SUMO

[Rikishi]

Do you think Sumo is a good form of self defense?

[McBeth]

My answer - No.

It has some elements and techniques that could be useful in an encounter, but as a whole I do not think a person should spend a large amount of time learning sumo unless they want to compete in sumo tournaments. If the primary goal is self-defense then take up another art.

[y2_sub]

No , sumo is not a complete art for self defense , however , sumo is not for average people and I won't pick a fight with a sumo practitioner .Those guys are huge

[jnpnshr411]

Those sumo guys are huge I think that their size is their best self defense I would have to be crazy to mess with one of those guys

[elbows_and_knees]

I'll go against the grain on this one - yes, you can use it for self defense. It is full of grappling (standing) sweeps, throws, etc. even some elementary palm strikes. it lacks some striking aspects, but that doesn't render it useless. You can say the same of judo. or muay thai (lacks grappling) ALL styles lack SOMETHING - even if they have it "in the system" they don't always train it enough to be effective with it.

[y2_sub]

I'll go against the grain on this one - yes, you can use it for self defense. It is full of grappling (standing) sweeps, throws, etc. even some elementary palm strikes. it lacks some striking aspects, but that doesn't render it useless. You can say the same of judo. or muay thai (lacks grappling) ALL styles lack SOMETHING - even if they have it "in the system" they don't always train it enough to be effective with it.

Judo contains a wide variety of grappling techniques (standing and ground) while all what you get to c in a sumo match is two huge guys pushing around !!

[Rikishi]

Sumo is more than 2 huge guys pushing each other around. The techniques can be used in self-defense. Ckeck it-out for yourselfs:

http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/kimarite/index.html

[Rikishi]

I truly believe that if you combine the super strong sumo takedown techniques, with high effective grappling ground manouvers, you become a monster.....

[Muaythaiboxer]

huge sumo guys keep geting destoryed in pride and K-1 so i will say its not very effective, those guys are really strong though.

[White Warlock]

They get destroyed because they have focused on their own rules for competition and have not modified their training to adjust to the different rules. The techniques in sumo are effective, unfortunately the traditional structure of the competitions of sumo tend to encourage pushing, instead of takedown (approximately 40% of matches end in someone being pushed out of the ring). Also, they do not practice finishing techniques, and thus suffer the same fate as wrestlers. Get them there, but then don't know what to do with them.

And last, the sumo practitioners that have entered these mma competitions (and K-1 is not an mma competitions, in my opinion), may be champions, or near-champions, in sumo, but their physique is not fit for these types of competitions. Their bulk becomes a liablility.