Sumo is a type of wrestling in a loincloth ( mawashi) on a specially equipped site ( dohyo).

Weight categories
In sumo competitions, the following weight categories are defined:
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.

clothing
Competitors must wear a loincloth - mawashi. However, in amateur sumo, it is allowed to wear swimming trunks or tight-fitting black shorts under mawashi.
The width of the mawashi is 40 cm, no specific length is prescribed, but the length of the mawashi must be sufficient to allow it to be wrapped around the athlete's torso 4-5 times.
Athletes are not allowed to go to the fight wearing items that can injure the opponent. This primarily applies to metal jewelry (rings, bracelets, chains, etc.). The wrestler's body must be completely clean and dry, fingernails and toenails must be cut short. The emblem of the club, federation, number, etc. it is allowed to attach (tie) to mawashi.

How to tie mawashi:

Competition Venue - Doha
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 - flat dohyo, which is used for training and for competitions in the absence of mori-dohyo.

The 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 paragraph 5.1. The arena of the fight along the perimeter is limited by a bundle of rice straw - cebu-dawara.
In the center of the circle on the east and west sides of the dohyo, two white starting lines (sikirisen) are applied to the surface at a distance of 70 cm from each other. Shikirisen length - 80 cm, width - 6 cm.

Inside the circle is sprinkled with sand. Sand is also scattered outside the circle, along the shobu-dawara, to a width of about 25 cm, so that a "control" strip is formed - janome. In controversial cases, the presence or absence of marks on janome helps to correctly determine the outcome of the fight.

Composition of the panel of judges
The panel of judges includes: chief judge of the competition, deputy chief judge, 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 refereeing teams.

Composition of the judging panel
Referee team 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 shobu-dawar wins;
- the wrestler who forces the opponent to touch the dohyo with any part of the body, except for the soles of the feet, within the shobu-dawar, wins.
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 at the end of the technical action, as a result of which the opponent enters the shinitai position. This situation is called kabaite.
The attacker does not lose the fight, standing up for the shobu-dawara in order to soften the fall and avoid injury at the end of the technical action, as a result of which the opponent falls into the position of shinitai. This situation is called kabaiashi.
The attacker does not lose the fight, standing up for the sebou-dawara, when he, having raised the enemy, takes out and lowers him behind the sebud-dawara. This situation is called okuriashi. However, the attacker loses the fight if, while performing this technical action, he goes behind the Sebu-Dawara backwards.
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 defeat if the horizontal front of the mawashi (orikomi) touches the dohyo.

A wrestler may be declared defeated by the decision of the judges in the following cases :
1. If he is unable to continue due to an injury,
2. If he performs kinjite (forbidden actions),
3. If he finishes the fight on his own,
4. If he deliberately did not rise from starting position,
5. If he does not follow the commands of the gyoji,
6. If he did not appear in the waiting sector after the second official call,
7. If the maebukuro (codpiece) mawashi is untied and falls off during the fight.
If the bout lasts longer than the set time, but the winner is not determined, it stops and a new bout is held.

Prohibited Actions (Kinjite)
1. Punching or poking with fingers.
2. Kicking in the chest or stomach.
3. Hair grips.
4. Throat grip.
5. Grabs for the vertical parts of the mawashi.
6. Wringing the opponent's fingers.
7. Biting.
8. Direct blows to the head.

Rituals.
In sumo, as in other traditional martial arts of Japan, rituals and etiquette are preserved and honored.
The rituals consist of ritsu-rei (standing bow), chiritezu (cleansing with water) and shikiri (preparation).
Chiritezu is a unique ritual originating from the ancient Japanese custom of washing a warrior before a battle.

Chiritezu is performed by both wrestlers at the same time when entering the doha. They squat down in a sonoke position, balancing on their toes. The heels are torn off the floor, the torso and head are held straight, the hands are lowered to the knees. The wrestlers put their hands down and nod to each other. Then the athletes bring their outstretched arms at chest level, spread them apart 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 they turn their palms down.
Shikiri - prelaunch preparatory movements. The wrestlers squat down with their legs wide apart and their torsos 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!”

The transition from shikiri to tachiai (starting jerk-up) must be carried out by athletes at the same time.
Rituals are integral and important integral part sumo and should be performed without haste, with dignity and calmness, emphasizing the harmony and grandeur of sumo.

fight
The duration of the fight is:
for the age group of 13-15 years - 3 minutes;
for the age group of 16-17 years - 5 minutes;
for adults 18 years and older - 5 minutes.
If after the specified time the winner is not determined, a second fight (torinaoshi) is appointed.
There is no break between contractions. The next fight begins immediately after the end of the previous one.

