Asashouryuu news and Aki 2009 preparations

[Jonosuke]

A yokozuna can go on forever without winning a yusho as long as he can maintain a respectable level of records and efforts but he will not be etched as one of the great ones. Currently Asashoryu is showing no sign of winning another yusho barring a total collapse by the top calibre rikishi.

Still he keeps going through business as usual training approach. Physically there are a dozen or so rikishi who could outpower him. He sill possesses a unique mix of speed and techniques that helped him to outsmart the lesser rikishi but that alone would not be enough to get him another yusho and consistently topple Hakuho, renewed Kotooshu and quickly improving Tochinoshin and other younger rikishi.

He is not injury free so he will have to find a way to win against others during degeiko but he appears not wanting to look bad in front of media and onlookers to really work on this so he just tries to take an easy route and get it over quickly, knowing fully well that during these type of training all rikishi are attempting to figure out ways to pounce on the other rikishi's weakness and prepare themselves in their hon basho battle. Wins and losses in training are totally meaningless.

The plain fact is that after all the cricisms harped upon him, Asashoryu still is not managing enough training session bouts and his endurance is not really there so in a 15 day basho, he will not be able to keep up his level of excellence till the end when exhaustion hits. He will really need to get back to 50 bout or more training session bouts to recover his competitiveness and battle ready shape.

[paolo]

It is easy to agree with Jonosuke, especially keeping in mind that Asashoryu is getting "older", and the older you get the more you must train to keep your athletical form. I only have a doubt: I see that other rikishi have longer training sessions with up to 50 bouts, but did Asashoryu ever train like that in the past ? Did he ever spend long times at training and at fighting with other strong opponents (I mean ozeki and sekitori) as Hakuho, Harumafuji, Kotooshu and Kotomitsuki seem to do now ? If not, he is probably training "same as usual". Or am I missing something ? Thanks.

[wanderer]

I can't point to facts, but I remember reading that Asashoryu used to train like there is no tomorrow. Even Harumafuji was told to train like Asashoryu if he wants to be yokozuna.

On the other hand, with age comes fatigue, so you can not train as hard as you were young. Otherwise your body will become wreck. Asa is taking thing in his own pace, I guess.

[Kintamayama]

Hose your Daddy?

Tochinoshin wins the dance contest:

Asa thrown against the wall by Tochiouzan- "Boy, boy crazy boy.."

[Kintamayama]

Asashouryuu was back at Kasugano beya today for degeiko. In a "tolerable" show, he went 15-2 against Tochinoshin (6-1) and Tochiouzan and others. He was out of breath after 12 matches, took a rest, and continued, his last 5 matches speedy and decisive. He did not respond to the journalists and left quietly in his car.

Edited September 8, 2009 by Kintamayama

[Kintamayama]

No keiko today-continues the 2 day keiko-one day rest regimen. He did however get his picture taken with this foreign lady yesterday:

[sekihiryu]

[sekihiryu]

Asa's chances of winning this tourny are now officially stuffed, they finally got his head on stake

[Kintamayama]

Asashouryuu went for degeiko at Dewanoumi today. He arrived at 9 am. 20 minutes later, in comes Hakuhou. They both trained well, but did not go head to head. Asa had 18 bouts, Hakuhou had 15. They both won all. Hakuhou started off with Iwakiyama and others and was throwing and yoriing heartily. Asashouryuu had his knee and elbow taped, and was showing a lot of strong sumo as well. "It was a total coincidence that we both came here. I managed to do good keiko. He (Asa) didn't seem to be having any problems, did he?", said Hakuhou. "I was wondering if he would be coming.. My fighting spirit was more or less Ok. It's my last degeiko session and I hope that I'm in good enough shape for the basho. I just need to heighten my concentration", added Asashouryuu.

"Teppole, I can only see you":

Copped a peak:

Edited September 10, 2009 by Kintamayama

[Orion]

Asashouryuu went for degeiko at Dewanoumi today. He arrived at 9 am. 20 minutes later, in comes Hakuhou. They both trained well, but did not go head to head. Asa had 18 bouts, Hakuhou had 15. They both won all. Hakuhou started off with Iwakiyama and others and was throwing and yoriing heartily. Asashouryuu had his knee and elbow taped, and was showing a lot of strong sumo as well. "It was a total coincidence that we both came here. I managed to do good keiko. He (Asa) didn't seem to be having any problems, did he?", said Hakuhou. "I was wondering if he would be coming.. My fighting spirit was more or less Ok. It's my last degeiko session and I hope that I'm in good enough shape for the basho. I just need to heighten my concentration", added Asashouryuu.

Thanks -- saved me the bother of writing it up from scratch. I was awesomely later for work yesterday! The photographer just missed getting me in the mirror. I spotted Iwakiyama strolling in so hastily changed my plans and went in early. The Kasugano sekitori came round in full force and everybody trained hard.

Asashoryu arrived with no taping at all apart from a narrow band on the right thigh; but after warming up with one or two movements at a time he went outside and got the left elbow firmly taped, and more on the right thigh.

When he was ready, Hakuho stepped in first and had 15 bouts: beat Tochinjshin twice, Kimurayama twice, Iwakiyama 6 times, Tochinonada 5 times. Hope that adds up to 15.

Shoryu then stepped in and won 18 bouts with no apparent strain and a variety of techniques; his bouts were: Tochinoshin 6; Futen'o 9; Tochinonada 3.

The taller of the Dewanomi Saito twins was holding the salt for him; obviously had never done it before and had to be told to hold the basket a little towards his stomach. (They're not identical twins, clearly; one is noticeably taller than the other and they have different-shaped heads.)

Afterwards Shoryu came outside and, after hosing himself down and having his tsukebito remove the heavy strapping, talked for some time to visitors and the journalists who had flocked in when he turned up; around 20 of them, at a guesstimate. (Will the real Asashoryu please stand up?)

After that, Hakuho made a much lower-key exit; talked to a favoured few but seemed to be in a bit of a hurry to get away; a bystander asked him to wait while his sister brought the baby along, and tghe yokozuna graciously stayed to have his picture taken holding the little boy.

Orion

[shimodahito]

since leaving mongolia, where i got plenty of sumo updates, i appreciate these posts even more....

much thanks!!!!!