Kyokai special training sessions

[Kintamayama 45,442]

The Kyokai training sessions started today and will run till the 23rd, a day before banzuke day. Participants: Hakuhou, Kakuryuu and 11 other sekitori ( Takakeishou, Asanoyama, Mitakeumi, Terunofuji, Takayasu, Kiribayama, Ounoshou, Enhou, Ichinojou, Midorifuji, Ishiura, and 17 Makushita rikishi) in all. Hakuhou faced Ounoshou for 14 bouts and won them all. "I think he hits well and has great fighting spirit so I called him out. I want to do sumo against all types of rikishi," said Hakuhou later. Kakuryuu did not do any sumo but lent his chest to Kiribayama and others. "I wanted to observe the sekitori from up close and feel the atmosphere, so I think it's important to be here. I've finally reached the point where my body is ready for battle. I want to move on step by step," he explained. A formidable lot of sekitori, for sure, missing only Shoudai and injured Takanoshou at the top ranks.

Takakeishou faced Asanoyama for 10 bouts, going 7-3 and then borrowed Hakuhou's chest for a three-minute butsugari session. 

Edited December 18, 2020 by Kintamayama

[pricklypomegranate 730]

11 minutes ago, pricklypomegranate said:

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20201218-OHT1T50123.html

I’m sure everyone is looking forward to hear about the degeiko results. Here they are, but as I am posting on mobile, I might update later, or @Kintamayama would probably fill up the gaps/correct any mistakes made. 

Attendees: Hakuho, Kakuryu, Takakeisho, Shodai, Terunofuji, Mitakeumi, Takayasu, Kiribayama, Onosho, Enho, Ichinojo, Midorifuji, Ishiura + 17 Makushita rikishi. 

Hakuho fought Onosho (see pic above) and won 14 bouts today. Meanwhile, Kakuryu did not fight any bouts today and only did basic exercises, though it was noted he was happy to see other rikishi. Takakeisho took Asanoyama for sanban today, winning 7-3. Takakeisho also responded well to Hakuho’s three-minute butsugari after that as well. 

Crossposted from the Ozeki/Yokozuna thread upon the request of @Seiyashi I think it’s neater this way...

[Kintamayama 45,442]

Hakuhou: "I want to strengthen my body in my own way and I think I perspired well today.. " He beat Ounoshou by using all sorts of techniques. Uwatenage, okuridashi, sukuinage, tsukiotoshi-all were observed. "It was good. I was well warmed up at the end and it became gradually better. As for my injury, it is much better than it was during the last keiko session we had,. I'll be waking up early, consulting with my body and gambarizing!" he added. 

Edited December 18, 2020 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 45,442]

Takakeishou faced Asanoyama today, two guys with totally different sumo. "I did it because our styles are different. I thought we could both benefit from this and polish our own sumo.. If we got into a hold it would be to his advantage. For it to become my advantage, I had to keep him at bay. It's a training session, so I did my best to avoid injuries and get the best results..I'm here to face the guys that I cannot face on a regular basis. It's a rare opportunity. I want to benefit from this, " he said. After his bouts he borrowed Hakuhou's chest for three minutes for some butsugari. "I am thankful for that. I know there's a chance that he will call me out at some point of the sessions and we'll have to see what happens.  I just want to do serious keiko without thinking too much.." he summed.

 

Edited December 18, 2020 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 45,442]

Takayasu faced Mitakeumi, Terunofuji and Ounoshou for 15 bouts and guess what- 13-2!!. He didn't go for his left hand grip-just all -out attacks from the tachiai. "I wasn't thinking of the style- I just thought about what kind of sumo I wanted to do. Left hand, right hand - I just didn't want it to be half-hearted," he said. Last basho he was 8-7 in sanyaku. "When I can't generate power, the wins don't follow. If I suffer from some pain, I can't generate the power, so I need to seriously build up my power and gambarize while aiming to develop a body that will not get injured," he said.

 

[pricklypomegranate 730]

Here are some selected images from the Sumo Kyokai's Twitter which I felt gave a better view of today's degeiko: 

Here's Onosho attempting a nodowa against Hakuho: 

Here's Ichinojo doing butsugari with Kakuryu, though the cupping marks on his back are really not encouraging... 

The whole Miyagino gang showed up. Note Enho's svelte figure, additional black wristbands, he and Ishiura's general pudginess and the faceshielded press. According to the video, they only fought Makushita today. 

