When they are not inside a dohyō with their mawashi on, the participants of the Grand Sumo Tournament are enjoying all the food, drinks and experiences London has to offer.
Preparation for the five-day event is not an easy feat – the 42 wrestlers are expected to eat around 75 kg (165 lbs) of rice every day between them during their stay.
This works out at approximately 1.7 kg of rice per athlete.
The diet of sumo wrestlers is often stereotyped as endless plates of rice washed down by lots of beer.
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However, it is more structured and thought out.
Sumo wrestlers follow a planned high-calorie, high-protein and carb-rich diet to fuel their intense training and maintain their muscle mass so they are strong for the matches.
The average sumo wrestler consumes between six to ten bowls per meal, which equates to around 10,000 calories.
They intentionally gain weight to increase their leverage in the ring by making it harder for their opponent to push them out of the circle. Despite their size, they are incredibly flexible, agile and strong.
The high-calorie diet is also designed to support their daily intense training.
When sake was part of the sumo diet
Sumo diets have changed significantly over time, considering the sport originates back to the Edo period (1603–1867).
For most of sumo history, their diet consisted of chanko-nabe, rice and traditional Japanese dishes like miso soup and natto – there was less emphasis on nutritional balance.
Alcohol, particularly beer and sake, was a common part of sumo culture.
Now, every part of a sumo’s diet has a purpose – from the meal timings, food choices and meal preparation.
Sumo wrestlers deliberately skip breakfast to burn more energy reserves while training. This also helps increase their appetite for their first large meal of the day.
After training at around noon, they will eat a large calorie-dense meal that is loaded with protein, carbs and fats to restore energy lost from training. This is then repeated in the evening.
To encourage fat storage, the wrestlers will often take a long rest or nap after their midday meal.
Modern changes to sumo diet include grilled meats, stir-fried dishes and high-protein Western-style meals – all of which the wrestlers have been enjoying so far during their stay in London.
Sonny Bell, head coach and founder of London Sumo Club, told Metro: ‘If you want to be the biggest, you eat 10,000 calories and enjoy that.
‘But for me, I don’t get near that. I compete at a weight category so minus 115 kilos.
‘You don’t need to eat a million calories to do sumo wrestling. You could eat 2,000 calories and still wrestle. It really is open for everyone.’
Historically, beer and sake were a common part of sumo life, but now attitudes have moved away from heavy drinking.
This comes as the sumo world has become more health conscious.
Day two of the Grand Sumo Tournament starts this evening at the Royal Albert Hall.
Have you come across any sumo wrestlers in London? Email molly.lee.met@metro.co.uk with your sumo encounters
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