Calling participants
Competitors enter the dohyo-damari in the following order:
- in team competition the two teams that are to play next must go out and settle down in the dohyo-damari before the end of the previous meeting;
- in individual competitions, the wrestler must be in doha-damari 2 grabs before his own.
While on dohyo and dohyo-damari, competitors must behave with dignity, avoid rude expressions, so as not to infringe on the feelings of others.
The wrestlers are invited to dohyo by the informant judge on the microphone in a loud and intelligible voice 2 times. If, after the second official call, the participant does not enter the doha, he is considered defeated.

Presentation of participants
Wrestlers take part in competitions under the numbers that they received at the draw. The informing judge represents all wrestlers in each weight class at the beginning of the competition by name. Before the start of each bout, the participants are presented by name with their data (age, height, weight), titles and ranks.

Start of the fight
The fight begins at the command of the gyōji after the necessary rituals have been performed.

Stopping a fight
Gyoji may stop the bout one or more times due to injury, clothing disorder (mawashi), or any other reason beyond the contestant's will.
The time spent on breaks for one wrestler may be established by the Competition Regulations.

End of the fight
The fight ends when the gyōji, having determined the outcome of the fight, announces: "Cebu atta!" - and pointing with his hand in the direction of the dohyo (East or West), with which the winner started the fight.

The wrestlers on this command must stop wrestling.

Announcement of the winner (katinanori)
After the end of the fight and the announcement of "Cebu atta!" the gyoji and wrestlers return to their original positions.
The loser bows (rei) and leaves the doha. The winner takes the sonkyo posture and, after the gyōji, pointing at him with his hand, announces: "Higashi no kachi!" ("Victory of the East!") or "Nishi no kachi!" ("Victory of the West!"), draws right hand to the side and down.
In case of termination of the fight due to the use of a prohibited hold by one of the wrestlers, the announcement of the winner takes place in the prescribed manner.
If it is impossible for one of the wrestlers to continue the fight due to an injury, his opponent assumes the sonkyo position, and the gyoji, in the prescribed manner, declares him the winner.
In the event that one of the wrestlers does not appear, the wrestler who came out on the doha takes the sonkyo pose, and the gyoji, in the prescribed manner, declares him the winner.

Appendix.

Adopted in the FSM form of clothing.

Few people know that the life of a sumo wrestler does not have a drop of romance. She is not only mundane and strict, but also boring. The person who decides to practice sumo must give up a large amount of earthly goods. The wrestler's personal life is constantly under the control of the Sumo Association and his coach.

How could such a miracle as Sumo appear in Japan, a country of refined traditions, with one of the most “correct” nutrition systems in the world? Sumo - a type of martial arts in which two wrestlers reveal the strongest on a round platform. The tradition of sumo has been going on since ancient times, so each fight is accompanied by numerous rituals. Despite the fact that several other countries claim to be the inventors of Sumo wrestling, Japan is the recognized center of sumo and the only country where professional competitions are held. In the rest of the world, only amateur sumo exists. Modern professional sumo combines elements of sports, martial arts, shows, traditions and business.

It is believed that modern playground for sumo - dohyo, appeared around the 16th century, but the shape and size of the dohyo changed over time. Dohyo is made of rammed clay and topped with a thin layer of sand. The duel takes place in a circle with a diameter of 4.55 m, the boundaries of which are laid with special wickerwork made of rice straw (the so-called "tavara"). In the center of the dohyo are two white stripes, indicating the starting positions of the wrestlers. The sand around the circle is carefully leveled with brooms before the start of each fight, so that it can be determined from the footprints in the sand whether one of the opponents has touched the ground outside the circle.

The only clothing worn by a wrestler during a duel is a special belt called "mawashi". This is a dense wide fabric tape, most often in dark shades. Mawashi is wrapped in several turns around the naked body and between the legs, the end of the belt is fixed behind the back with a knot. An unwound mawashi leads to the disqualification of the wrestler. Wrestlers high level mawashi silk. Hanging ornaments are suspended from the belt - “sagari”, which do not perform any other function than purely decorative.

Hair is collected in a special traditional bun at the crown, in the two highest divisions the hairstyle is much more complex. In addition to beauty, such a hairstyle has the ability to soften the blow to the crown, which is possible, for example, when falling head down.

In sumo, it is forbidden to hit other than with an open palm, as well as in the eyes and in the genital area. It is forbidden to grab the hair, ears, fingers and the part of the mawashi that covers the genitals. Choke holds are not allowed. Everything else is allowed, so the arsenal of wrestlers includes slaps, pushes, grabs for any permitted parts of the body and especially belts, as well as throws, various trips and sweeps.

