Randy Couture in Black Belt on mental training/practice

[Ken Harper]

Interesting interview w/ Randy Couture in this month's Black Belt mag. He talks about sport-specific training and, in his case, fighter-specific training. He emphasizes the mental aspects (says his prep is 60-40 physical/mental) & places confidence at top. Mentions a "Soviet" practice of using a key word to "re-center" you when something throws you off or when you need to get back on task-- very similar to recent musing of Coach Sonnon's.

At 43, Couture won his most recent fight w/ Tito Ortiz, a much younger fighter who, Couture claims, likes to trash talk. Couture says the appropriate response is to smile & get down to business. Sounds like he walks the talk.

Disclaimer: I'm not a MA or a fight-club guy, but practice non-systemic self-defense (i.e., use what's available when needed). I'm interested in applying MA/combative types of performance training to high-stress work/life situations.

[sin_goodfellow]

I did not see the fight but as it was described to me, his conditioning was so superior that he blazed through the 5 rounds with barely a sweat. He also took Tito down, which no one else had been able to do and then for the last 30 seconds of the match, sat on Tito and pounded his face in, which is something Tito is apparently infamous for.

I've been saying recently that i'm lucky to live in an age where people are re-discovering the fact that you can kick ass and take names for decades and decades.

When I saw the picture of Steve Maxwell(50, goddamn)in CST mag and heard about the above fight, I was filled with a fierce joy. No longer should anyone think the days of physical might are gone after the odometer rolls past 18.

Jesse Wells

[jamie hale]

Randy Coutoure is a great representative for MMa . He is the ultimate gentleman and training fanatic. Randy is a coaches dream come true.

thank you
Coach Hale
www.maxcondition.com