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Chanko Thief

When Is A Rikishi’s Prime?

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When is the average rikishi in their physical prime? In heavyweight boxing, fighters are often in their prime years in their early 30s, but in lower weight classes, fighters peak at much younger ages.
 

How does this compare in sumo? I imagine that due to accumulating injuries and excess strain on the joints etc., that a rikishi’s physical peak would be in their 20s, and it would be sort of a gradual decline from there, no?

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30 minutes ago, Chanko Thief said:

When is the average rikishi in their physical prime? In heavyweight boxing, fighters are often in their prime years in their early 30s, but in lower weight classes, fighters peak at much younger ages.
 

How does this compare in sumo? I imagine that due to accumulating injuries and excess strain on the joints etc., that a rikishi’s physical peak would be in their 20s, and it would be sort of a gradual decline from there, no?

A rikishi's physical peak is an individual matter. Age alone may not be a good inicator of it. Physical condition, lack of injury, and pure talent have much to do with it. 

Many rikishis are past their prime at age 30. But there are exceptions--some of them extreme. Kokutenho won his first and only yusho at age 37. Hakuho is considered to be past his prime at age 35, but he's still far better than anyone else. He won his  44th yusho in Osaka. I guess the best example of a rikishi becoming successful later in his career is Chiyonofuji. He won his first yusho at age 25--supposedly close to the prime suggested in the above post. He then happened to win 30 more in the next nine years. 

There are other rikishis such as Aminishiki who while not exactly being in their prime years, have still gone on to have very respectable careers well past so-called "retirement age".

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25 minutes ago, sekitori said:

A rikishi's physical peak is an individual matter. Age alone may not be a good inicator of it. Physical condition, lack of injury, and pure talent have much to do with it. 

Of course each individual athlete will have a different peak age, but as with many sports, there is a general trend that can be determined. Barring outliers such as Hakuho (ATG) and Kyokutenho etc., what would you say is the average age range?

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Phisical prime in male athelets is normally 26 to 31 years old. The fact that Hakuho is still the top dog in 2020 doesn't mean he is still in his prime. Believe 2010 Hakuho would win 9 out of 10 against 2020 Hakuho. The same with Kyokutenho. He won the yusho at 37, but he was physically superior at age 30

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3 hours ago, Chanko Thief said:

Of course each individual athlete will have a different peak age, but as with many sports, there is a general trend that can be determined. Barring outliers such as Hakuho (ATG) and Kyokutenho etc., what would you say is the average age range?

Injury seems to be the big wildcard. It’s like every rikishi has some tape on them somewhere and whether it’s minor or major its gotta be slowing them down.
 

If we could eliminate injuries if seems late 20’s would be prime in my opinion, though there would definitely be some variation. 

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Many, many variables, including injury as the biggest no doubt. Here's what I can tell:

I looked at rikishi who peaked at either Komosubi or Sekiwake since 2000.  The reason: these are guys who made it to upper maegashira, but not to Ozeki, so not subject to the special rules of Ozeki or Yokozuna.

No MsTD shortcuts; no careers cut short by match-fixing or weed.  Young rikishi who've topped out at K but might make S are not counted (Onoshou, e.g.)

Determined difference between birth date and first basho at top rank.

Total: 32 (13 K, 19 S)

age at top rank:

21-23 = 2

24-26 = 13

27-29 = 14

>29 = 3

So, prime age ~25 to 28?

 

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1 hour ago, Yamanashi said:

Many, many variables, including injury as the biggest no doubt. Here's what I can tell:

I looked at rikishi who peaked at either Komosubi or Sekiwake since 2000.  The reason: these are guys who made it to upper maegashira, but not to Ozeki, so not subject to the special rules of Ozeki or Yokozuna.

No MsTD shortcuts; no careers cut short by match-fixing or weed.  Young rikishi who've topped out at K but might make S are not counted (Onoshou, e.g.)

Determined difference between birth date and first basho at top rank.

Total: 32 (13 K, 19 S)

age at top rank:

21-23 = 2

24-26 = 13

27-29 = 14

>29 = 3

So, prime age ~25 to 28?

 

Nicely done my friend. Thank you for the research/breakdown.

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5 hours ago, Katsunorifuji said:

Injury seems to be the big wildcard. It’s like every rikishi has some tape on them somewhere and whether it’s minor or major its gotta be slowing them down.
 

If we could eliminate injuries if seems late 20’s would be prime in my opinion, though there would definitely be some variation. 

And yet sometimes injury, ironically, can prolong a career, look at Mitoizumi, he had so many early struggles in his career but he ended up competing until he was 38.

 

Swami

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20 hours ago, Katsunorifuji said:

Injury seems to be the big wildcard. It’s like every rikishi has some tape on them somewhere and whether it’s minor or major its gotta be slowing them down.
 

If we could eliminate injuries if seems late 20’s would be prime in my opinion, though there would definitely be some variation. 

A classic example of the injury effect is Tochinoshin.  Meteoric rise to K, injury and down to Ms55, up to S, drop to lower M, stunning rise to O, now maybe final collapse; all due to his knees.

It's like those Kings of England: James the First, James the Second, and the Old Pretender (sorry).

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