Two basic rules are used to determine the winner of each bout: the first person to touch the ground with any part of the body other than the feet is considered the loser; the first person to touch the ground outside the circle is the loser.

There are no weight categories in professional sumo, so one of the determining factors is the weight of the wrestler. Almost all athletes, except for beginners, weigh under 100 kg or more, and for the highest divisions, weight above 120 kg is de facto mandatory - otherwise you cannot count on success.
On the other hand, weights over 200 kg are rare. Technical "lightweights" can have an advantage over "heavyweights" due to greater mobility and sophisticated technique. A winning technique is known with more than a twofold difference in weight. On the contrary, excessive big weight does not yet guarantee success, as it harms mobility, increases the risk of injury and narrows the arsenal of techniques.

The formation of the wrestler's body occurs exclusively in the process of training due to muscle growth and weight gain. The daily routine itself is dedicated to this goal. Getting up with the first rays of the sun, morning toilet, then an exhausting five-hour workout begins on an empty stomach, requiring full dedication of strength and maximum concentration.

The day of Sumo wrestlers starts from 4-6 o'clock intense workout on empty stomach. Theoretically, a large physical activity should lead to an acceleration of metabolism and weight loss, but ... Intense physical exercise on an empty stomach will inevitably lead to a decrease in the level of metabolism in the long term. Our subconscious autopilot is triggered - a smart organism is trying to save more fuel for the future.
It is important to know! A categorical ban on breakfast leads to mandatory overeating at the next meal and lowers the metabolic rate.

After training, wrestlers take a hot bath and always eat heavily, usually without restrictions, and also do not deny themselves alcohol. After eating - a three-hour sleep, then a short workout and a light dinner. Sumo wrestlers also use beer and sake in large quantities with meals to effectively gain weight. As you know, alcohol contains a lot of "empty" calories that do not carry any nutritional value to the body, that is, they are not used as an energy supplier. In other words, all the calories gained from drinking alcohol go straight to fat storage.

Interesting Facts.
* Wrestlers of any level are prohibited from driving a car on their own. Those who violate this rule will be punished, for example, Kyokutenho, who was caught in 2007, was disqualified for one tournament, which meant a significant loss in rank. Usually, wrestlers go by taxi or they are transported by special minibuses.
* Most heavy wrestler Sumo lives in America and with a height of 2 meters 3 centimeters has a weight of 313 kilograms !!!
What do you think, does all this fuss with a special weight gain affect the life expectancy and health of sumo wrestlers? Undoubtedly!!!
If the average life expectancy of the Japanese is 82 years, then Sumo wrestlers live 60-65 years. After all, no matter how physically trained, active and developed a person is, excess weight inevitably leads to diseases of the liver, heart, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis ... It is interesting that after completion sports career(the maximum sports age for Sumo wrestlers is 35 years old), many return to a moderate diet. And are able, within a few years, to significantly lose weight.

Sumo is a traditional Japanese sport in which two athletes try to push each other out of a circle or make them touch the ground with any part of their body other than their feet. In addition to the combat component, sumo combines elements of show and tradition.

The Japan Sumo Association is the organization that controls professional sumo wrestling in Japan.

The history of the emergence and development of sumo

Archaeological finds indicate that sumo was already widespread in Japan in the 3rd-6th centuries (clay figurines of haniwa in the form of sumo wrestlers), and the first written mention of sumo dates back to the 7th-8th centuries (the Kojiki book). The book says that 2500 years ago the gods Takemikazuchi and Takeminakata fought in a sumo duel for the right to own the Japanese islands. Takemikazuchi won the duel. Another mention of sumo wrestling can be found in the Nihon Shoki, which dates back to 720. It also talks about a duel that took place between two strongmen.

The word "sumo" was formed from the Japanese verb "Sumafu" (to measure one's strength). From this verb, the noun “sumakhi” was formed, after hundreds of years it was transformed into the word “sumai”, and then into “sumo”.

In the Heian era, sumo was an important ritual of the imperial court. Representatives of all provinces had to participate in the competition at the court. There were no special judges, usually the commanders of the palace guards watched the battle, their main tasks were to suppress forbidden tricks and control the timing of the start. If a controversial issue arose, then they turned to the aristocracy for help, if they could not make a decision, then the emperor himself passed the verdict. The winner of the competition was awarded the title of champion, as well as valuable prizes.

The end of the 17th century in Japan was “Golden” for sumo. The country was in isolation, this gave impetus to the development of folk crafts and martial arts. Distinguished wrestlers and theater actors very quickly became celebrities. Special lists were made, in which the names of the best wrestlers were listed, as well as all their titles were noted. During this period, sumo rules were almost completely formed and the main techniques were determined (72 techniques or kimarite).

