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Ep410: Sumo Wrestling · Kidcast Daily

• 0:03
  Kick off Countdown, turn it up loud.
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  We're on now. Sneakers on the floor, Hear the
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  team run. Heartbeats racing.
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  Here comes the fun. From the field to your
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  headphones. Play by play kid.
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  Cats daily talking game day. It's game time, kick ass daily.
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  Sports stories going crazy. Let's go from the whistle to the
• 0:40
  last big play. We're cheering you on every day.
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  It's game time. Shouting proudly.
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  Kick ass daily. Hey kids, Kick Ass Daily is here
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  with another packed episode. Get ready for science, sports,
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  cool history, and facts so surprising you won't believe
• 1:01
  they're real. Today we're exploring a famous
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  sport from Japan that is all about skill, balance, and quick
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  thinking. It is strong, it is fast, and it
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  has traditions that go back hundreds of years.
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  So let's get on with today's episode.
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  Sumo wrestling is a full contact sport where two athletes try to
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  make each other step out of a circular ring or touch the
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  ground with anybody part other than the soles of their feet.
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  The wrestlers are called rikishi.
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  Each match usually lasts just a few seconds, though sometimes it
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  can stretch longer when both wrestlers keep balanced and
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  resist each other's moves. There are no weight classes in
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  professional sumo, so a smaller wrestler can face a heavier one.
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  That makes technique and footwork very important.
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  The ring is called the Dohio. It is a raised platform with a
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  round fighting area. The edge is marked with rice
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  straw bales and a thin layer of sand covers the surface so
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  judges can see clear footprints. Before a match.
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  Helpers use wooden tools to smooth the sand and repair any
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  marks. Sumo wrestlers do not wear
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  shirts or shorts. They wear a thick belt called a
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  mawashi, wrapped tightly around the waist and between the legs.
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  This belt is what the wrestlers grab to move, lift or turn their
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  opponent. They also go barefoot in the
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  ring, which helps with grip on the surface.
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  At tournaments, the wrestlers climb the steps to the Dojo and
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  perform a ring entering ceremony.
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  They clap to show they are ready, They stomp their legs in
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  a move called Chico to loosen up and show balance, and they throw
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  a pinch of salt to the ring. The salt is for cleanliness and
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  to show respect for the sport and the space.
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  Did you know the clay base of the Dojo is rebuilt for each
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  major tournament and then broken down afterward?
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  Craftsman pack and shape the clay, place each rice straw Bale
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  carefully and then spread sand over the top.
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  When the referee called the jaoji signals the start.
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  The two wrestlers Crouch, fists on the ground and launch into
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  action. They aim to push, lift, twist or
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  trip the other person. Punching with a closed fist is
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  not allowed and neither are hair pulling, eye poking or choking.
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  Legal techniques include shoves, belt grip, foot sweeps, and
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  throwing moves that use the opponents balance against them.
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  If anybody part other than the wrestlers feet touches the
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  ground like a knee or a hand, that wrestler loses.
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  If a toe slides over the straw bales, that also ends the match.
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  Training for sumo is serious and starts early in the morning.
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  Wrestlers live in training houses called stables or haya.
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  They practice Chico leg raises to build hip strength, and they
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  push each other in drills called boots akari to develop power and
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  endurance. Many do tempo, which is striking
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  and pushing against a wooden pole to improve timing and hand
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  placement. Flexibility is important, too,
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  because being able to bend and twist can prevent falls and help
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  a wrestler escape a bad position.
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  After training, the wrestlers eat a hearty Stew called chenko
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  naib. It often includes chicken, fish,
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  tofu and many vegetables. Did you know Chenko Naib?
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  Recipes are different in each stable, and some stables even
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  run restaurants after wrestlers retire.
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  Let's try a yes or no question to bring in a fresh detail.
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  Do sumo wrestlers wear shoes in the ring?
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  No, they are barefoot on the dohio to maintain good contact
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  with the clay and sand, which helps stability and reduces
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  slipping. Sumo also has ranks.
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  New wrestlers start in lower divisions and try to rise by
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  winning matches at official tournaments.
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  The top division is called Macuchi.
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  Above all ranks is the title of Yokozuna or grand champion.
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  A yokozuna has shown consistent top level performance and strong
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  character. They perform a special ring
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  entering ceremony with a thick decorative rope around the
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  waist. There are strict expectations
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  for yokozuna, including keeping a high standard even after
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  earning the title. Did you know there have been
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  periods with no active yokozuna and other times with several at
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  once? The people who make tournaments
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  run smoothly include more than just wrestlers and referees.
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  Yo Badashi are the ushers, who call each wrestler's name in a
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  singing style, prepare the dohayo and drum to signal the
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  start and end of the day. Judges sit around the ring to
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  monitor every move. If the result is unclear, they
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  hold a brief conference on the spot.
