Sumo strength and conditioning.

[lardy]

[fredhutch]

Interesting. The sumo squat is similar to the "raising the cauldron squat" I learned from Eddie Ivester...and that #6 reminds me of "tetsu shin", "iron soul training" that is found in some other Japanese sources. Primal punch shows an exercise that looks a lot like the push training on the post. Good stuff.

Someplace I read that a good sumo can start in a standing position, and without using their hands, slide the feet out until they are in a full split, and then reverse back up just by pulling the legs in. Another thing I remember is the sumos are taught to walk on the ball of the foot just behind the big toe, and they check this by seeing if their sandals are worn away in that spot. I walk on the balls of the feet myself...it's a Native American thing. Cheers!

[fredhutch]

Was just remembering this morning, there is a very interesting and valuable discussion of sumo and its training methods in the classic book "Zen Training" by Katsuki Sekida...and anybody interested in internal power should read the book. Sumo is discussed in chapter 7, "The Tanden", about developing power in the lower abdomen. Sekida explains the use of that posture shown above at the start of a match, squatting down on flat feet with fists resting on floor, he says this posture is key to developing internal energy and power in the lower abdomen and hips. Hard to do justice to what he says here, anybody interested should get the book, probably can get it in the library. The Japanese view of sumo is that, all other things being equal, the sumo with the stronger spirit will win, and that spiritual power of the sumo is what the Japanese find so appealing about sumo...it's not just two fat guys crashing into each other.

I've never actually done the crouching posture for internal power, but I am going to...tonight.

[mr potatohead]

Aug 12, 2022 12:17:29 GMT fredhutch said:

......  Interesting. The sumo squat is similar to the "raising the cauldron squat" I learned from Eddie Ivester...  .........

Is this the posture you're referring to Fred?


                        

[fredhutch]

Sorry mikey that's not it. Raising the cauldron is a little difficult to describe but I'll try: stand with feet wider than shoulder width, both feet point straight ahead. Simultaneously push hands out to sides (hands open, fingertips pointing up) and descend into squat, if you're in the correct stance you will only be able to go down to about parallel, then bring hands together in scooping action and ascend from squat while arms nearly straight, palms facing up, raise in front of body to shoulder height. That is about the best I can describe it, pity you're not here I could just demo it and say "like this"...can't find it online although I do believe the same exercise is in Richard Clear's book on chi development, he uses it as a finisher to help balance the body's energy; Eddie Ivester (RIP) as far as I know used it only as a calisthenic...although it would probably benefit your energy regardless.  Oh, and when you go to Matt Furey's site and you get a popup to sign up for his newsletter, the photo of Matt is in the bottom position of the raising the cauldron exercise, although I can't say what the context of the posture is with Matt. Cheers!

[mr potatohead]

Thanks Fred.
That's good description. I think I see what you're saying.

I tried to find a video or illustration also and could not.

[fredhutch]

Mikey, if you look at the sumo squat above, you can see how he is doing the scooping with the hands on the way up--that plus the wide stance is what made me think of the raising the cauldron squat.

[Deuce Gunner]

If you want to exercise by acting like a Samurai warrior watch this video. If you just want to exercise like a Japanese office or factory worker, skip to the end of the video.

[fredhutch]

[Dave Reslo]

A few years ago I went through a period of doing 50-100 shiko a few times a week. I was probably partly inspired by Steve Justa although his book seemed to exaggerate how hard they are stomping. I remember it giving me very flexible hips.

[fredhutch]

Dave, did you notice any benefits from doing shiko besides hip flexibility? Thanks.

[Dave Reslo]

I think I did Fred but I can't remember what other than getting better at the exercise itself. Maybe I was doing it a bit wrong since I think it was more the outside of my legs which got tired than the hamstrings like he seems to be saying.