In 1909 a large sports complex Kokugikan for competitions and sumo wrestling tournaments.

Sumo is an integral part of Japanese culture, which has been carefully preserved for generations. Every sumo wrestler has to go through a very difficult path, life is such

sumo rules

The duration of the bout is 3 minutes for the age group of 13-15 years and 5 minutes for the age group of 16 years and older. If after the allotted time the winner is not determined, a second fight (torinaoshi) is appointed.

A sumo match begins at the command of the gyoji (referee) after the necessary rituals have been performed. Gyoji has the right to stop the fight one or more times due to injury, disorder in clothing (mawashi) or for any other reason that does not depend on the desire of the participant. The fight ends when the referee, having determined the outcome of the fight, announces: "Cebu atta!" - and pointing with his hand in the direction of the dohyo (East or West), with which the winner started the fight.

A wrestler may be declared defeated by the decision of the judges in the following cases:

• cannot continue the fight due to injury,
• uses prohibited actions,
• end the fight on his own
• intentionally did not rise from the starting position,
• ignoring gyoji commands,
• did not appear in the waiting sector after the second official call,
• if the maebukuro (codpiece) mawashi is untied and falls off during the fight.

In sumo it is forbidden:

• strike with fists or poke with fingers;
• kicking in the chest or stomach;
• make hair grabs;
• make grips on the throat;
• make grips on the vertical parts of the mawashi;
• wring the opponent's fingers;
• bite;
• inflict direct blows to the head.

sumo court

Sumo competitions are held on a special square area with a side of 7.27 meters, which is called dohyo. There are 2 types of such sites:

• mori-dohyo - clay or earthen trapezoid 34-60 cm high;
• hira-dohyo - flat dohyo, which is used for training and for competitions in the absence of mori-dohyo.

The arena itself is limited around the perimeter by a bundle of rice straw and is a circle with a diameter of 4.55 meters. In the center of the circle at a distance of 70 centimeters from each other, 2 lines (shikirisen) 80 centimeters long are drawn.

Equipment

Sumo wrestlers have only a special loincloth (mawashi) tied at the waist through the groin. The width of the mawashi is 40 cm, and its length should be enough so that the bandage can be wrapped around the athlete's torso 4-5 times. Athletes are prohibited from carrying items that can injure the opponent (rings, bracelets, chains, etc.). The wrestler's body must be clean and dry, fingernails and toenails cut short.

Refereeing in sumo

The panel of judges includes:

• chief referee of the competition,
• deputy chief judge,
• chief secretary,
• judges,
• informants and other support staff.

The Chief Referee is responsible for enforcing all provisions relating to general rules refereeing, including the appointment of refereeing teams. The refereeing team consists of: team leader - simpante, referee - gyoji, 4 side judges - simpana.

2017-05-31

We tried to cover the topic as fully as possible, so this information can be safely used in the preparation of messages, reports on physical education and essays on the topic "Sumo".

I have great respect and attention to the culture of Japan. It is interesting, although not always understandable to a European, and sometimes it seems simply paradoxical. One of constituent parts The culture of this island nation is sumo. Frankly, I love this kind of philosophy. It is philosophy, and not just sports and (or) martial arts, as is commonly believed. Fortunately, now with the help of the Eurosport channel there is an opportunity to follow all the ups and downs of the basho, as well as the skill of those rikishi that I like.

It is amazing, but if I mention in a conversation that I am a longtime and devoted sumo lover, then in 80% of cases the reaction of our people is the same: “I don’t understand what can be interesting in pushing fat fat men with their stomachs” or “freak circus”. At best, "sumo is not aesthetic."

I think that this is caused by only one thing: few people understand what is happening on doha, practically no one knows the rules and ceremonies, and most importantly, it is very difficult to accept the idea that sumotori are not ridiculous, overgrown with fat and clumsy gluttons, but coordinated , flexible, well prepared and very strong fighters. I have no illusions that my article can change anything in the public consciousness, but, in any case, I will try (dreams, dreams!) to reveal the truth to someone. So let's start with the basics - the history.

Sumo is, first of all, a religious ritual. Japan developed its own, rather interesting philosophy, which later turned into a religion, which was called Shinto. I will not now dwell on this belief in detail, for whoever wishes will find a lot of literature about it. Let me just say that the procedure for holding the current competitions, the refereeing system, even the preparation of the site for martial arts are nothing more than somewhat modified and modernized religious rituals. In essence, even a duel between two fighters is an allegory of the competition of spirits, man and god, the chthonic forces of nature.

