taken into account. Sumo wrestlers even have a special hairstyle. A photo of it from a close angle allows you to verify its functionality and beauty. This hairstyle is called takayama, it softens the blow to the crown of the head, which is almost inevitable when falling. By the way, wrestlers are prohibited from driving a car. Moreover, violators will face serious punishment, for example, disqualification, which equates to a significant loss in rank. Usually wrestlers travel by taxi.
In addition, there are restrictions on the presence of foreigners in this sport. A wrestler is considered a foreigner not only by citizenship, but also by origin.
Russians in sumo
The fighting technique is close in spirit to our people, as it is rich in traditions and full of respect for the opponent. But it’s still quite strange to watch how Russian girls, truly beautiful, choose this sport, which is still exotic for our mentality. It is worth immediately amending the understanding of sumo wrestling by many people: sumo wrestlers do not fight. Their fight is noble, the purpose of the fight is to push the opponent beyond the border of the dohyo. The one who touches the ground with any part of the body except the foot will lose. Svetlana Panteleeva absolutely does not meet the expectations of how much a sumo wrestler weighs. Svetlana weighs 75 kilograms and is 170 centimeters tall, that is, her weight is normal. This is how the stereotypes that fat people go to sumo are destroyed. Svetlana came to the sport from choreography and judo. Sumo made me laugh at first, but then it dragged me in, the emotions were too hot.
Svetlana goes beyond the rules and keeps herself in shape with the help of proper nutrition: More protein to build muscle, not fat.
Tenderness in the fight
Who would have thought that a seven-time world sumo champion could be a homely and cozy woman, a real homemaker. This is exactly what Catherine Cabe is like. She is still very young, but has achieved a lot, so she can afford a break in her career. Ekaterina managed to try herself in pedagogy and politics. I have many interests, but without sports I developed a passion for Japanese cuisine. While she was actively involved in sports, Katya abstained from sushi, but now she eats with pleasure. Ekaterina is far from being a model; with a fairly tall height of 180 centimeters, she weighs 138 kg. This is the normal average weight of a sumo wrestler, and even slightly below the standard.
And European Championships medalist Olesya Kovalenko is even a little asthenic for sumo: she weighs only 118 kg with the same height. True, she believes that this is her fighting form, in which she is both strong and mobile.
Success through endurance
Anna Zhigalova competes in the absolute weight category, who is also outside the framework established by the average weight of a sumo wrestler.
With a height of 185 cm, Anna weighs 120 kg. As a child, I dreamed of being a ballerina, but my build was too large. He doesn’t go on a special diet, except that his trainer sometimes forces him to gain weight. Anna does not adhere to the traditions of the founders of wrestling, she eats healthy, although she has her own gastronomic preferences. In general, it is necessary to imagine a certain gradation of the weight of athletes: light weight is limited to 65 kg; average weight ranges from 65 to 80 kg; heavy weight category starts from 80 kg and above.
Japanese sumo wrestlers and their differences
The attitude towards fat people in the world is ambiguous, since sometimes they do not fit into the usual standards of beauty. In Japan, rich in traditions, the situation is somewhat simpler, since the beauty of a person, his inner content, and the ability to combine harmony and athletic development are paramount.
Therefore, their people can afford to eat in accordance with the history of sports. People who are completely focused on wrestling, who know their daily routine in advance and practice sumo professional level, literally live off their work uniform. In Russia, everything is different, because a modern person cannot give up on himself and turn away from critical views in a cafe or transport. Overweight people are limited in their choice of clothing and in visiting public places. Who noticed a fat man resting in a nightclub? And who has seen a dancer with curvaceous figures? Our ladies do not want to get out of the cage, so their weight is too low for professional sumo. The girls remain normal, live at a weight at which they are comfortable, and therefore are successful not only in their careers, but also in their personal lives.
One of the popular national species The sport in Japan is sumo wrestling. Japan is the only country where sumo competitions are held at a professional level. In other countries, such as Korea, sumo is also popular view sports, but only at the amateur level.
Sumo originated in ancient times during the Yayoi era, which falls between 300 BC and 250 AD. At that time, sumo was a Shinto ritual ceremony (Shinto is the traditional religion of the Japanese people), which gradually developed into a combat match. Then, for the pleasure of the nobility of those times, pointed bamboo piles began to be dug around the place where the duel took place. And then, the losing wrestler, falling out of the circle, was pierced by these piles, which led to the indescribable delight of the audience.
