Issue 078
August 2011
‘The Natural’ is nothing short of an MMA legend, mastering every aspect of the sport and continually breaking boundaries. Here are select tips on perfecting some of his best moves.
Closing the distance
Randy was one of the original MMA wrestlers and, alongside Team Quest teammates Henderson and Lindland, he wrote the book on closing the distance. Where the likes of Kerr, Randleman and Coleman used freestyle technique to close the distance by shooting from way outside the range of exchanges without setting up the shot with strikes – a now somewhat obsolete method – he developed the more enduring, Greco-inspired style of closing down the strikes and securing a high tie-up.
In the gym
If you don’t have a taller pad-man or training partner, have them tape a 16oz glove to a pole or barbell. Your pad-man will thrust the bar at you to imitate the straight punch while you slip from side to side and attempt to close down on his body. Begin the drill slowly to get the timing, and gradually speed up until you’re performing the slips at fight pace.
In action
At UFC 68 Randy mixed boxing head movement with Greco-Roman wrestling to beat Tim Sylvia. He slipped the straight punches of the rangy Sylvia and enforced a tight range that left Sylvia unable to strike effectively.
Greco-Roman clinch tactics
With superior sensitivity and technique in the clinch, you can force your opponents to expend their energy while you maintain your own reserves. Couture is a master of these tactics, using high tie-ups to inhibit his opponents' striking ability whilst wearing them down.
In the gym
Wrestle for position, chest to chest, with arms behind your backs. This is a training method that 'The Natural' himself uses to teach sensitivity in the clinch. Concentrate on feeling and taking the balance of your training partner without over committing your own weight.
In action
Randy has consistently ground down younger, more explosive athletes throughout his career. Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz, Brandon Vera – all have fallen foul of Randy’s masterful clinch control.
Plyometrics
A long-established method in wrestling, Couture was one of the first MMA athlete’s to popularize plyometric training as an aid to developing explosive power.
In the gym
To develop explosive power in the legs Couture uses a series of lateral jumps. Using a plyo box or bench, jump left side onto the platform, dismount to the right and return directly to the platform. It is imperative that plyometric jumps are performed without pausing.
For the upper body Randy uses a med ball crossover push-up. With one hand on the mat and the other on the ball, perform the pushup, then switch to the opposite side.
Alternatively, push up with both hands on the mat, then spring up on to the ball, push-up, then back to the mat.
In Action
In his fight with 'The Iceman' Chuck Liddell at UFC 43, Randy repeatedly used a high entry, taking the double-leg and bouncing Chuck off the cage to finish with high amplitude, pulling and lifting with arms and legs.
Cage takedowns
The presence of the cage in MMA has changed and added to the plethora of wrestling techniques. For example the double leg, which would always be finished with a drive on a mat, can be finished with a pulling action against the cage wall. Couture was instrumental in opening people’s eyes to the offensive possibilities the fence presents.
In the gym
For developing technique, strength and clinch stamina, there is simply no substitute for sparring. If you don’t have a cage at your disposal, affix some mats to a wall to practice this critical element of modern MMA combat.
In action
When Randy fought Pedro Rizzo at UFC 31 in 2001, he drove the Brazilian into the fence using a body lock and finished with a twist as he hit the fence to score a decisive takedown.
COUTURE ICON ISSUE: DEMIAN MAIA
"For me, Randy is the most inspirational fighter in the UFC. He has proven that will is much bigger than age when we talk about achieving our dreams. He is an inspiration not just for me and the MMA world, but also to everyone."
