4/24/2002: Sumo practice

The guy behind is reigning World Champion Emanuel Yarbrough, an American sumo wrestler weighing in at 771 pounds. The kid is a 7-year-old just learning the sport.

Wow.

I wasn't aware that people of that weight were able to walk.

Good for him though. But I can't imagine that he's what we'd consider "healthy".

Here he is in his element:



The caption along with this luncheon shot says he ate six mashed potatoes helpings, and four meatloaves, with two bowls of "brown betty" for dessert. That's probably a light meal for him.

Possibly along the lines of bowling, and possibly golf, how is sumo wrestling considered a sport?

Bowl 4 games, and play 72 holes and count the number of things that hurt on you the next day. I'm in pretty good shape, but both of those sports kick my ass, and require a high level of fitness to play well..


Sumo is DAMN physically demanding, and requires lightning-quick reflexes in addition to raw power.

You could make a case that baseball is not a 'sport', because the best players rely on their skill and reflexes, not just raw athleticism, but... you'd be wrong.

The best sumo wrestlers aren't just fat guys with the ability to walk around, the best wrestlers tailor their body to be a combination of power/muscle and speed. That american doesn't look quick, but I bet he could run the 40 in a lot quicker time than you'd think.