Is eating like a "sumo" easy or difficult?

Sumo wrestlers are giant men with a body weight much larger than the average person. But on the ring, they are strong and agile, a far cry from their oversized bodies.

To achieve good weight and physical condition, in addition to training, diet is an important factor in determining the physical condition of each sumo wrestler.

Unlike most other forms of wrestling, there are no weight restrictions in sumo wrestling. The heavier a sumo wrestler is, the more respected he is, because in the ring, he can use his weight to knock his opponent down and win.

Skip breakfast but eat and sleep as much as possible the rest of the time.

For a sumo wrestler, the first thing is the large weight and the ability to move flexibly on the ring. A sumo wrestler will wake up very early, around 5 am, and go straight to the training room on an empty stomach. Trainers believe that a wrestler cannot be agile if his stomach is full of food. At the same time, after intense training, sumo wrestlers will be very hungry, so they eat more food at the next meal.

A sumo wrestler's first meal of the day starts after 11am. They are allowed to eat whatever they want, as much as they can, and go to sleep immediately after the meal to preserve fat.

Chankonabe - sumo wrestlers' food

The average sumo wrestler weighs 130 kg and is 180 cm tall. With a traditional diet, it is difficult for anyone to reach the weight of a sumo wrestler. The wrestlers in a sumo stable have their own special food. It is called chankonabe.

Chankonabe is a Japanese stew that is often served in large quantities. Sumo wrestlers use chankonabe as part of their daily weight-gaining regimen. Over time, chankonabe and sumo have become closely associated. When people think of chankonabe, they immediately think of sumo wrestlers and vice versa.

Chankonabe dates back to the Meiji period (1868-1912), and its main ingredients include dashi (a traditional Japanese stock) or chicken stock, sake or mirin, chicken or fish, and vegetables. It is rich in protein, and is often served in large quantities, with beer and rice to increase the calories, making it an ideal food to help maintain the physique of a sumo wrestler.

However, the unique point of chankonabe is that it can be customized without following any specific set recipe. The dish can change depending on the amount of food the chef has on hand, and depending on the sumo's favorite food.

Some wrestlers with "superstitious" tendencies also do not use fish or beef in their chankonabe. Fish and cows do not have legs or stand on all fours, which are both considered bad stances during a match. Only chicken standing on two legs is considered more appropriate. This is also the reason why chicken is the only choice for chankonabe in many sumo tournaments.

Sumo restaurant

Similar to other forms of wrestling, the career of a sumo wrestler is not long. After the career ends, it will be very difficult for a sumo wrestler to start a new job. As a funny comment, because all a sumo wrestler can write on his resume is "Can throw the opponent as fast as possible".

Fortunately, chankonabe, the food that once fed them, can help sumo wrestlers continue to make a living. Many former sumo wrestlers have opened chankonabe restaurants after retiring, drawing on the experience they gained during their training and competition years.

In fact, chankonabe restaurants run by former sumo wrestlers are very popular. At the restaurants, the bosses can meet old colleagues over familiar food, satisfy the curiosity of ordinary people, and display artifacts from their golden years in the ring.

According to Depplus.vn