Preparations of the Y/O Nagoya 2022

[Kintamayama 38,761]

4th time kadoban Shoudai trained at home today, facing visitor Nishikigi and others, going 6-5. "It's better to face a new type of opponent in training rather than face the same guys over and over again. To sum last basho up (a hard 5-10..), I couldn't do my own sumo at all for the entire 15 days. Now, I'm thinking about swift attacks after the tachiai and not letting my opponents do their own sumo, " he explained. He weighed 175 kilos when he won the yusho in September, but now, he weighs 162.3 kilos. "I'd like to gain some weight if I can.. I'm eating a lot of take away jiro ramen. I intend not only to increase my weight, but to increase the number of bouts in training as well as I prepare for the basho, " he quipped.

 

Edited June 14 by Kintamayama

[Seiyashi 2,738]

Are they having a bout or dancing?

Fast attacks out of the tachi-ai; I'll believe it when I see it.

[sumojoann 929]

1 minute ago, Seiyashi said:

Are they having a bout or dancing?

Fast attacks out of the tachi-ai; I'll believe it when I see it.

I agree.  And it's difficult to have a fast attack out of the tachiai when your head is so reared back at tachiai.

[Seiyashi 2,738]

I mean, just in case it sounds like I'm having a go at him (I probably was), fair play to Shōdai if he can change his tachiai. I think he needs it to reinvent his sumo. But he's been told about it so many times and he knows its a problem yet he can't change it, so it suggests some other problem that is forcing him to just revert to habit, whether mental or physical. 

Hence the remark that I'll believe it when I see it.

[junsan 37]

I see Shodai losing his ozeki rank as a huge load off his back. Poor guy's had nothing but stress since his first kadoban. He'll be back to his chirpy old self hovering between komusubi and sekiwake, which is his natural place at his best.

Edited June 14 by junsan

[Kintamayama 38,761]

Shoudai trained at home with visiting Nishikigi and was 7-1, and including some Makushita guys had 13 bouts in all. He still intends to put on weight etc.. etc.. and to work on his high tachiai mumble mumble. 

[Fashiritētā 5]

Did he make time for an appointment to see a sports psychologist,  he really needs help.

[Benevolance 2,183]

Japanese sumo sports psychology mostly involves hitting lower ranked wrestlers with empty booze bottles and telling them they're worthless, and I think Terunofuji doesn't drink because of his diabetes, so, alas, no therapy for Shoudai. 

[Yamanashi 2,581]

18 minutes ago, Benevolance said:

Japanese sumo sports psychology mostly involves hitting lower ranked wrestlers with empty booze bottles and telling them they're worthless, and I think Terunofuji doesn't drink because of his diabetes, so, alas, no therapy for Shoudai. 

Gee, it's a little early to award the Most Darkly Cynical Take Award for 2022, but this might have already scared off the competition.

[Fashiritētā 5]

28 minutes ago, Benevolance said:

Japanese sumo sports psychology mostly involves hitting lower ranked wrestlers with empty booze bottles and telling them they're worthless, and I think Terunofuji doesn't drink because of his diabetes, so, alas, no therapy for Shoudai. 

I'm finding that out, no wonder the Mongolians are thriving, they are used to harsh conditions 

[Benevolance 2,183]

On 15/06/2022 at 13:26, Yamanashi said:

Gee, it's a little early to award the Most Darkly Cynical Take Award for 2022, but this might have already scared off the competition.

Hey, I think I figured a work around! Isn't Asa still assistant coaching at Isegahama beya with Terunofuji? 

[Yamanashi 2,581]

6 hours ago, Benevolance said:

Hey, I think I figured a work around! Isn't Asa still assistant coaching at Isegahama beya with Terunofuji? 

 ... and I hear he likes beer!

[Benevolance 2,183]

Champagne probably works better in therapy. 

[Benihana 1,672]

2 hours ago, Benevolance said:

Champagne probably works better in therapy. 

That's a great idea. He could start at a Piccolo bottle and slowly move up to the Melchisedech/Midas.

