Sumo Skills: Instructional Guide for Competitive Sumo

Informative, good step by step of many aspects of gyoji, shinpan, and sumotori actions. Kimarite are pretty well illustrated. Warmups and calisthenics are easy to understand. I could wish for updated art of the body movements as sometimes when there is a more complicated leg or arm interaction it is hard to discern that. Overall, this book works fine but I could wish for small tweaks.

If you are wanting to try sumo but don't know where to start, this book is your first step. Not only does it list every known kimarite (winning move), but it also teaches you many other important basics, like tying the mawashi (sumo belt), important vocabulary, and how to perform the ritualistic gestures of sumo associated with Shinto tradition.Some of the info is a little out of date, such as the list of U.S. sumo champions, but this isn't anything that would inhibit you from learning sumo. I'd love to see an updated edition some day.Sumo wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. currently, as well as having a robust community of international sumotori, outside of the traditional Grand Sumo in Japan, who compete all over the world. Over just the past 3 years the number of sumo clubs in the U.S. has quadrupled, with about a dozen tournaments now being held across the country every year. Most of the founders of these clubs that I've personally talked to own a copy of this book.

As a Martial Artist of 30+ years and a fan of Sumo for 25 years, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the depth and details of Sumo. Well written, easily understood and super easy to look up specific questions. Unlike other books on Sumo, this book takes it to a level of detail I've never seen in a martial art outside the dojang/dojo. Kudos to the author on a job VERY well done, and I encourage anyone interested in Sumo to add this one to your library!

I participated in a Sumo tournament in the 90’s not knowing what I was doing. It was a lot of fun. I also got to watch a live sumo tournament in Nagoya, Japan and it was awesome.But I didn’t understand the rules or what was happening in the matches. Recently, with the release of the Netflix show called Sanctuary it re-ignited my interest in learning about sumo not so much as an activity to do but as a sport to watch and appreciate.I bought this book and it covers everything that I can see based on my limited knowledge from the rules, the commands, the ranking system, the training routines and techniques.I am still going through it and I am really enjoying it.The only downside are the pictures they seem like they are tracings of actual pictures which would be fine if they were higher resolution.However, I am not going to hold that against the value the book brings to someone who is interested in learning about this great sport.I definitely recommend the book. It’s full of great content!!!!

I've read a number of books on the art of sumo over the years but this one is in a class by itself. This book covers not only the history and traditions but also each technique allowed in detail. The reader can follow the discription of each technique and achieve a level of proficiency. I would highly recommend this book not only for the sumo enthusiasts but also for all those interested in martial arts in general.

It’s a great instructional book plain and simple, if you’re trying to compete and learn Sumo, this is a great beginners book to have!!!

"Sumo Skills" fills a much needed void. Of all of the English language books on sumo that have been published in the past few decades none of them have been for people who wanted to actually practice the sport. Those books may have taught the reader how to appreciate the subtle aspects of watching professional sumo but there was nothing that explained how to put on a mawashi and get in a dohyo and do it; until now! "Sumo Skills" explains all of the basic skills someone needs to know to get in a ring and practice. No book is a substitute for live coaching and training with other experienced rikishi but "Sumo Skills" comes as close to actual coaching as you can get. Thomas Zabel packs years of sumo experience into the book with information and tips you won't find anywhere else. One of the best sections is the kimarite section. It divides the kimarite into sections based on how frequently they are used. This allows the aspiring rikishi to focus effort on the techniques with the best chances of winning instead of trying to master techniques with a lower chance of winning and that might even be dangerous.This book is a must for any martial artist who wants to improve balance and power, any aspiring rikishi and even the pro sumo fan who just wants deeper information about the sport they love.

I agree with what everyone else has said. For those curious about the training method in sumo, this is the first book in English that clearly explains the core elements, written by someone who has trained in Japan. The size of the book is roughly 8 1/2 X 11", and has renderings or photos to accompany pretty much every technique and topic covered. While it is not possible to "learn" a martial art from books and videos, a book such as this is a must-read for Westerners studying sumo or interested in better understanding what they are watching on TV. For those only superficially familiar with Sumo, it will be surprising to learn how many techniques there are, many of which are more commonly used in amateur sumo than professional. While those practicing sumo are often "large" in size, the average sumo wrestler actually has only about 20% body fat! That says something about their training methods. If you have any interest in sumo at all, do yourself a favor and pick this book up. It will help you enjoy the sport better. Thanks to the author for sharing.