Off-Topic Sumo wrestlers. How strong are they

[Jamesjones]

How strong are sumo wrestlers?
Do they posses a kind of wiry unusual strength or are they just big guys who use there weight well.

I know they're very skilled athletes who do alot of training

 

[LukeV]

How strong are sumo wrestlers?
Do they posses a kind of wiry unusual strength or are they just big guys who use there weight well.
I know they're very skilled athletes who do alot of training

I don't have any statistics but when you see them collide there is a lot of muscle under that fat. Despite their girth I would not equate them with powerlifters, they are more like basketballers - very explosive and nimble.

 

[Chrisdavisjr]

Unlike most other combat sports, Sumo makes very few demands on endurance and most bouts last only a few seconds. It's definitely an explosive/power sport so I'm sure they'd do fairly well at maximal/limit strength although in terms of how strong they are relative to their body weight (there are no weight classes in professional sumo) I'm not sure they'd stack up favourably against even amateur weightlifters or powerlifters of the same size.

 

[offwidth]

I had the very good fortune to get tickets to the Natso Basho at the Ryōgoku Kokogikan in Tokyo. This was in the 1990's when Akebono was the Yokozuna. It was a great tournament, and an amazing experience.

 

[Pantrolyx]

They are extremely strong when it comes to pushing other people (and presumably objects) for a short duration or time. A sumo wrestler also has tremendous strength in stretched positions like the bottom squat.

The complete lack of endurance demanded in the sport, makes the strength carryover to other contact sports very limited, though.