Barnsley Sumo Club

01/03/2026

We had a good technical tsuppari focused session yesterday. Lots of effort on show and some top quality sumo bouts to finish.

22/02/2026

We had an awesome seminar yesterday with the University of Sheffield Judo Club. It was a whistle stop tour of yotsu-zumo (belt wrestling), some basic throws, and oshi-zumo (pushing style) before putting it all into practice with some friendly competition. As not too distant cousins, sumo has a lot to offer judoka and can be great supplementary training to increase balance, strength, speed and fighting spirit.

15/02/2026

Yesterday we welcomed Fiona and Jack to their first sumo session. They got stuck in straight away and showed some real promise. It's always great to see people giving sumo a go. If you've ever thought about getting involved but don't know where to start, drop us a message to start your sumo journey.

26/01/2026

We were on the telly again! BBC Look North joined us at our training session on Saturday to find out what sumo is all about. We're on between 16:40 - 19:40. A really good piece to show that sumo is for everyone and why you should definitely give it a go.

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24/01/2026

A massive thank you to BBC Sheffield for helping us get the word out about why 2026 should be the year you give sumo a go. Forget the stereotypes, sumo is for everyone no matter your shape, size, gender or background. Come and experience this millennia old martial art and Japan's national sport right here in Barnsley.

"Sumo is for everyone. It really is one of the most, if not the most, accessible martial art."

Read more: https://bbc.in/46931pu

24/01/2026

Sumo bouts are won by a matter of fractions, but they're not over until they're over. It's easy to assume you've done enough and admire your hard work only for your opponent to reverse your efforts before you know what's happened. This morning's session focused on tawara (ring edge) defence and reversal techniques to catch our opponents by surprise and turn a losing position into a winning one.

18/01/2026

We started off 2026 with a bespoke session for Barnsley Round Table's first social event of the year. We had a great time teaching the guys the sumo basics and putting them into practice. They worked hard and showed a lot of potential! Hopefully, there aren't too many sore legs this morning...
If you're interested in trying sumo for yourself, as a social/team building event, party idea or any other reason, make 2026 the year you come and give sumo a go. Drop us a message to get involved.

24/11/2025

Yesterday our Lead Instructor, Richard, took a trip to Evolve Combat Academy in Liverpool to run a sumo fundamentals seminar. And what a session! The guys were awesome and got stuck in right from the start. We covered a range of techniques and finished with a hotly contested in-house competition. We can't wait to head back in the new year and continue growing sumo in the UK.
We can run sumo seminars all over the country. They're perfect for martial arts clubs, rugby clubs, strongman and crossfit gyms, and anyone else who is interested in giving sumo a go. If you like the sound of this, get in touch and let's see what we can do!

22/11/2025

We're thrilled that SUMO Massage have generously sponsored the club again for 2026! We cannot thank them enough for their ongoing support and the opportunities this affords us to continuing growing sumo in Barnsley and beyond.
If you're in need of a therapeutic sport and shiatsu massage, look no further than https://sumo88.co.uk/
Sponsorship packages are still available if you'd like to support the club and our members. Drop us a message to find out more.

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16/11/2025

We were thrilled to be invited to LUNG Theatre's 'Calling Barnsley' book launch last week. It's been a really interesting project to be involved in and a chance to tell our story of bringing Japan's national sport to our home town in our own unique way.
We finished the weekend off with a trip to Nottingham Sumo for a joint training session and friendly competition. We're looking forward to returning the favour in the new year.

27/10/2025

We were back to our regularly scheduled training on Saturday. After a really busy couple of weeks in the sumo world it was nice to get back to doing what we do best - throwing each other around the dohyo! It was also great to welcome Damien to his first session and see some returning faces from (non-sumo related) injuries.
We're looking strong for the British Sumo Federation Inter-Club Basho in December. If you want to come along and support us, drop us a message to reserve your tickets.

17/10/2025

We were on the telly!!! Did you catch our story on today's One Show? If not, you can catch up on the link below (story at 02:12 - 07:00).
We're thrilled that the BBC are showcasing grassroots sumo, our club and the British Sumo Federation in such a positive way. The growth of our sport and its future successes are so important to us and we hope to welcome a new wave of people wanting to give sumo a go very soon.
If the London Grand Sumo Tournament and our regular training and competition content have got you inspired to take your first step into Japan's national sport, get in touch and we'll be very happy to get you started! If you're not in/around Barnsley, check out our other clubs and coaches across the country at britishsumofederation.co.uk
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002kvgm/the-one-show-17102025

Entertainment legends Stephen Merchant, Jim Moir aka Vic Reeves, Charlie Higson and Melanie C join Clara Amfo and JB Gill.