No one would confuse Fairfield Hills with Japan, but a recent training session at NYA Sports & Fitness Center there would leave one thinking that a distinctly Japanese sport was gaining some currency in Newtown.

On the evening of Saturday, March 26, a half-dozen very strong men from distant points gathered in a practice room at NYA's fitness center to pursue their clear passion for the ancient Japanese sport of sumo wrestling.

Those six members of New England Gorilla Sumo, which is sanctioned by the United States Sumo Federation, held an intensive two-hour practice session in preparation for the club's participation at the US Sumo National Championships on April 2, in Cranford, N.J., and also at the US Sumo Open on May 21, in Long Beach, Calif.

Will Werner of Newtown, a personal trainer at NYA, serves as head coach and is a participant on the team. Also taking part were Koen Jans of Brussels, Belgium; Jordan Walker of Washington, Conn; Samuel Borrello of Quincy, Mass; Robert Monticchio, Jr, of Foxboro, Mass; and Joe Ether of Albany, N.Y.

Mr Werner explained, "We are the only sumo wrestling club in Connecticut and one of the largest on the East Coast. We train to not only become more powerful and technical wrestlers, but also… [in] using our philosophy of 'good sumo,' a way of practicing with modesty and complete respect for opponents."

Mr Werner said, "We are all extremely passionate about sumo, a sport that is soaked in tradition. All of our members drive the sport to involve more athletes, and draw from (their) backgrounds, ranging from power-lifting to rugby to So Bahk Do."

"We also seek to build up the awareness of sumo wrestling in America and build up the ranks of sumo wrestlers in New England Gorilla Sumo," he added.

"It's really exciting… It's an up-and-coming sport in America," he said.

In Japan, sumo is the national sport and its matches are heavily attended, Mr Werner said, adding there are professional and amateur levels of competition, while elsewhere there is only amateur sumo. There are "several hundred" sumo wrestlers in the United States, he said.

Mr Werner said the club is seeking new members interested in participating in the fast-paced, intense sumo.

New England Gorilla Sumo has about 20 members overall. Between eight and 12 members attend a typical practice session. The weekly practice sessions are held in various locations.

Mr Werner said sumo is "so unique and so fascinating." Also, the sport is arcane, which is appealing, he said.

In a sumo match, the two contestants grapple with each other inside a circular ring called a dohyo. The wrestlers seek to physically force each other outside the ring or into touching the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet.

The sumo contests, which are explosive, may last a few seconds or up to several minutes, as each wrestler uses brute force, agility, and leverage in seeking to win.

The matches are punctuated by grunts and growls, underlining the intensity of the effort involved.

The men at the March 26 practice ranged from 150 to 370 pounds. While the heavier men have the brute force of their weight as an advantage, the lighter men have speed and agility.