Lower body strength training for Sumo

I recently found an interesting video showing some strength training for sumo wrestling.

This video features the top sumo wrestler in history - the champion with the most tournament victories ever - training two of of his kohei (KOH-high) - juniors in the same heya (gym) - out in the street. A lady even rides her bike right on through them. So, in retrospect, maybe it wasn't that unique that I used to drag a home-made dragging sled laden with home-made weights (and neighborhood children) up and down the street near my home in Japan.

Sumo requires an enormous amount of power - matches are very short - usually in the 5-20 second range - but they can a couple of minutes for very drawn out bouts. The ability to generate power from a low stance is critical, as you need to force your opponent out of the ring or force him to touch the clay with something other than the bottom of his feet.

Here you can see Hakuho (that champion I mentioned) training Ishiura and the current smallest man in the top division, Enho, with a 30 kg (~66 lbs) sandbag. It's brutal, and the video was shown in March . . . but probably shot a little earlier in the year.




Wrestlers are expected to train hard seven days a week for years. They live in their heya and work there, performing chores until they're skilled enough and senior enough to win bouts in the upper ranks of the sport. Then they're paid - and earn prize money for bouts - and are expected to help their juniors improve.