Sumo was first mentioned in written sources of the 8th century. Since about the 9th century, martial arts (under the name "sumai") ​​has been an indispensable attribute of the ceremonies of the "Chrysanthemum Throne" (Japanese imperial dynasty). At the same time, a set of rules was being developed, which are still in effect. However, the popularity of wrestling and philosophy spread beyond the palace premises. Spontaneously, “folk sumo” began to develop, which at first was brutally suppressed, and only after the restoration of the Meiji dynasty, all segments of the population were able to learn about the rules and rituals of “true” sumo. This is martial arts and philosophy are deeply traditional for the Japanese, and you probably know how much this nation respects its traditions.

Wrestlers

People who practice sumo are called rikishi, or sumotori. Professional sumo exists only in Japan, and in order to practice it, one must enter the so-called heya (sumo school). There are no special requirements other than age (no less than 18 and no more than 25 years old) for a potential fighter, but it is difficult to enter the heya, as school leaders, called oyakata (usually retired former wrestlers), try to identify talent in a beginner , physical potential and desire to win. If one of these qualities is missing, one should not dream of entering a school.

Heya is a closed system where wrestlers live, train, work and study together, the order is reminiscent of a monastery. In addition to rikishi, heya is also usually home to shisho (school owners), yobidashi (assistant assistants), tokoyama (hairdressers), as well as oyakami-san - oyakata spouses who perform administrative functions.

In order to receive privileges and indulgences in work and training, as well as to live outside the hei, one must achieve certain successes, namely, to become a heyagashira (senior wrestler) or, even better, a sekitori.

Who are sekitori? There are currently six divisions in professional sumo. The lowest, 6th, is called zenokuchi, the fifth is jonidan, the fourth is sandamme, and the third is makushita. All sumotori trained in these lower divisions are called deshi. But the fighters of the two main divisions, dzyure and makuuchi, are called sekitori. We are most interested in makuuchi, since the best masters fight in this division.

Finishing the story about heya, I will note that the number of schools is limited to 105. There can be no more, but as many as you like less. AT this moment There are 52 hei, the most famous in recent times are Miyagino, Azumazeki and Isegahama.

Venue for the duel, requirements and rituals

Fights are held on a special platform made of rammed clay and called dohyo. Dohyo height translated into our metric system is 65 centimeters, and its construction takes up to 12 tons of clay, specially brought from a place that is known only to the initiates. Clay is delivered three days before the basho and layer by layer is rammed to the desired condition. The dohyo itself is usually rectangular in shape, but the competition area is a circle with a diameter of 4.55 meters, outlined with the help of the so-called tawara, that is, a rope made of intertwined rice straw. Before laying the tawara, the gyōji judges perform a Shinto ritual. Six items are buried in dohyo: chestnut (symbolizing victory), rice (wealth and wealth), dried squid (happiness), seaweed (procreation and life), Chinese miscanthus bush (patience and endurance) and salt (cleansing from evil spirits) . Around the ritual "sowing" of these items, tawara is thrown, the resulting circle is covered with a thin layer of sea sand, which means the purity of the thoughts of the wrestlers and judges, and ritual sake is poured over the circle. According to the rules, it is strictly forbidden for a woman to step on doha.

Two parallel lines are drawn inside the circle, indicating the starting positions of the wrestlers before the fight. A special canopy is erected over the dohyo, called the yakata, similar to the roof of a Shinto shrine. Special flags and four multi-colored brushes are hung there along the edges. The flags symbolize the constant movement of the heavens, and the brushes symbolize the four cardinal directions and the four seasons. The brushes have a specific color: white means autumn, black means winter, green means spring, red means summer.

Tournaments

Tournaments of wrestlers are called basho. Six basho are usually held per year: January (venue - Tokyo), March (Osaka), May (Tokyo), July (Nagoya), September (Tokyo), November (Fukuoka).

The first day of the tournament is the first or second Sunday of the month. Its duration is 15 days. Fights are organized in such a way that wrestlers of a higher rank fight stronger opponents, wrestlers of a lower rank fight weaker opponents. The main thing is that students of the same hei cannot meet on doha.

According to the results of the tournament, a wrestler can have only two results: katikosi (predominance of victories) or makekosi (predominance of defeats). If two or more wrestlers have the highest results at the same time, additional fights are announced, including for "great champions" and for representatives of one hay. They are held at the end of all meetings. last day tournament. The number of victories determines what place the rikishi will take in the makuuchi hierarchy before the start of the next basho, and the winner of the tournament is determined, who receives a special prize - the Emperor's Cup.

