To eat hot dogs fast, split the dog from the bun
Eater X chewed the frank while the bun soaked, then washed both down with soggy bread.
The Headlines · Inflation Data Undercuts Trump’s Economic Claims, and the Danger of New Jet-Powered DronesTim Janus, the competitive eater known as Eater X, regularly finished among the leaders at the famous Nathan's hot dog eating contest. At one win, the count announced for him was 50 hot dogs and buns.
His method started by pulling the hot dog apart. He took each hot dog and separated the meat from the bread.
Step one was the meat. He put the frankfurter in his mouth and started chewing. Step two happened at the same time. While he kept chewing, he dropped the bun in water to soak it. Soft, soggy bread goes down faster than dry bread.
Step three was the washdown. He used another soaked bun to bring it all down together, meat and softened bread in one swallow. As Tim Janus described it, the idea is to wash everything down with "a soaking wet hot dog bun."
The move did not stand alone. Janus kept detailed notebooks, studied video of rivals, and trained his stomach by drinking cottage cheese mixed with water to keep it roomy. He used the same careful preparation beyond hot dogs, once eating 141 pieces of nigiri, small slabs of fish on rice, in six minutes.
Janus told the Journal that anyone tempted to try should start with belief. He said, "The first thing is you have to open your mind to the possibility of eating more hot dogs than you think you can."
Questions people ask
Is dunking buns in water actually allowed in contests?
Yes, in most major contests. Dunking buns in water or other drinks is a standard and allowed tactic to make the bread slide down faster and to save chewing time. What is usually banned is leaving large amounts of uneaten food or messy debris that judges count against you.
Why does wet bread go down faster than dry bread?
Dry bread expands and takes a long time to chew and swallow. Soaking it compresses it into a soft lump that can be swallowed quickly with little chewing. The tradeoff is texture and taste, which is why few champions describe it fondly.
Is it dangerous to try competitive eating techniques?
It can be, especially for amateurs. Risks include choking, stomach pain, nausea, and water overload from drinking too much fluid too fast. Professionals train gradually and compete with judges and medical staff nearby, so do not try volume eating at home without understanding those risks.