While ozumo (professional sumo) is a lifestyle, amateur sumo is considered purely a sport. Founded in 1992, the International Sumo Association governs the sport of sumo with over 80+ member countries, including the United States Sumo Federation.
Anyone of any size can do sumo! Amateur sumo has men, women, and youth divisions with four distinct weight classes. Sumo demands strength, speed, balance, and flexibility but great sumo wrestlers come in all shapes.
Adults and youth ages 15+ (accompanied by an adult guardian) are welcome to try this contact sport with us.
Our practices are scheduled typically Saturdays from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Any deviation to this schedule will be updated on social media and/or the calendar, so please check those sites or reach out in advance.
Our practices are hosted at Gi Yu Dojo at 960 Meadows Manor, Dayton, Ohio.
Please bring water, a towel, and comfortable shorts that allow free range of motion (e.g., compression/biker shorts or athletic shorts).
We have loaner sumo belts (mawashi) available until you choose to purchase your own.
Mat fee is $20 per practice, paid only when you show up. There are no monthly fees or contracts! Cash or PayPal is preferred.
You only need one piece of equipment in sumo - a mawashi!
Per International Sumo Federation regulations, men can opt to wear spandex shorts underneath their mawashi. Women commonly wear a leotard, wrestling singlet or similar underneath their mawashi.
We recommend purchasing mawashi from Cheeky Sumo, who are based in the United States. They have handy product guides to help you choose the correct length for your waist circumference.
Amateur sumo in the United States followed the sumo regulations set by the International Sumo Federation. They govern weight classes and acceptable mawashi & length of underpants needing to cover the thigh during official competitions. These are the same rules used for the annual Sumo World Championships (see Section 8. Competition).
International Sumo Federation's Regulations on Competition and Regulations on Refereeing
There is no pressure to compete. If you should desire to compete, we're here to make you battle-ready and regulation-aware. Many Ohayo Sumo Dayton members compete in tournaments across the United States throughout the year and have also competed internationally.
If you'd like a chance to compete on the world's stage, participating in the United States Sumo Federation's annual National Championships is the first step.
For a list of upcoming US Sumo Federation-sanctioned tournaments, check out the complete event list here.