During the formation of the samurai class, sumo wrestling became its privilege. In the combat training of the samurai, sumo played a significant role, as it contributed to the skill of standing firmly on one’s feet.
Sumo includes a certain ritual of preparing and conducting a fight. Before the fight began, the participants prayed for victory, sprinkled salt on the arena to drive away evil spirits underground, and then clapped their hands to attract the attention of the deity in whose honor the competition was held, this ritual is still carried out today.
In the 16th century, professional sumo tournaments began to take place. The rules of fighting changed over time and were finally developed in the 17th century and have not changed since then.
The platform for sumo is a hill of 40-60 cm, on which there is a circle called dohyo, compacted with clay and sprinkled with sand. In the center dohyo two white lines ( shikiri-sen) - This starting positions sumo wrestlers. Finely sifted sand called "snake's eye" is poured around the arena. Using sand, you can determine whether the contact was made by a wrestler outside the arena. The diameter of the wrestling circle is 4.55 meters.
Sumo wrestlers dressed in mawashi- This is a special belt made of thick fabric, usually dark colors. This wide ribbon is wrapped around the naked body and between the legs several times and tied in a knot at the back. On mawashi there is a fringe - sagari, which is only a decoration and does not carry any semantic meaning. If the mawashi unwinds during a match, this automatically leads to the disqualification of the wrestler.
Sumo wrestlers' hair is greased and styled in a large bun at the top of the head. The referee is watching the fight ( gyoji) competitions. He is dressed in ancient ritual clothes and gives commands using a fan during the fight.
The rules of wrestling include a number of prohibitions, these are: you cannot grab an opponent by the hair, fingers, ears, you cannot use choking techniques, you cannot grab the mawashi in the genital area, you can only hit with an open palm, but you cannot hit in the eye area and genitals. All other techniques are permitted.
In the following cases, the defeat of the sumo wrestler is counted:
- the wrestler touched the ground with any part of the body except the soles of the feet
- the wrestler was pushed out of the circle
- the wrestler performed a move prohibited for wrestling
- Mawashi has become unsightly
- wrestler is announced blue-tai(by a corpse). This happens extremely rarely when the wrestler is in a position that is impossible to fight.
The fight does not last long and can last from a few seconds to several minutes. The mass of the fighter plays a decisive, but not the main, role in victory, because what more weight, the easier it is to push the enemy out of the circle. Therefore, immediately before the competition, wrestlers in large quantities They drink up to 10 liters of water per day and eat fatty foods in huge quantities, increasing their weight. Sumo wrestlers weigh from 125 kg to 235 kg. But the technique of conducting a duel still plays the main role and therefore one can observe how a noticeably smaller wrestler wins the duel.
Sumo wrestling has a strict hierarchy, which depends on the skill of the wrestler. The hierarchy was established in the Edo era and exists today. Each wrestler receives a pseudonym from the instructor. After each match, wrestlers are either promoted or demoted in the circle depending on the number of appearances and their victories. Considering that the status of a wrestler depends on the number of victories, sumo wrestlers try to take part in all competitions, regardless of the fact that they have not yet recovered from injuries after previous competitions. And sumo is a rather traumatic sport. Often at competitions you can see a wrestler with bandaged hands and knees.
There are six categories in sumo: makuuchi, juryo, makushita, sandamme, jonidan, jenokuchi.
A sumo wrestler's career begins from the lowest rank - jenokuchi, and in order to reach the highest circle - makuuchi, you need to put in a lot of strength and develop fighting skills. It takes a lot of time and physical activity from a fighter.
At the top of the qualification is the grand champion - yokozuna(great champion). If a wrestler reaches the yokozuna title, then, unlike other (lower) ranks, he is no longer subject to demotion even if he loses the match. But usually a yokozuna leaves the sport and does not take part in competitions if he sees that his time has passed and he does not live up to the standard of a champion.
The winner of each competition receives the Emperor's Cup and a large cash prize. Professional sumo wrestlers receive a monthly salary of $10,000 from the Japan Sumo Association, plus they receive an additional bonus for each battle won, plus there is a system of corresponding bonuses.
Sumo wrestling requires great strength and health, and huge weight also adversely affects general condition wrestler, therefore, at the age of 35, sumo wrestlers retire and live quite prosperously from the funds accumulated during their professional activities, in addition, depending on the qualification level, they receive a decent pension - 5-6 thousand dollars.
