An inconvenient truth?

The Shane

Before I begin I need to reiterate that I love Randy Couture. He is hugely impressive and I get a little giddy when I watch his fights.

When Sean Sherk tested positive, regardless of the insight that the all access show provided into his ultra hard training and his carefully measured diet, we all sorta came out and said just look at him. We all realised, without saying it that it's hard for someone to train for a sport other than bodybuilding and be that ripped and strong.

While Randy is not that ripped, he is 44. At 44 even with professional sportsmen who have taken care of themselves and are reaping the age defying benefits of exercise and wise diet - there are limits. Hormone levels dictate a lot of a man's athletic performance and after the mid twenties they are on a slippery slope.

I really hope that Randy is clean but does anyone else think he looks too good for his age?

Shane, The

robric

i can see where you are coming from, but i think he is clean, mainly because i reckon he is the smartest fighter out there, he has beaten all of opponents with far superior tactics, he is clever and i reckon far to clever for doping.

also he surely knows that the empire he is building on the back of his MMA career would crumble with being associated with drugs

simply I reckon hes a freak but a very very clever one.


i couldnt get over all the talk of sean sherk by the commentaters at the last ufc, no mention that he is a cheating ****er though

dlofnep

I'd say he's as clean as a whistle. Someone his age, in his condition as well as fighting for titles and defending titles is going to be scrutinized in every fight.

muckwarrior

Randy's immense popularity is mainly based on his Mr nice guy image. He's gotta know that he'd lose everything if he was ever associated with drugs. If he loses a fight he'll still be a hero, but if he gets busted for drugs his reputation would be forever tainted. He's got so much more to lose than yer average fighter.

eoghan.geraghty

Shane, The
You sound a trifle jealous methinks.
Get back to muscle forge and quit making excuses, I know randy doesn't make excuses:D

trout

I do see the OP's point ... but I don't believe Couture is dirty.

Looking at the fight on Sunday, a few of us remarked on how time was catching up on Couture ... he has varicose veins in one leg, and at certain times in the clinches, especially on his back and shoulders, you could see his muscle tone was very much in keeping with an older man.

Also, unlike Sherk, he is not really ripped or muscle bound ... I just think he is in great shape, for any person, never mind for a person his age.

As others have said ... Couture is smart, and hopefully too smart to ever mess with drugs. In my humble opinion, he wins fights with his tactics, generally spot on, and with a big heart, he's tough minded ... it helps that his conditioning is top notch, but he's not a one punch knock out kind of fighter.

In my innocence, I would have thought steroid abusers would be big on strength, explosive power and the likes, but short on stamina and recovery ... or is that too simplistic ?

I'm closer in age to Couture than Gonzaga ... I may want to believe the man is clean, and honest ... but I really think he is.

cowzerp

The Shane wrote:

I really hope that Randy is clean but does anyone else think he looks too good for his age?

Shane, The

I actually have suspected the same since i 1st seen randy in action, its hard enough for fella's in there late 20's to recover from training and injuries and for randy to fight at the top level like this at his age does raise a few eyebrows-i hope im wrong but doubt i am, he's a legend and i'd hate to see him lose that stature due to a drugs scandal-innocent untill proven guilty i say..

arybvtcw0eolkf

Lads, you'll do well to be suspect any athlete at the top of his/her game.

cavedave

It is hard not to be cynical alright. Do UFC store blood samples so that if a stealth drug BALCO style is being used they can find out later? If so an attitude of "we will trust you but run the tests again later anyway" seems wise.

There are certain signs that are suspicious in a late carrier athlete. Gains of a huge amount of muscle mass by Bonds(baseball), Smith (swimmer) and Rocky (VI) were suspect.

Dragan

The Shane wrote:

I really hope that Randy is clean but does anyone else think he looks too good for his age?

Shane, The

It's about whether you accept the limitations of age or not. At 44 my father was still a beast of a man. Stronger that 99% of the population, highly physically fit and lean with it.

Randy is reaping the rewards of a life time of hard work, dedication and clever training and diet.

Remember Randy was telling people of the advantages of leafy greens when they were still chowing down on tuna and rice.

Nothingcompares

don't forget randy was training like an olmypic althethe for many many years until his greco career was over. than unlike the rest of those that compete very highly in amateur sports he went into a pro sport like mma maintaining his fitness and training regimes. randy is just a monster.

