So you want to be a sumo wrestler?

Well first things first: let's set the record straight. The correct and most respectful term for what we think of as sumo wrestlers is Rikishi (meaning Strong/Powerful Man). Sumo is a Japanese style of wrestling and Japan's national sport. It originated in ancient times as a performance to entertain the Shinto gods.

The basic rules of sumo are simple: The wrestler who either first touches the floor with something else than his sole or leaves the ring before his opponent, loses. The fights themselves usually last only a few seconds and in rare cases up to one minute or longer. Typically, bigger is better when it comes to being a successful sumo wrestler.

So what are the secrets that Rikishi use to bulk up? And what lessons can those of us not planning to enlist as professional Japanese strong men take from their example?

1. Skip breakfast. Rikishi typically do not eat breakfast, or lunch .
2. Workout without fueling up. They begin their daily exercises at 9 am. Remember this is with no breakfast. i.e. they exercise on an empty stomach. By exercising with no fuel, they force the body into "starvation mode." The body's response is to lower metabolism.
3. Avoid cardio and training that promotes whole body toning. They have a training regimen that does not include sustained aerobic exercise, cardio intervals or whole body muscular toning exercise - all of which would promote fat loss, or, increase lean muscle.
4. Sleep after digesting food. When Rikishi do finally eat they follow their meals by sleeping for at least four hours. They go to bed with full stomachs. Like all of us, their food is broken down by the body into glucose (blood sugar). Blood sugar is one of our body's most tightly regulated systems because of its importance to keeping the brain alive. So in the rikishi's case, once the food is converted to glucose they do not move much and their bodies must respond with a rush of insulin which will carry the glucose to their cells as, mostly, fat. If they were to exercise after digesting their food it would increase the efficiency of insulin and thereby reduce their circulating insulin levels, which would not help in their quest to store their food as fat.
5. Eat large portions of calorie dense food. The wrestlers eat huge portions of a relatively healthy dish called chankonabe. Thei dish is heavy with protein and most proteins are calorie dense. With the exception of children, aging individuals and those recovering from illness, most healthy adults need much less protein than you would think. But because protein is so dense in calories when they exceed their body's need for its nutrients, the rest is simply stored as fat. So protein provides a relatively healthier means for wrestlers to get as many calories as possible per bite.
6. Eat in a social setting. They tend to eat with others in a social atmosphere. A healthy diet blog states, "a meal eaten with others can be at least 44 percent larger and with 30 percent more calories and fat."
7. Bottom's up! Drink beer and alcohol. What's more, social gatherings are a great place to drink beer! According to one source, "Sumo wrestlers also drink large quantities of beer. Alcohol increases cortisol levels which leads to fat deposits around the abdominal area, creating the ‘beer belly’. This is desirable in sumo wrestlers since a large stomach makes them more stable in the ring."