Japan hosts six sumo tournaments every year. Three in Tokyo - January, May and September and one each in Osaka - in March, in Nagoya - in July and in Fukuoka - in November. Each tournament lasts 15 days, during which each wrestler competes in one match per day (excluding inferior matches if they have already been won). During the period of tournaments, the hierarchy ranking based on the results of the competition is updated daily. The wrestlers who more wins The more defeats they move up the hierarchy, those who have more defeats in their arsenal are demoted in rank.
The best way to see sumo is to take part in a tournament; tickets are sold for all 15-day tours in specialized organizations, in mini-markets, at stadiums (the cheapest tickets are purchased on the day of the performance, at the stadium, special places are reserved for these tickets).
There are three types of places available for sumo lovers. These are ringside seats that are located right next to the arena (circle) in which the competition takes place. These are the most expensive places and tickets are difficult to get there. Spectators sit on cushions, on the floor and are at risk of injury when a wrestler is thrown outside the circle.
Boh seats are seats on the ground floor of the stadium, in the form of a box, divided among themselves, in which there are 4 seats - pillows on the floor. These seats are sold in 4 tickets at a time, regardless of whether there will be four people there or two. It is prohibited to wear shoes in these places.
And the third type of seating is Western-style balconies. The ticket price depends on the distance from the arena. Children under 3 years old, together with their parents, attend competitions for free, but in distant places, without being provided with a separate seat.
Tickets for competitions, as a rule, are purchased in advance, otherwise there is a chance of not getting to your favorite show.
Sumo is a type of wrestling in a loincloth ( mawashi) on a specially equipped site ( dohyo).
Weight categories
The following weight categories are defined in sumo competitions:
Men: up to 85 kg, up to 92 kg, up to 100 kg, up to 115 kg, over 115 kg and absolute weight category.
Women: up to 55 kg, up to 65 kg, up to 73 kg, up to 80 kg, up to 95 kg, over 95 kg and absolute weight category.
Cloth
Competitors must wear a loincloth bandage - mawashi. However, in amateur sumo it is allowed to wear swimming trunks or tight black shorts under the mawashi.
The width of the mawashi is 40 cm, there is no specific length prescribed, but the mawashi must be long enough to be wrapped around the athlete's torso 4-5 times.
Athletes are prohibited from entering a fight wearing objects that could injure their opponent. This primarily applies to metal jewelry (rings, bracelets, chains, etc.). The wrestler's body must be completely clean and dry, his fingernails and toenails must be cut short. Emblem of the club, federation, number, etc. it is allowed to attach (tie) to the mawashi.
Procedure for tying mawashi:
Venue: Dohyo
Sumo competitions are held on a square area with a side of 7.27 m, which is called dohyo.
There are two types of dohyo:
- mori-dohyo - clay or earthen trapezoid 34-60 cm high;
- hira-dohyo - a flat dohyo, which is used for training and competitions in the absence of a mori-dohyo.
![](https://i0.wp.com/mossumo.ru/os_prav/dohe.jpg)
The bout arena is a circle with a diameter of 4.55 m, the center of which is the intersection of two diagonal lines of the square specified in clause 5.1. The perimeter of the fighting arena is limited by a rope of rice straw - Cebu Dawara.
In the center of the circle on the eastern and western sides of the dohyo, two white starting lines (shikirisen) are applied to the surface at a distance of 70 cm from each other. The length of the shikirisen is 80 cm, width is 6 cm.
![](https://i1.wp.com/mossumo.ru/os_prav/dohe1.jpg)
The inside of the circle is sprinkled with sand. Sand is also scattered outside the circle, along the Sebu-Dawara, to a width of about 25 cm, to form a “control” strip - janome. In controversial cases, the presence or absence of marks on the jianome helps to correctly determine the outcome of the fight.
Composition of the panel of judges
The panel of judges includes: the chief judge of the competition, the deputy chief judge, the chief secretary, judges, informants and other service personnel.
The Chief Referee is responsible for the implementation of all provisions relating to the general rules of refereeing, including the appointment of referee teams.
Composition of the judging panel
The refereeing team must consist of 6 people: the head of the team - simpante, the referee - gyoji, 4 side judges - simpana.
Wrestling rules
Except in special situations, the following provisions determine the winner of the bout:
- the wrestler who forces the opponent to touch the dohyo with any part of the body outside the Cebu Dawar wins;
- the winner is the wrestler who forces the opponent to touch the dohyo with any part of the body, except the soles of the feet, within the cebu-dawar.
