Headbutts at tachiai

[HenryK 38]

..... seem relatively rare

(today there was a straight butt in Toyohibiki Sagatsukasa, and also some head contact in Kotooshu Kisenosato. Maybe also in Kotomitsuki Miyabiyama),.

I wonder how the rikishi manage to do this?

[Sokkenaiyama 81]

It's simple, they both try to avoid butting heads. Of course, they sometimes fail, and the consequences can be more than unpleasant - see for example the keiko Kotooshu headbutt breaking Harumafuji's tooth.

[HenryK 38]

It's simple, they both try to avoid butting heads. Of course, they sometimes fail, and the consequences can be more than unpleasant - see for example the keiko Kotooshu headbutt breaking Harumafuji's tooth.

Seems to me (=utter layman) that at the speed at which the rikishi come out of tachiai, one can avoid a butt only when one has some prior idea where the opponent's head is moving

Edited January 15, 2010 by HenryK

[Otokonoyama 2,735]

Ah, that clears it up! I thought you'd been dropped on yer noggin' as a wee bairn! :-(

The smallest guy (in terms of weight) at Oshima beya was regularly bonking heads with his heavier and higher ranked stablemates in asageiko practice matches recently. Hardly a matched started without that sort of tachiai.

[ilovesumo 12]

Asked Tochinoyama about that once - he often hits with his head on purpose (and developed a "tachiai hage" - bald spot, hair roots die due to the head butting) - he said, that it doesn't hurt (ok?) and it is perfect to get your opponent off balance (while keeping your own).

While watching keiko, you often hear the Oyakata or coaches yell at the rikishi "Atama de! atama de!! Atama tsukatte!" - They want the rikishi to use their head as a 3rd arm - think of a triangle - to push foreward with 3 contacts to the aite's body. But they mean to use the head against the chest.

Edited January 16, 2010 by ilovesumo

[kaiguma 0]

It's simple, they both try to avoid butting heads. Of course, they sometimes fail, and the consequences can be more than unpleasant - see for example the keiko Kotooshu headbutt breaking Harumafuji's tooth.

Seems to me (=utter layman) that at the speed at which the rikishi come out of tachiai, one can avoid a butt only when one has some prior idea where the opponent's head is moving

I think the heads are colliding far more often than we are aware of it. It all happens so fast an d unless the replay is focused in the upper body at just the right angle we might miss it.

[HenryK 38]

It's simple, they both try to avoid butting heads. Of course, they sometimes fail, and the consequences can be more than unpleasant - see for example the keiko Kotooshu headbutt breaking Harumafuji's tooth.

Seems to me (=utter layman) that at the speed at which the rikishi come out of tachiai, one can avoid a butt only when one has some prior idea where the opponent's head is moving

I think the heads are colliding far more often than we are aware of it. It all happens so fast an d unless the replay is focused in the upper body at just the right angle we might miss it.

This is of course possible, but why then don't we see more blood (from cuts) or swollen foreheads on the dohyo?

[_the_mind_ 0]

It's simple, they both try to avoid butting heads. Of course, they sometimes fail, and the consequences can be more than unpleasant - see for example the keiko Kotooshu headbutt breaking Harumafuji's tooth.

Seems to me (=utter layman) that at the speed at which the rikishi come out of tachiai, one can avoid a butt only when one has some prior idea where the opponent's head is moving

I think the heads are colliding far more often than we are aware of it. It all happens so fast an d unless the replay is focused in the upper body at just the right angle we might miss it.

This is of course possible, but why then don't we see more blood (from cuts) or swollen foreheads on the dohyo?

just a thought here, but the lights above the dohyo look like they are probably hot, hot enough to make you sweat....that plus the warm ups before your match would be that maybe you are sweaty already. if the head area is sweaty, the heads would probably slip easier then they would with dry on dry skin contact. so less friction? = less cuts?

i really dont know, just a thought.

Edited January 27, 2010 by _the_mind_

[Asojima 2,874]

..., but why then don't we see more blood (from cuts) or swollen foreheads on the dohyo?

Have you watched many of Iwakiyama's matches lately??