It’s not the most flattering of outfits, but getting the Sumo gear on has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life.
I’m always up for something new and sumo has always caught my eye, being a sport based on skill and strength. I’d bet on myself to be able to move any object of a certain size, so there’s no reason a sumo wrestler should be any different.
I put on the mawashi – as the sumo gear is called – in a UK sumo gym. I’ve got the greatest respect for sumo wrestlers – you only have to watch to see it’s a hard, hard sport – and I couldn’t have been happier to be there and to meet trainer and former British champion Steve Pateman.
The idea was that I take on British sumo champion Bangor and a number of other wrestlers. To be fair I am more than ten stones heavier than Bangor, but nevertheless I was massively disadvantaged in terms of experience and it was incredible how he was able to move me round the ring. You really are witnessing an art form.
I went on to the mats with several other promising wrestlers, with mainly positive results, and there’s a part of me that wouldn’t be averse to looking more seriously at the sport in the future. More than anything, I found the whole sumo experience really enjoyable, a different way of using strength, of imposing yourself on someone, a real sense of one-on-one combat, and total respect for the skills involved and your opponent.
There was something else I liked – going into an arena as a newcomer, a total novice. It was a great feeling. No pressure and total enjoyment.
When it comes to sumo and Eddie Hall, watch this space. And fear not – I shaln’t be wearing the outfit for a trip down the supermarket.