Hierarchy

All makuuchi wrestlers are divided into two categories: rikishi of the west and rikishi of the east. The lower rank and file fighter is maegashira (they are counted by rank - from the sixteenth to the first). For example, our Alan is now the fifth maegashira of the east. The next step is kumusubi (promising), then comes the title of sekivake (young champion), after it the second most important title is ozeki (champion), and, finally, the “great champion” yokozuna.

Wrestlers receive one or another title by decision of the Japanese Sumo Association. Moving up the steps of the maegashira, say, from fifth to third, depends on performance in one tournament, as well as obtaining the title of kumusubi. For the title of sekivake, the predominance of victories in two tournaments is considered. Obtaining the rank of ozeki is even more difficult. It is necessary to successfully perform in three tournaments in a row, despite the fact that the number of defeats should be minimal. It is easier to lose this title than to acquire it: it is enough that in two tournaments in a row the number of defeats exceeds the number of victories, then the sumo association will decide to deprive the title.

The highest rank in the sumo hierarchy is the yokozuna. There are no clear rules for awarding the title. What is absolutely necessary to have is the title of ozeki, the most victories and won the Emperor's Cups for three tournaments in a row. The so-called hinkaku principle, that is, the ratio of dignity, grace, art and behavior of the applicant, also contributes to the general stable growth of the wrestler's skill. It is very difficult to meet all these requirements, so the number of yokozuna has never been large. The current "great champion" Hakuho Sho (Mongol Davaajargal Munkhbat) is only the 69th in a row since the 17th century, and many honored fighters, for example, ozeki Kayo Hiroyuki, despite their immense popularity, more than 100 bashos and five won imperial cups until he became a yokozuna.

It remains to add that collectively the wrestlers of the four highest ranks of yokozuna, ozeki, sekivake and komusubi are called the term sanyaku.

Individualization of a wrestler

Let's start with the most important thing - with the name. Upon admission to the Heya, a person changes his surname to the so-called Sikona (pseudonym). Sikona also contains a given name and a surname, with the surname written first and being the part of the individualization by which the wrestler is recognized. For example, the 68th yokozuna, the Mongol Dolgorsurengiin Dagvadorzh, took his sikon Asashoryu Akinori and went down in history precisely as Asashoryu.

Mention should be made of hairstyles. Rikishi make a special complicated hairstyle, in which the hair must be styled in a special way in the form of a leaf of the gingko biloba plant.

This is a painstaking job that takes a lot of time, which is why the tokoyama (hairdressers) live in the heya. In addition to the hairstyle, each sumotori has a special mawashi silk belt. It is very long (up to 10 meters) and wraps around the waist and hips several times, tying in a special knot behind the back. The so-called sagari, that is, amulets and amulets, are usually attached to the mawashi. The color of the mawashi depends on the hei of the fighter. In addition to the belts for the duel, each sekitori has an individual belt used for rituals and resembling an apron. It is called kese-mawashi.

These are very beautiful items, often embroidered with gold and even adorned with precious stones. Drawing, colors and cost depend solely on the imagination of the fighter and the size of the purse of his sponsors. The only requirement is that the drawings reflect the content of the history or legends of the Land of the Rising Sprout (one of the self-names of Japan).

The yokozuna outfit deserves special mention. On top of the kese-mawashi, the "great champion" wears a special rope woven from rice straw called seminawa, or zuna. The rope can be 20 kg in weight and symbolizes the champion's heavy burden.

Rituals before fights

The ritual that opens any basho is called dohyo-iri (entering the platform). Wrestlers in kesho-mawashi appear in strict accordance with their rating. First comes the sumotori of the east, and then the sumotori of the west.

They line up along the dohyo and clap their hands loudly to ward off evil spirits.

Then it's time for the yokozuna. He is accompanied by two squires carrying a ceremonial sword. " Grand Champion” enters the center of the circle, claps his hands loudly to attract deities and ancestral spirits, then stretches his arms to the sides with palms up, demonstrating that he has neither weapons nor dark secret thoughts. After this, the yokozuna raises one leg high and lowers it to the platform, starting the ritual dance. The yokozuna dance procedure is quite complicated, there are even two separate styles, but I deliberately omit these details as not so significant within the framework of our narrative.

So, the procedure for expelling evil spirits outside the dohyo is over. Gyoji can now climb onto the platform. They are dressed in luxurious, expensive silk clothes. You can start fights. Each rikishi throws salt onto the platform before the fight - to purify himself and his thoughts before the fight, and also as an "offering" to heaven so that they grant victory.

The basho end ceremony of each day is also very colorful. One of the sumotori goes to the platform and performs the so-called "bow dance". This is the ancient tradition of sumo.

duel rules

On the one hand, they look simple, on the other hand, as always with the Japanese, not everything is as simple as it seems.