Special situations include the position of shinitai ("dead body") - a complete loss of balance, inevitably leading to defeat.
The attacker does not lose the fight by touching the dohyo with his hand in order to soften the fall and avoid injury when completing a technical action, as a result of which the opponent ends up in the position of shinitai. This situation is called kabaite.
The attacker does not lose the fight by stepping behind the sebu-dawara in order to soften the fall and avoid injury when completing a technical action, as a result of which the opponent ends up in a shinitai position. This situation is called kabaiashi.
The attacker does not lose the fight by standing up for the Sebu-Davara when he, having lifted the enemy, takes him out and lowers him behind the Sebu-Davara. This situation is called okuriashi. However, the attacker loses the fight if, while carrying out this technical action, he goes behind the Sebu-Dawar with his back forward.
The attacker does not lose the fight if, when performing a winning throw, the rise of his leg touches the dohyo.
It is not a failure if the horizontal front part of the mawashi (orikomi) touches the dohyo.
A wrestler may be declared defeated by a decision of the judges in the following cases
:
1. If he cannot continue the fight due to injury,
2. If he performs kinjite (prohibited actions),
3. If he ends the fight on his own,
4. If he deliberately did not rise from the starting position,
5. If he does not follow the gyoji's commands,
6. If he does not appear in the waiting sector after the second official call,
7. If the maebukuro (codpiece) of the mawashi comes untied and falls off during a fight.
If the fight lasts longer than the set time, but the winner is not determined, it is stopped and the fight is repeated.
Prohibited actions (kinjite)
1. Punching or finger poking.
2. Kicks to the chest or stomach.
3. Hair grabs.
4. Grab by the throat.
5. Grabs the vertical parts of the mawashi.
6. Wringing the opponent's fingers.
7. Biting.
8. Direct blows to the head.
Rituals.
Sumo, like other traditional martial arts in Japan, maintains and honors rituals and etiquette.
The rituals consist of ritsu-rei (standing bow), chiritezu (water purification) and shikiri (preparation).
Chiritezu
is a unique ritual that originates from the ancient Japanese custom of washing a warrior before battle.
![](https://i1.wp.com/mossumo.ru/os_prav/tiretedzu.jpg)
Chiritezu is performed by both wrestlers simultaneously when entering the dohyo. They squat down in a sonoke position, balancing on their toes. The heels are lifted off the floor, the torso and head are held straight, the hands are placed on the knees. The wrestlers lower their hands and nod to each other. Then the athletes bring their outstretched arms together at chest level, spread them to the sides with their palms down and again bring them together in front with a clap of their palms, straighten their arms and spread them to the sides parallel to the ground with their palms up, and at the end of the ritual turn them with their palms down.
Sikiri
- pre-launch preparatory movements. The wrestlers squat down with their legs spread wide and their torso bent forward. At the same time, the hips and shoulders are held horizontally, and the hands, clenched into fists, rest on the surface of the dohyo along the shikirisen, without touching, which corresponds to the “ready!” position.
![](https://i1.wp.com/mossumo.ru/os_prav/cikiri.jpg)
The transition from shikiri to tachiai (starting jerk-lift) must be carried out by athletes simultaneously.
Rituals are an integral and important part of sumo and must be performed without haste, with dignity and calm, emphasizing the harmony and greatness of sumo.
Fight
The duration of the fight is:
for the age group 13-15 years - 3 minutes;
for the age group 16-17 years old - 5 minutes;
for adults 18 years and older - 5 minutes.
If after the specified time the winner is not determined, a re-fight (torinaoshi) is scheduled.
There is no break between contractions. The next contraction begins immediately after the end of the previous one.
Calling participants
Competitors enter the dohyo-damari in the following order:
- in team competitions, the two teams that will compete next must enter and position themselves in the dohyo-damari until the end of the previous match;
- in individual competitions, the wrestler must be in doha-damari 2 grabs before his own.
While on dohyo and dohyo-damari, competition participants must behave with dignity and avoid rude expressions so as not to hurt the feelings of others.
Wrestlers are invited to the dokhio by the judge-informant via a microphone in a loud and clear voice 2 times. If, after the second official challenge, the participant does not enter the dohyo, he is considered a defeat.
Presentation of participants
Wrestlers take part in the competition under the numbers they received in the draw. The informant judge introduces all wrestlers in each weight category at the beginning of the competition by name. Before the start of each fight, the participants are introduced by name, indicating their data (age, height, weight), titles and ranks.