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  Sometimes they order a rematch, called a tornayishi.
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  The referee wears colorful robes and carries a fan used to signal
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  decisions. Here's a trivia question that
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  brings in a brand new fact. How many official grand
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  tournaments are held in Japan each year?
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  Six. There are six major tournaments
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  called basho, spaced through the year in different cities,
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  including Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka.
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  Another part of sumo culture is the hairstyle.
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  Wrestlers grow their hair long enough to tie into a topknot.
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  A special hairdresser shapes it for matches and ceremonies.
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  During a match, the topknot must be secure.
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  Pulling hair is against the rules.
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  Wrestlers also use rice flour on their hands to keep them dry for
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  better grip. Outside the ring, they often
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  wear traditional clothing such as yukata robes.
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  As part of upholding the sports customs, let's add another new
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  detail with a geography flavor question.
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  Is it true that a wrestler must be a Japanese citizen to reach
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  the highest rank? No Wrestlers from other
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  countries have become top champions.
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  Several yokozuna have come from places outside Japan.
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  The sport welcomes talented athletes who follow its rules
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  and traditions. Matches might be brief, but
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  there is a lot to watch in those few seconds.
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  A wrestler may charge forward hands to the opponent's chest or
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  neck, trying to force a quick exit.
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  Another might step aside at the right moment and guide the
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  opponent past, using balance and timing.
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  Some Tri belt grips to set up throws such as an overarm throw
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  or an underarm lift. Every wrestler has favorite
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  techniques. Fans study these moves and cheer
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  when they spot a clever setup or a strong counter.
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  Here comes another trivia question with fresh information
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  we have not covered yet. What is the diameter of the
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  fighting circle on the Dohio? About 4.55 meters, which is
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  roughly 15 feet across. That size gives just enough room
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  to move and strategize while still making the edge a constant
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  challenge. Safety and respect are part of
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  sumo. Before about, the wrestlers face
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  each other and perform rituals that show readiness.
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  After about, the winner returns to the center and squats while
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  the loser steps out. Wrestlers aim to avoid dangerous
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  landings, and training includes learning how to fall safely.
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  There are also ringside attendants who help manage the
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  ropes, belts and towels, and who quickly sweep away sand clumps
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  to keep the surface even. Sumo has a long history.
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  Records of sumo type contests in Japan go back more than 1000
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  years. Over time, rules became formal,
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  ranks were organized, and tournaments were scheduled in
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  cities. Did you know that during some
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  periods, sumo demonstrations were held at shrines and also at
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  castles, making it both a sport and a public event?
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  Today, television and online highlights let fans around the
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  world follow their favorite wrestlers and learn the
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  techniques. If you want to understand the
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  strategy, try a simple real world example.
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  Imagine two students playing tug of war with a rope in a gym. 1
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  is heavier, but the lighter one angles their feet, lowers their
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  hips and move side to side. The lighter student can still
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  succeed by using timing and footwork.
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  That is how sumo prizes technique, a quick feat, Strong
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  legs and a study center can help a wrestler handle someone
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  larger. Endurance also matters because
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  even short bursts require a lot of energy.
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  Here is one more yes or no question with new information.
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  Do professional bouts have a countdown clock like in some
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  other sports? No, there is no visible
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  countdown clock for the action. Bouts start on the referee's
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  signal and end the moment someone steps out or touches
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  down. The build up can take time as
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  wrestlers prepare, but once they clash the result comes quickly.
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  If you ever watch a tournament broadcast, look for the pre bout
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  face offs, the salt throw, the Crouch, and the instant
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  explosion of movement. Listen for the yobedashi calling
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  names and the crowd reacting to a well timed throw.
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  Notice how wrestlers adjust their stance, whether they aim
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  for belt grips or straight arm thrusts, and how they try to
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  control the center of the ring. Did you know some wrestlers keep
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  notebooks where they log their matches, techniques used, and
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  what to improve for the next day?
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  Let's wrap up with a quick review.
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  Sumo is a Japanese sport where two wrestlers try to make the
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  other step out or touch the ground.
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  Matches are fast, but training is long and careful with early
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  morning drills like Chico Typo and pushing practice.
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  Wrestlers were the Milwaukee belt and go barefoot on the clay
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  and sand. Ohio rules allow shoves, grips
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  and throws, but no closed fist punching or hair pulling.
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  Officials include the Jioji referee, Yo Badashi, ushers and
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  ringside judges who can order rematches.
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  Ranks lead up to the top title of Yokozuna.
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  There are 6 grand tournaments each year.
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  The fighting circle is about 455 meters wide and athletes from
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  outside Japan can and do reach the highest levels.
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  The sport blends skill, balance, strength and tradition and every
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  about pack strategy into just a few seconds.
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  Thanks for listening and keep your curiosity ready for our
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  next adventure in learning.