

Unless you're spending most of your day trying to topple a 400-pound man.ĮDITOR'S NOTE: This video was originally published in March 2019. They are generally healthy, super strong and super fat. So while the thought of eating 7,000 calories a day might be appealing, you probably shouldn't. That might explain why retired wrestlers reportedly die an estimated 10 years younger than the average Japanese citizen. When sumo wrestlers retire, they have to seriously cut calories or they become at risk for cardiovascular disease. And then, of course, there's the match, where wrestlers try to shove their opponent out of the ring or force them to touch the ground with any body part other than the soles of their feet.īut as soon as the exercise stops, so does its benefits. For example, during an exercise called butsukari-geiko, wrestlers take turns repeatedly hitting and pushing each other until they collapse to the floor from exhaustion. and can last for up to five hours straight, and it's nothing like what you'd expect to find at your typical group fitness class. At a sumo stable, or heya, in Japan, training starts as early as 5 a.m. Mind you, sumo wrestlers get a lot of exercise. Adiponectin guides glucose and fat molecules out of our blood stream, where they could build up as visceral fat, and instead puts them underneath the skin. Basically, it has to do with how exercise increases a hormone called adiponectin. Studies show that intense exercise may prevent the buildup of visceral fat. So how did they hit the jackpot on fat? The secret's in their name: sumo wrestler. They have normal levels of triglycerides, a type of fat in their blood, and unexpectedly low levels of cholesterol, both of which lower their risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. That's why scientists think sumo wrestlers are healthy. Instead, they store most of their fat right underneath the skin. Sumo wrestlers eat high-calorie meals throughout the day that combine vegetables and protein to maximize weight and strength. So what's their trick? CT scans reveal that sumo wrestlers don't have much visceral fat at all. It pollutes the blood with molecules that can cause inflammation, and this is why obesity can lead to health issues like high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and heart attacks.īut sumo wrestlers don't usually suffer from these symptoms. Normally, people with obesity store a portion of their extra fat deep inside the abdomen, where it wraps around the pancreas, liver, and other vital organs. Take a closer look, and you'll discover that it really is what's on the inside that counts. Sumo wrestlers build their bulk using strategic methods.

#Are sumo wrestlers healthy professional
While that may not sound like the healthiest lifestyle, you shouldn't judge a book, or a body, by its cover. Sumo wrestlers have the most fat-free mass of all professional athletes, meaning that they have large body masses, without the fat. Narrator: Sumo wrestlers eat up to 7,000 calories a day and weigh 300 to 400 pounds or two to three times as much as the average adult. They also engage in regular training sessions that help them build strength, stamina, and flexibility. They eat a special diet known as chankonabe which is high in protein and low in fat. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. No matter what their weight may be, all sumo wrestlers strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