And here is a very dirty but spirited Takakeisho doing butsugari with Hakuho: 

And let's not forget the newlywed Goeido watching over the proceedings: 

Bonus

Video, video, we demand video! Well, here is some news footage of the bouts. 

Edited December 18, 2020 by pricklypomegranate

[Sutārokku 24]

We need more footage and I can’t find any nowhere!

[pricklypomegranate 730]

Source: https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202012190000334.html

Today, Hakuho fought 14 bouts with Takayasu to train his yotsu skills, specifically getting the left grip after the right. He faltered slightly, only winning 9. "As I have said before, I'll be fighting different types of rikishi. I would like people to take special note of that. Tomorrow, it'll probably be someone different." 

Bonus

For one second, Enho was once again the Prince of Twist, executing the very rare Zubuneri (i.e. head pivot twisting throw, which Midorifuji used twice in Kyushu) on Makushita Sakigake. It looks like Midorifuji's rise has finally given him some inspiration. 

Super Bonus

From the Kyokai's Instagram page. No explanation necessary.  

Edited December 19, 2020 by pricklypomegranate

[pricklypomegranate 730]

Source: https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202012190000344.html

Takakeisho seems to be maintaining level flight. Today, he practiced with Asanoyama, Terunofuji and Takayasu, winning 6/10 bouts, though the specifics are not reported. The Ozeki emphasised quality over quantity, stating, "It is more important to improve your senses. I want to do this without rushing. With the temperature in Tokyo getting colder this week, I feel that my body's getting stuck and rigid. I want to warm up and concentrate on my feelings. There seem to be parts getting better and parts getting worse. I'm still building my body but will probably make it by shoinichi. I'm stil in the middle of it and wish to do this carefully. It's a good thing to have an actual battle at this early stage." 

Edited December 19, 2020 by pricklypomegranate

[pricklypomegranate 730]

9 hours ago, Sutārokku said:

We need more footage and I can’t find any nowhere!

Boy do I have news for you. Tomorrow's degeiko will be livestreamed on the Kyokai's Youtube channel at 0800 JST, though the link will be open by 0700 JST. Here's the link for tomorrow. I'll definitely be there with the same name, so see you guys in the live chat...  

Edited December 19, 2020 by pricklypomegranate

[pricklypomegranate 730]

Source: https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/sumo/news/202012190000375.html

Kakuryu continued to refrain from training, but took this opportunity to teach Kiribayama and Onosho. "I want to proceed step by step. It is important to return to form. It certainly won't be good if I practiced hard and got injured again. Teaching people reminds me of myself and that will do good for me." 

Edited December 19, 2020 by pricklypomegranate

[Kintamayama 45,442]

Asanoyama faced Takakeishou, Takayasu and Terunofuji for ten bouts, winning six.”Tachiai and then the offense.. I couldn’t do my own sumo at all and that’s the issue..” he said. “Both Terunofuji and Takayasu suffered through injuries and made it back and it has been a great incentive for me. Although our ranks are now different, I want to do my best not to lose. My shoulder is getting better by the day. I want to train with the sekitori and bring back my feeling,” he summed

Edited December 19, 2020 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 45,442]

Sanspo says both Takakeishou and Asanoyama were 4-6 and not 6-4, so go figure. OTOH, Takayasu is reported to being 10-4 against the Ozeki and ex-Ozeki camp.This, after a grueling session with Hakuhou who he managed to beat  5 times out of fourteen. “This was my best training session yet.. I feel I accomplished something and without many half-hearted attempts..” he said.

Edited December 19, 2020 by Kintamayama

[Seiyashi 4,106]

53 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

Asanoyama faced Takakeishou, Takayasu and Terunofuji for ten bouts, winning six.”Tachiai and then the offense.. I couldn’t do my own sumo at all and that’s the issue..” he said. “Both Terunofuji and Takayasu suffered through injuries and made it back and it has been a great incentive for me. Although our ranks are now different, I want to do my best not to lose. My shoulder is getting better by the day. I want to train with the sekitori and bring back my feeling,” he summed

His deltoid contusion is nowhere near what the other two have got. Frankly it's a miracle Takayasu stayed in makuuchi over that one horror year of injury.

