Jim’s Gym: The Weight of Water

Jim’s Gym: The Weight of Water

Back in 1995, we made a short animation film with Dominic Osbourne called Fatman Jim — a story about a gentle giant who ran a gym for sumo wrestlers. The world has changed since then, and so have the words we use. Today, we’ve renamed it Jim’s Gym: Where Strength Grows.

But the story’s core idea remains timeless: that strength isn’t always what it seems. People used to take one look at Jim and jump to conclusions. They saw his size, not the science behind his ways. And that’s where the conversation gets interesting for us at World of Water as every body, large or small, is mostly made of water.

Our charity’s focus has always been the world’s one water, and the connections between planetary health and personal well-being. So when one school pupil asked us, “Does a sumo wrestler hold more water inside their body or more fat?” we had to find the answer – and it opened the door to both biology and empathy.

In short, the answer is: Yes, there’s more water in a sumo wrestler’s body in total, but a slightly smaller percentage of their weight is water, compared with a lean person.

Why? Because muscles, organs, and bones (all rich in water) grow larger with training. But as fat tissue holds very little water, and as fat increases, the percentage of body weight made up of water actually dips a bit, even though the total amount of water in the body rises.

It’s what’s inside us that matters more than what we see. Whatever we’re talking about – whether it’s the water cycle, the human body, or the way society judges others, the lesson holds: to look beneath the surface before we decide what’s valuable.

For all generations, understanding this connection between Body Water and Earth’s Water is vital. Every drop counts — in our rivers, our sea, our atmosphere, our aquifers, our blood, and our decisions.

So here’s to Jim, to all the world’s athletes, and to the quiet chemistry that keeps all of us standing. May we all keep learning where our true strengths are rooted and how to keep the global habitat fit for the future of all life.

World of Water
Championing the World’s one shared Water …  and every story it carries.

🔗 GRAND SUMO TOURNAMENT in London