The one who loses:

a) touches the dohyo with any part of the body (even with the tip of the hair), except for the feet;
b) touching the dohyo outside the circle even with the feet;
c) who lost his mawashi during the duel.

It would seem that difficult? The one who is heavier and more imposing, enters the platform and easily wins. But it was not in vain that I mentioned at the beginning that rikishi are very strong, flexible and, most importantly, technical people. Simple power pressure often does not work, as the opponent easily rebuilds and uses your own advantages in weight and dimensions against you. There are at least 50 different combinations of attacks and connections to achieve victory, and, believe me, sanyaku not only know them by heart, but also understand how to assess the possibility of counteraction in a matter of moments. Moreover, there are such interesting combinations as Izori - overturning an opponent with a throw back. Sumotori sits down under the opponent, grabs his knee with both hands and makes a throw. Or, say, kakezori - throwing the opponent back after diving under his attacking arm using the hook of the opposite leg of the opponent with outside. Naturally, such techniques are not used very often, although all sumo fans still remember how, at the November 2000 basho, Kayo defeated the yokozuna Musashimaru with a magnificent throw over the back with an arm grab. In sumo, this technique is called hippondza and is very rare. This victory is especially piquant because Kayo's dimensions (height 185 cm, weight 170 kg) are much more modest than those of Musashimaru (height 192 cm, weight 235 kg). So, the one who believes that victory in sumo goes to the hardest and most massive is deeply mistaken.

Personalities

Everyone can find a wrestler to keep a close eye on and cheer for. Now the world of sumo is very diverse. Despite the relatively young age, Kaio Yokozuna Hakuho, already mentioned by me, is popular. At 26, he had already won the Emperor's Cup 18 times. Two Europeans wear high rank ozeks. This is the good-natured Estonian Kaido Hevelson, called Balt, and the tallest (203 cm) and purposeful Bulgarian Kaloyan Stefanov Makhlyanov, acting under the sikon Kotoosyu.

There are three Georgians - Gagamaru, Tochinosin and Kokkay, many Mongols, a rising star, the Brazilian Kaisei. And, of course, we need to “root” for our Alan Gabaraev. It is difficult for him, but his fights are always beautiful and interesting.

As a fan, I preferred the first yokuzuna - not the Japanese Akebono and the cheerful lover of football and the joys of life Asashoryu. But my main favorite is a master who was great not only in doha, but also beyond. He is known in history as Takanohana. Great sumotori!

I hope that after reading this, you will now look at sumo with different eyes and watch at least one day of competition. Maybe you will even like it.

Sumo is a type of wrestling in a loincloth (mawashi) on a specially equipped platform (dohyo).

In sumo competitions, the following weight categories are defined:

• 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.

clothing

Competitors must wear a loincloth - mawashi. However, in amateur sumo, it is allowed to wear swimming trunks or tight-fitting black shorts under mawashi. The width of the mawashi is 40 cm, no specific length is prescribed, but the length of the mawashi must be sufficient to allow it to be wrapped around the athlete's torso 4-5 times.

Athletes are not allowed to go to the fight wearing items that can injure the opponent. This primarily applies to metal jewelry (rings, bracelets, chains, etc.). The wrestler's body must be completely clean and dry, fingernails and toenails must be cut short. The emblem of the club, federation, number, etc. it is allowed to attach (tie) to mawashi.

Competition Venue: Doha

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 - flat dohyo, which is used for training and for competitions in the absence of mori-dohyo.

The 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 arena of the fight along the perimeter is limited by a bundle of rice straw - cebu-dawara.

In the center of the circle on the east and west sides of the dohyo, two white starting lines (sikirisen) are applied to the surface at a distance of 70 cm from each other. Shikirisen is 80 cm long and 6 cm wide.

Inside the circle is sprinkled with sand. Sand is also scattered outside the circle, along the shobu-dawara, to a width of about 25 cm, so that a “control” strip is formed - janome. In controversial cases, the presence or absence of marks on janome helps to correctly determine the outcome of the fight.

Composition of the panel of judges

The panel of judges includes: chief judge of the competition, deputy chief judge, 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 refereeing teams.

Composition of the judging panel

The refereeing team should consist of 6 people:

• brigade 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 shobu-dawar wins;
• the wrestler who forces the opponent to touch the dohyo with any part of the body, except for the soles of the feet, within the shobu-dawar, wins.

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 at the end of the technical action, as a result of which the opponent enters the shinitai position. This situation is called kabaite.

The attacker does not lose the fight, standing up for the shobu-dawara in order to soften the fall and avoid injury at the end of the technical action, as a result of which the opponent falls into the position of shinitai. This situation is called kabaiashi.