[Nantonoyama 252]

Happening right now, live feed of the training session streamed on youtube. It seems to me that it is the official NSK account

 

 

[pricklypomegranate 730]

Total tally for today's degeiko: 

Bout breakdown for today's degeiko: 

The green column represents the winning rikishi and the red row represents the losing rikishi. So, for example, Green Makushita and Red Midorifuji means Makushita won 5 bouts against Midorifuji. In Ishiura and Hakuho's case, the (+1) represents the bouts where I felt the winner was not clear, but who I thought nevertheless won the bout. 

General Thoughts/Opinion

Hakuho did very well against Takakeisho today, winning nearly all the bouts, except 1 (or 2) as the latter was unable to establish sufficient distance between the former. After Hakuho, I felt Takayasu did exceptionally well, especially against Asanoyama, and his 5-9 result against Hakuho is ahead of his peers. If the former Ozeki is to win the yusho, this could be it. Makuuchi newbie Midorifuji put up a commendable effort as well and will probably maintain his top division position. Ishiura fought the most bouts today and fully deserves his sekitori status, but the same cannot be said for his younger stablemate. Very disappointing... 

Edited December 20, 2020 by pricklypomegranate

[Kintamayama 45,442]

Terunofuji absent. I dont like the sound of that. I hear he was not looking good yesterday either. 

[Seregost 132]

Takayasu did well too last sessions before Kyushu, and then he was not so great in the tournament, barely getting his KK (despite some really good performances). I hope he doesn't become the new King of training, now that Takekuma oyakata (ex Goeido) resigned...

[Kintamayama 45,442]

Talk from today’s session:

Hakuhou, 13-2 against Takakeishou: "He did get last basho's yusho, so.. I think it was good keiko. My duty is to bring up the next rikishi and that's my way of repaying sumo. I think today's keiko did some good for him and I hope the results will follow. It did for me.."

Takakeishou, 2-13 against Hakuhou: "I was thinking of my own attacking tactics. More than trying to see how I feel, I am only focusing on giving it my all. Getting called out by the Yokozuna is something to be thankful for. It was a great experience. My thought is that I can only do my best so that the keiko will be serious and true. The fact that the session was transmitted live doesn't make much difference to me, At this juncture, we can't hold the YDC soken at the Kokugikan, so I'm happy the fans could get a glimpse of our preparations. I will be going all out tomorrow as well!"

Asanoyama, 1-1 against Takakeishou and 3-6 against Takayasu: " If I don't hit well with my body against my opponents I can't do any sumo. If I don't get the right angle it doesn't lead into the next step of attacking. I'm not  fussing over the win/loss thing, and all that interests me is being able to do my own sumo. I'm gradually getting better, so I'll do my best to take advantage of it and go about it accordingly.  I'd like to thank Takayasu for lending his deep chest to me at my request. As for the live broadcast, I'm happy the fans can see that we are healthily training."

Kakuryuu, no sumo again, just lending of chest to Kiribayama and Ounoshou and then he lent his chest to Hakuhou by the latter's request at the very end, as we saw. "My body is about 50% ready. | will not hurry things and start steadily. I'm glad I came, it's very good,.since it's the only way I can check out my opponents' moves these days. Three days to go with the keiko and will I do some actual sumo till the end? i was expecting more rikishi to participate, but it is what it is. In my current state, I think it will be difficult."

Edited December 20, 2020 by Kintamayama

[Shinobi Steve 146]

@pricklypomegranate Those charts you made are phenomenal. Very helpful to visualize performance. Hakuho was being Hakuho. Takayasu really pops out when seeing the opponents that he faced.

 

 

 

 

[pricklypomegranate 730]

On 20/12/2020 at 23:38, Shinobi Steve said:

@pricklypomegranate Those charts you made are phenomenal. Very helpful to visualize performance. Hakuho was being Hakuho. Takayasu really pops out when seeing the opponents that he faced.

Aww, you guys... 

Source 1, 2, 3 and 4: 

Today, Takakeisho, Enho, Ishiura and Midorifuji were absent. And just as Kakuryu, who has continued to refrain from actual bout practice, complained about the lack of rikishi too. 

"I still have the desire to fight bouts, but I do not want to rush. If I don't do it well, I'll be injured again - it simply can't be helped. If there were more sekitori and a partner I could work with at my current physical state, I would like to do so, but there are so few of us." 

