I learned the sumo drill as one where you have two guys in a circle, trying to force the other one to take a step outside the circle. You can also snap him down, if he goes down to at least one knee, he's out.
My question is, are you allowed to do takedowns/throws, trips, etc. in this drill, on the way to forcing him out of the ring? Or no takedowns/throws allowed? Just wanted to know the "right" aka most beneficial way to run this drill.
Thanks,
Jeff
the sumo drill is USUALLY done as a positioning/movement/setup tool, so by not using takedowns and throws takes away from the amount of time you could dedicate to your setups and movement.. with the kids I coach MOST of the time, we do it with no takedowns. to change it up every now and then, I'll let them use trips and throws (no shots) to help the drill.
Todd is probably a much better coach and wrestler than I am, so you should probably take his advice over mine, lol.
But for what it's worth, the way I always did it was basically "anything goes." You get that guy out of the ring, or make him touch anything other than his feet to the ground inside the ring any way you can manage it. If it's a snapdown, a trip, a snatch (high level) single, throw sand in his eyes, or whatever else, fine. I should note however, that most of the successful "wins" in a sumo match will be from simple pushing/pulling/off-balancing your opponent.
...my two cents.
I think I can see the benefits from both ways of doing it, and I think that's how we'll train it - both ways. The first to isolate and improve their setups and movement, the second to open things up and let them add their whole game to the drill.
I was also thinking about making them start from certain tie-ups and go from there. Like, start the first series of rounds with each guy having 50/50 wrist control - the next, they start in a 50/50 collar tie - the next, they start from a 50/50 overhook/underhook tie up. Then finish out starting from "open". Whaddya think? Useful, or more complex than it needs to be?
Thanks guys!
Sure, you can do that. In wrestling lingo, that's "situation wrestling" - i.e. put the two wrestlers into a specific 'situation', then go from there.