The attacker does not lose the fight, standing up for the sebou-dawara, when he, having raised the enemy, takes out and lowers him behind the sebud-dawara. This situation is called okuriashi. However, the attacker loses the fight if, while performing this technical action, he goes behind the Sebu-Dawara backwards.

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 defeat if the horizontal front of the mawashi (orikomi) touches the dohyo.

A wrestler may be declared defeated by the decision of the judges in the following cases:

1. If he is unable to continue due to injury,
2. If he performs kinjite (forbidden actions),
3. If he ends the fight on his own,
4. If he deliberately did not rise from his original position,
5. If he does not follow the commands of the gyoji,
6. If he did not appear in the holding sector after the second official call,
7. If maebukuro (codpiece) mawashi is untied and falls off during the fight.

If the bout lasts longer than the set time, but the winner is not determined, it stops and a new bout is held.

Prohibited Actions (Kinjite):

• Punching or poking with fingers.
• Kicking in the chest or stomach.
• Hair grips.
• Throat grip.
• Grips for the vertical parts of the mawashi.
• Twisting opponent's fingers.
• Biting.
• Direct blows to the head.

rituals

In sumo, as in other traditional martial arts of Japan, rituals and etiquette are preserved and honored.

The rituals consist of ritsu-rei (standing bow), chiritezu (cleansing with water) and shikiri (preparation).

Chiritezu is a unique ritual originating from the ancient Japanese custom of washing a warrior before a battle.

Chiritezu is performed by both wrestlers at the same time when entering the doha. They squat down in a sonoke position, balancing on their toes. The heels are torn off the floor, the torso and head are held straight, the hands are lowered to the knees. The wrestlers put their hands down and nod to each other. Then the athletes bring their outstretched arms at chest level, spread them apart 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 they turn their palms down.

Shikiri- pre-launch preparatory movements. The wrestlers squat down with their legs wide apart and their torsos bent forward. At the same time, the hips and shoulders are kept horizontally, and the hands, clenched into fists, rest on the surface of the doha along the shikirisen, without touching, which corresponds to the “ready!”

The transition from shikiri to tachiai (starting jerk-up) must be carried out by athletes at the same time.

Rituals are an integral and important part of sumo and should be performed without haste, with dignity and calmness, emphasizing the harmony and grandeur of sumo.

fight

The duration of the fight is:

• for the age group of 13-15 years - 3 minutes;
• for the age group of 16-17 years - 5 minutes;
• for adults 18 years and older - 5 minutes.

If after the specified time the winner is not determined, a second fight (torinaoshi) is appointed.

There is no break between contractions. The next fight 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 go out and settle down 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, competitors must behave with dignity, avoid rude expressions, so as not to infringe on the feelings of others.

The wrestlers are invited to dohyo by the informant judge on the microphone in a loud and intelligible voice 2 times. If, after the second official call, the participant does not enter the doha, he is considered defeated.

Presentation of participants

Wrestlers take part in competitions under the numbers that they received at the draw. The informing judge introduces all wrestlers in each weight category at the beginning of the competition by name. Before the start of each bout, the participants are presented by name with their data (age, height, weight), titles and ranks.

Start of the fight

The fight begins at the command of the gyōji after the necessary rituals have been performed.

Stopping a fight

Gyoji may stop the bout one or more times due to injury, clothing disorder (mawashi), or any other reason beyond the contestant's will.

The time spent on breaks for one wrestler may be established by the Competition Regulations.

End of the fight

The fight ends when the gyōji, having determined the outcome of the fight, announces: "Cebu atta!" - and pointing with his hand in the direction of the dohyo (East or West), with which the winner started the fight. The wrestlers on this command must stop wrestling.

Announcement of the winner (katinanori)

After the end of the fight and the announcement of "Cebu atta!" the gyoji and wrestlers return to their original positions.

The loser bows (rei) and leaves the doha. The winner takes the sonkyo posture and, after the gyōji, pointing at him with his hand, announces: "Higashi no kachi!" ("Victory of the East!") or "Nishi no kachi!" ("Victory of the West!"), Stretches his right hand to the side and down.

In case of termination of the fight due to the use of a prohibited hold by one of the wrestlers, the announcement of the winner takes place in accordance with the established procedure.

If it is impossible for one of the wrestlers to continue the fight due to an injury, his opponent assumes the sonkyo position, and the gyoji, in the prescribed manner, declares him the winner.

In the event that one of the wrestlers does not appear, the wrestler who came out on the doha takes the sonkyo pose, and the gyoji, in the prescribed manner, declares him the winner.