Asanoyama  fought 34 bouts in total and was Hakuho's target today. The two yotsu-specialists fought 20 bouts today, with Hakuho winning 17 with a variety of throws, sweeps and trips. Of the 14 he fought with others, he won 8-6. Despite his overwhelming defeat, newspapers praised the Ozeki's reaction time as he managed to open the space up and hurl the Yokozuna off while on the tawara. "Ah, damn!" shouted Hakuho in response. Here is what the Ozeki has to say. 

"I was conscious of creating a flow from start to response. If I get a good start, I can establish my sumo style. If I only get the Yokozuna's belt at the edge, it'll be his game and I cannot exert my strength. I managed to get the migi-yotsu grip many times today, but simply couldn't attack. I felt his migi-yotsu grip was so strong today." 

Asanoyama also addressed that infamous practice session he had with Hakuho last Nagoya, in which he received a concussion from the kachiage the yokozuna pulled. 

"I stopped training [with the Yokozuna] because of the concussion. If my chin remains raised, he could get me there and I can be injured." 

Nevertheless, the Ozeki remained undeterred.

"I have never won in our last 3 meetings. If I don't win once, I won't be confident facing the Yokozuna. If I won even just once, my confidence will be boosted. My migi-yotsu skills also give me great confidence. Being kadoban has been a very fruitful lesson for me." 

Hakuho had glowing reviews for Asanoyama - praising the Ozeki's progress and physical attributes. 

"I can feel that he has evolved. His ranking has gone up and his weight and confidence has increased. I think he is a splendid Ozeki. [About that match] My bad. That’s what happens when you leave a gap between yourself and your opponent. After all, he is an Ozeki.." 

I sincerely hope Hakuho and Asanoyama have made up. 

Edited December 21, 2020 by pricklypomegranate
Was displeased about the organisation of the piece, so I redid it, especially in light of corrections and new translations.

[Kintamayama 45,442]

2 hours ago, pricklypomegranate said:

 

*Japanese speakers please confirm this. Not sure whether he means gap between him and Asanoyama, or gap in the tawara construction. 

On losing to Asanoyama after having his grip broken: “My bad. That’s what happens when you leave a gap between yourself and your  opponent. After all, he is an Ozeki..”,

Edited December 21, 2020 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 45,442]

Ounoshou was at the camp today for the fourth day, facing those ranked above him. 17 bouts, won 6. “I’m feeling pretty good about it and the mere fact that I’m facing these guys in training is good,” he said. “It was a difficult year for me (started off with 9 wins the first two basho, then 2-13, then 10 wins..) so I hope next year would be a good one..I hope to gambarize and return to sanyaku .if I do what I can do without thinking too much the results will follow so I just need to believe in myself. I need to move forward. I need to push all the way. I need to not get too close or too far from my opponent.I need to do it at the distance that is right for me,” he summed

[Kintamayama 45,442]

Takayasu had 16 bouts and won 11 today. He faced Asanoyama, Kiribayama, Ounoshou and Hokutofuji, winning eight straight at some point. “I’m glad I got to do a good number of bouts,“ he said. During a bout against Hokutofuji he seemed to have injured his back, but said he was alright. “No big deal and there is no pain. My body is moving well and I would like to continue training while avoiding injury at all costs,” he said. He lost his Ozeki rank a year ago . “I don’t wish to think of the past. I want to face new things and to start another round of aiming for the top. For that to happen I need to overcome my pains so that I can perform at my best. That is the important thing. I’d like to enter in good condition and show good sumo on a daily basis during the basho. I need to do good sumo in the early stages, and if I can do that, the second stage will follow - that is the goal. If my condition will remain good, I would like to come for the remaining two days of this camp as well. I’ll  be consulting my body and not overdoing things. It’s important to train when you are healthy, while checking out your condition,” he summed.

 

 

Edited December 21, 2020 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 45,442]

8 hours ago, pricklypomegranate said:

And just as Kakuryu, who continued only basic exercises was complaining about the lack of people too! 

"I still have the desire to fight bouts, but do not want to rush. If I don't do it well, I'll be injured again. It cannot be helped. If there were more sekitori and a partner I could work with at my current physical state, I would like to work with them, but right now there are so few of us." 

 

He said that yesterday too. Why would he complain that there were too few rikishi? Why would he hint that if there were more, he would have done some sumo too? What was he expecting? Weaker rikishi? More diversity? I don't get it. Very un-Yokozuna like. Maybe someone can shed some light here.