The beginning of the fight
The fight begins at the command of the gyoji after performing the necessary rituals.
Stopping the fight
Gyoji may stop the bout one or more times due to injury, improper clothing (mawashi), or any other reason beyond the participant's wishes.
The time spent on breaks per wrestler may be established by the Competition Regulations.
End of the fight
The fight ends when the gyoji, having determined the outcome of the fight, announces: “Sebu atta!” - and pointing with his hand in the direction of the dohyo (East or West), from which the winner began the fight.
The wrestlers on this team must stop wrestling.
Announcement of the winner (katinanori)
After the end of the fight and the announcement of “Cebu atta!” gyoji and wrestlers return to their original positions.
The loser bows (rei) and leaves the dohyo. The winner assumes the sonkyo pose and, after the gyoji, pointing at him with his hand, announces: “Higashi no kachi!” (“Victory of the East!”) or “Nishi no kati!” (“Victory of the West!”), extends his right hand to the side and down.
If the bout is terminated due to the use of a prohibited technique by one of the wrestlers, the winner is declared in the prescribed manner.
If it is impossible for one of the wrestlers to continue the fight due to injury, his opponent assumes the sonkyo position, and the gyoji, in the established order, declares him the winner.
If one of the wrestlers fails to appear, the wrestler who comes out in doha assumes the sonkyo position, and the gyoji, in the prescribed manner, declares him the winner.
Application.
The dress code accepted by the FSM.
Sumo wrestling is one of the most ancient martial arts that originated in Japan. The story begins in the second decade of the 1970s - it was in the documents of that time that mention of sumo first appeared.
At that time, this type of wrestling was a special, extremely significant court ritual. Representatives from absolutely every province were required to participate in the competition.
Simultaneously with sumo “for noble persons,” another version of this struggle appeared - for ordinary people. But this subspecies bore little resemblance to the original. “Commoner” sumo often had an entertainment character and was more of a folk sport than a real martial arts.
Sumo as a martial art has come a long way from ancient times to modern times. The Japanese, who honor their traditions, have preserved to this day many rituals that accompany all fights. Besides the fight itself, there is a lot to see here. Today, sumo wrestling is not just traditional Japanese look sports, but also a means of generating a solid income.
For all its simplicity, sumo is a very spectacular and spectacular sport. This is a rather peculiar martial arts, in which the main thing is a fighter's weapon is his weight. To defeat an opponent, sumo wrestlers, using their mass and a variety of techniques, must:
- or push each other out of the boundaries of the area where the fight is taking place;
- or force the opponent to touch the floor (which part of the body does not matter).
Therefore, sumo wrestlers have more than plump figures.
How much does a wrestler weigh?
Sumo wrestlers are famous for their weight. There are no weight categories in professional sumo, however weight is one of the main advantages. Already on the first step of the career ladder, a beginning sumo wrestler must weigh at least one hundred and ten kilograms.
Only wrestlers who have “exceeded” a hundredweight have a chance of a successful career as a sumo wrestler. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, but this happens extremely rarely.
The fact that weight is the best way to advance a sumo career is actively confirmed by multiple competition winners. Famous sumo wrestler Konishiki- the record-breaking heavyweight, weighing almost two hundred and eighty kilograms, managed to hold on for many years ozeki title, in other words - champion.
However, in addition to heavyweights, so-called “lightweights” - sumo wrestlers whose weight does not exceed two hundred kilograms - can also have considerable success. Wrestler Harumafuji also received the title of ozeki, and Chienofuji received the title of yokozuna. “Lightweights” have an advantage over heavyweights in that they have greater mobility and resourcefulness. They are capable of more sophisticated techniques.
Of course, the “light” weight of sumo wrestlers (up to two hundred kilograms) is not light by the standards of normal people. No matter how rosy the prospects may be, we should not forget that large mass is not a 100% guarantee of success. But it is an absolute guarantee of health problems. We can say that there are no healthy people among sumo wrestlers. Heavy weight has a negative impact on internal organs sumo wrestler and his mobility.
At the same time, it is important for health that, as in any contact sport, in sumo there is a high probability of serious injury. Moreover, in this fight, this is aggravated by the fact that the wrestler’s internal organs are weakened by their lifestyle, and the opponent has a lot of weight.
In general, we can say that the average weight of a sumo wrestler ranges from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and twenty kilograms. But, as noted above, there are no weight categories in professional sumo, so the average weight of a sumo wrestler is a relative indicator. For the same reason that there are no specific weight categories Weight Limit The wrestler is not limited in any way - who can eat how much.
