"Is this the same person?" 110kg sumo wrestler sheds 40kg to become a handsome man... "I hated having to force myself to eat ramen and onigiri even at night," he confesses

*This content was translated by AI.

A promising short-statured sumo wrestler, after retiring due to repeated knee injuries, has completely transformed into a personal trainer by losing a staggering 40kg.

Japan's "Number Web" reported on the 7th that former Makushita (the third-tier league just before becoming a full professional) sumo wrestler Ryo Ho Shintaro (29), who is now starting a second life as a personal trainer, has revealed the grueling weight-gain process he endured during his active career.

Ryo, once a promising judoka, switched to sumo in high school and joined the prestigious dojo "Miyagino-beya," led by Yokozuna Hakuhō, in 2021. Under Hakuhō's guidance, he rose to Makushita—the stage just before becoming a full professional and equivalent to the third-tier league—but his small stature of 168cm made weight gain his biggest challenge.

During his active career, he forced himself to eat five or six meals a day, enduring an extreme weight-gain process. After training sessions, in addition to regular meals, he ate bulgogi and ramen after finishing sauna sessions at night, and even consumed onigiri at 1 a.m. He also drank protein and carbohydrate supplement drinks totaling 500kcal three times daily.

Ryo recalled, "I had a body type that didn't gain weight easily, so I increased my carbohydrate intake and even took supplements to aid digestion and absorption."

Through grueling effort, he gained weight up to 110kg and developed monstrous strength, bench-pressing 180kg and deadlifting over 200kg. However, injuries held him back. In January 2024, he underwent surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, and on top of that, his affiliated dojo was temporarily closed, adding to his trials.

He then focused on rehabilitation to make a comeback, but in March 2025, he re-injured the same area, including the cruciate ligament and meniscus, ultimately leaving the sand arena at the end of that summer's tournament.

Now, one year and three months after retiring, Ryo has reduced his weight to 70kg, transforming into a well-muscled physique. While guiding clients as a trainer, he is continuing new challenges with the goal of competing in next year's bodybuilding competition.

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*This content was translated by AI.