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John99
16th September 2013, 17:52
Are there any good books on how to do Sumo?

Do Sumo players have higher rates of heart disease?

Ellis Amdur
16th September 2013, 19:12
Don't know the names of any books off the top of my head - there are a few out there, however. As for health, IIRC, their averager life expectancy is at least 15 years less than an average Japanese. All the expected obesity-related diseases (diabetes, hypertension, heart problems, etc.)

John99
16th September 2013, 19:42
Thanks Mr. Amdur, I asked these question because I got your dvd on Aikido falling. You said chimps and Sumo guy have the best falling methods.

Kendoguy9
16th September 2013, 22:04
I was given a small book called "Sumo" by Jun-ichi Tabuchi and Dr. Kazuaki Sugiura published by the Nihon Sumo Renmei. It is only about 50 pages but it covers history, rules, dohyo set-up, tying the mawashi and some technical aspects of sumodo. It is in english but it was published in 1985 and I'm not sure if they are in print any longer. It does not cover falling though.

You should be able to youtube sumo training to be able to watch a number of heya training. It will give you an idea of what they do. Sumo is an awesome sport and I would recomend it to anyone studying budo.

It is true that rikishi have a shorter life expectacy than average. This has slowly been changing. Oyakata (elders) have to retire at age 65. In times past I understand this was considered a very long life for a former rikishi and not many made it to this point. Now it is fairly common for an oyakata to reach the retirement age and then some. I think a lot of this has to do with improved medical technology and better lifestyle choices.

The former yokozuna Takanohana, now Takanohana oyakata, weighed in at 350 lbs when he was active. He has made great strides to lose weight and now weighs only 200 lbs! Almost 1/2 of his old self. Another famous rikishi former ozeki Konishiki weighed 630 lbs when he was active, making him the largest pro rikishi in the history of the sport. I'm not sure how much he weighs today but i know he has lost considerable weight. He is a fraction of himself. I understand he underwent gastric bypass surgery a few years ago after his brother, a hawaiian pro wrestler, died of heart failure. It seems like some of these guys are doing the right thing. Now if we could just work on the head traumas...

Both men can be seen from their fighting days here: http://www.chijanofuji.com/gallery.html

A leaner Takanohana can be seen here: http://www.sumo-webpaper.com/Sumo_Beya/Uebersicht/Takanohana/Takanohana_home.html
And a tiny Konishiki can be seen with his wife here: http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=14353&page=2

Kendoguy9
16th September 2013, 22:11
I just found part of the Sumo book published online here. It doesn't show the kimarite but it gives some pretty good info about ama sumo.

http://sumomalaysia.tripod.com/id7.html

Cady Goldfield
17th September 2013, 00:05
I don't have any specific titles to suggest, but you might check, also, on E-Bay, Amazon and Craig's List to see what comes up. You never know what interesting things you'll find. I have seen books on sumo for sale there, and even purchased, inexpensively, some pages of techniques (detailed illustrations) salvaged from a 19th-century sumo instruction book.

John99
17th September 2013, 00:29
Thank you all. I will investigate with your tips.

Joseph Svinth
17th September 2013, 03:13
There is sumo training in the Los Angeles area. http://www.usasumo.com/what_classes.html

Most of the popular books are on the traditions and how to better enjoy watching sumo at an event or on TV rather than on how to do it yourself.

The academic material tends to focus on the sociology of the stable. See, for example, http://irs.sagepub.com/content/18/1/5.short and http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/aa.1945.47.1.02a00080/abstract .

John99
19th September 2013, 18:14
Discovered this link. What a hard fall.


http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2013/9/17/4741502/sumo-wrestler-suplex-holy-crap-what-video