Many people believe that in order to join the ranks of sumo wrestlers, a novice wrestler only needs to reach a certain body weight. But this opinion is wrong. Simply eating a hundred, or even a couple hundred kilograms of weight is not enough to become a real sumo wrestler.
The initial selection for sumo wrestlers is not based on weight. The “working” weight of a sumo wrestler is not only fat, but also muscle. If a novice wrestler is already fat, he will have to lose excess weight first. Only after this the sumo wrestler begins to gain “working” mass.
Mode and nutrition
To gain weight, sumo wrestlers need to follow a certain daily routine and eat a special diet.
The fighters awaken as soon as the first rays of the sun appear. Immediately after washing, sumo wrestlers need to begin training, which lasts more than one hour. A wrestler must train, devoting himself entirely to the process.
After training, wrestlers take hot bath. This is followed by eating according to the diet. The essence of the sumo diet is the complete absence of a diet.. There are no dietary restrictions; on the contrary, the more high-calorie foods, the better. There are no prohibitions for alcohol either - the consumption of alcohol by these athletes is considered absolutely normal.
Feeding sumo wrestlers is not cheap. But in Japan they would pay more. Sumo has never been just a sport for the Japanese.
After eating comes sleep phase- the wrestlers should sleep a little, after which they will engage next workout. After completing their classes, sumo wrestlers begin a hearty, hearty dinner that completes the daily routine. After dinner, the wrestlers go to bed, and in the morning everything will start all over again for them - training, food, sleep, and so on.
The fattest sumo wrestler
The title of the fattest sumo wrestler in the world rightfully belongs to Emanuel Yabrauch. The great renowned wrestler weighs four hundred kilograms! During his career, this sumo wrestler managed to become a seven-time world champion. Such a number of victories is quite understandable - the thicker fatty layers a sumo wrestler, the easier it is for him to gain the upper hand, since the enemy simply will not be able to grab him.
Yabrauch himself has stated more than once that he owes his weight gain to the famous network fast food McDonald's. It was the high-calorie foods from McDonald's that instantly turned Yabrauch into a fat guy, which greatly contributed to his career.
The Japanese traditional diet - rice, seafood and beer - has never given the same results in terms of weight gain as American fast food. Therefore, for sumo wrestlers, the United States is heaven on earth. All it takes is a few customary unlimited meals at McDonald's, and the future sumo champion is ready!
Few people like fat people. Today, when everything more people take sides healthy eating And healthy image life in general, overweight symbolizes bad taste. But not in Japan. In this country to the problem excess weight are treated completely differently.
Japanese women are of the opinion that a man of enormous size has incomparable great advantages than athletes. The bigger a man is, the more reliable, more gentle and more generous he is.
Sumo wrestlers are a real fetish for petite Japanese women. All sumo wrestlers, without exception, have great success and considerable popularity among the opposite sex. Graceful and fragile Japanese women find powerful protectors and support in them.
According to the study, at least a quarter of the readers of the thematic publication “Sumo World” are representatives of the fair sex. So we can safely say that sumo wrestlers for Japanese natives are real sex symbols. And this is expressed not only in the form of reading a magazine.
A Japanese ex-model named Sumuko, who was once incredibly in demand, married Kinishiki, a sumo wrestler weighing nearly three hundred kilograms. Of course, this is not the only example of such a marriage.
Many believe that Japanese women’s love for sumo wrestlers is not influenced by their sympathy for such men, but solely by the material side. But whether this is true or not, only the Japanese themselves can answer.
To summarize, it’s worth once again briefly answering the question: how much does a sumo wrestler weigh:
- minimum weight: 100−110 kilograms;
- average weight: 150−200 kilograms;
- maximum weight: unlimited.
And in conclusion, some interesting facts about sumo wrestlers:
- if you compare a normal person and a sumo wrestler in terms of body mass index, the latter will have two and a half times more;
- the biceps and triceps of some successful and famous sumo wrestlers are equal in volume to the leg circumference of a normal person;
- In terms of weight, the wrestler is comparable to a European brown bear. If you put a sumo wrestler weighing two hundred kilograms on the scales and brown bear, the scales will remain in balance.
Sumo wrestlers, who have enormous weight, are not only very popular, but also enjoy various privileges. For example, they may have long hair - this great honor was bestowed upon them by the emperor himself. Among ordinary Japanese citizens, wearing long hair is strictly prohibited.