[Kintamayama 38,761]

Oitekaze beya saw some wild stuff yesterday as Takakeishou arrived for degeiko (Kiribayama was there as well, 9 sekitori in all), doing no less than thirty bouts (20-10). He has been doing 20 bouts a day at home since the 16th, I hear. "We can finally do some rare degeiko so I said to myself to go all out. I guess it's the novelty, but I'm really happy.." he said. He has been suffering from a neck injury these last few months and ended the last two bashos with an 8-7 record. As he likes to go with his head forward at the tachiai, that kind of injury is not a good thing for him. "The day I get scared of hitting with my head at the tachiai is the day I retire!" he proclaimed. "I have two knees and two elbows but only one neck. As much as you are careful, injuries happen. but I'll be gambarizing while being extra careful.." summed a strangely talkative Takakeishou.

Facing Daieishou:

Edited June 21 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 38,761]

Ozeki Mitakeumi is kadoban after his second basho as an Ozeki, yet is the only Ozeki not facing any sekitori in training so far. "What the &^%% is he thinking?? " asked one Oyakata. His heya has no sekitori, but the neighboring Kasugano beya has plenty and saw some guys coming to train. "He was saying publicly that it's too bad there is no degeiko and that he was looking forward to that, yet .. he is a far cry from Takakeishou who is returning from that neck injury and is going all out. It could be that he is used to going all out in training (???) close to the start of a basho and may be thinking it's too early for this kind of effort.. It's a local basho for him and his Oyakata is in charge of it. Many of his fans are expected to show up and root for him. I just hope he doesn't embarrass himself in front of them," added the anonymous Oyakata. 

[Seiyashi 2,738]

12 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

"What the &^%% is he thinking?? "

I am vaguely interested to know what the original Japanese was.

[Kintamayama 38,761]

3 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

I am vaguely interested to know what the original Japanese was.

一体、何を考えているのか……

[SDM 9]

2 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

一体、何を考えているのか……

So polite of course

[SDM 9]

2 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

He has been suffering from a neck injury these last few months

I knew there was some kind of injury somehow from the way he was acting.

Good to hear clarification.

[Tsuchinoninjin 914]

5 hours ago, SDM said:

So polite of course

The newspaper guys have a tendency to 'sanitize' or reword quotes. Its not like in the west where a word for word copy of what the person said is expected when things get quoted.

When Harumafuji had the final speech in front of asageiko that one time - every newspaper had something slightly different and none of them matched what was caught on video...

[themistyseas 151]

15 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

We can finally do some rare degeiko so I said to myself to go all out

 

15 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

he is a far cry from Takakeishou who is returning from that neck injury and is going all out. It could be that he is used to going all out in training

Curious - while we're on the subject of translations - can anyone share how they are expressing "to go all out?" This seems to come up in a lot of interviews over the years (not just these), and I've always been curious about how they express that sentiment which sounds like it's a stronger sentiment than ganbarimasu

[Yarimotsu 106]

1 hour ago, themistyseas said:

 Curious - while we're on the subject of translations - can anyone share how they are expressing "to go all out?" This seems to come up in a lot of interviews over the years (not just these), and I've always been curious about how they express that sentiment which sounds like it's a stronger sentiment than ganbarimasu

一所懸命 - issho kenmei (apparently there are two options for the 'sho' kanji, with this one meaning 'place' and the other meaning 'life' so that would change the timeframe of the sentiment).

Something like "with all one's might". I think this is the phrase most commonly used, eg. "issho kenmei ganbarimasu" but that's from my studies, I haven't actually heard a rikishi say it yet. If the actual phrase used is different I'd be interested too. Could also be "doryoku shimasu" 努力します - I'll do my best - somewhat exaggerated for the translation, I've heard this a lot from rikishi.

[Kintamayama 38,761]

11 hours ago, themistyseas said:

 

Curious - while we're on the subject of translations - can anyone share how they are expressing "to go all out?" This seems to come up in a lot of interviews over the years (not just these), and I've always been curious about how they express that sentiment which sounds like it's a stronger sentiment than ganbarimasu

Ishoukenmei　　　いしょうけんめい

As for usage, used in almost every single interview to the press by the rikishi. 　Should I start highlighting them like I did with proper？

Edited June 22 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama 38,761]

On 21/06/2022 at 13:21, SDM said:

So polite of course

Actually, for a sumo quote, pretty edgy.