O'Leprosy

The Shane wrote:

At 44 even with professional sportsmen who have taken care of themselves and are reaping the age defying benefits of exercise and wise diet - there are limits. Hormone levels dictate a lot of a man's athletic performance and after the mid twenties they are on a slippery slope.

I really hope that Randy is clean but does anyone else think he looks too good for his age?

Shane, The

I remember reading an article on ageing and athletic ability a few years ago. Obviously the attributes differ from individual to individual, , genes, lifestyle,the particular demands of the sport etc. The article basically stated that from early 30's on, if a person keeps training to the roughly the same regime than their ability actually deteroriates very little until around 55. They used as an example Eammon Coughlan who had the fastest over 40's mile. He ran it in say, 3 mins 50 secs, which was only 2 seconds slower than his best ever. Now in comparsion to the present mile record at the time, say 3 mins 45 secs, he would have come in last or whatever in the race. But the point the article made, was that Eammon Coughlan's over 40's mile record was actually faster than the present American universities champion's at the time.

As proven by the above, the athletic ability between a 44 year old and a man in his 20's whatever, the athletic ability between the 2 is not that great. And in MMA where skill, tactics, attributes etc counts so much than just a bunch a fellas running to a finish line, it's easy to see why Randy would not have to rely on steroids to his game alive. And look at George Foreman, at age 45, the oldest fighter ever to win the world heavyweight crown ?

Vince135792003

Maybe the biggest lesson that Randy Couture gives us, is that most if not all of us overestimate our own limitations.

Roper

Not really sure about the "truth" aspect of your thread title Shane. An inconvenient possibility might be a better title. I think you also have to look at Randy's body type. He's not ultra huge ala Mark Coleman and he's certainly not shredded. For me he looks like any *******n would probably look if they continued training into their 40s. He's obvioulsy looked after himself very well and has just never stopped competing and training. Luck obviously has a lot to do with it as well having not sustained career ending injury at any stage or accruing enough injuries to force him to stop.

My Da played senior football until he was 48, coincidentally the same year I was born. See what I can ruin? So I asked him about what he thought of Randy when I was on the phone to him earlier, and he said "Who?" After some explanation he said he just never considered stopping until he was about 40 and after that he was just clever with training (ie. he didn't do it much). I think it's got to do with mindset- some guys like Teddy Sheringham in soccer just don't seem to consider quitting as an option.

Nothingcompares

**** arnie, randy for president

Roper

Why is o-l-y-m-p-i-a-n considered a swear word by the forum? Is it slang for some sexual practice I'm not aware of? If so, let me know and I'll do it this weekend!

Nothingcompares

the venue is part of the Mc D group which are taking legal action (or were) against boards and all mention of their group IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN

muckwarrior

Roper wrote:

Is it slang for some sexual practice I'm not aware of? If so, let me know and I'll do it this weekend!

Yes. It means to get buggered by an elephant. Trip to the zoo for you this weekend

Dragan

Ah well, 10 people tested, 10 people passed.

crazy monkey

Randy did have varicose veins on his calk that is true
Sean Sherk is the ''muscle shark''
Hermes Franca looked in the best shape I have ever seen him in
Jeff Monsoon recently said he took roids that alot of huys do but he would never name them as it's their business and thinks roids should be legal

All this means nothing

Since Royce tested positive and didn't contest the decision instead said things like.
I'm off on holiday to Spain.
It's takes money to retain a lawyer, then to go to court to much hassle, I only fight once a year anyway, my fans know the truth. yadda yadda yadda.

I hope Randy is clean but I don't give a toss anymore...when the original mma legend [ufc], who proved you don't have to be the biggest to be the best needs juice to keep up - it's all dirty.

I will just watch these ''enchanced'' [roids or technique...whatever] compete.

Here endeth my sorrowful lament.

Go Randy!

Cousin it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Lalanne

I'd be more heartbroken if he was a steroid junkie tbh.

1984 (age 70): Once again handcuffed and shackled, Jack fought strong winds and currents as he swam 1.5 miles while towing 70 boats with 70 people from the Queen's Way Bridge in the Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary.

filament

i understand why people would think this alright, was considering it myself not too long ago, all ill say is, if he ever does test positive <and seen as he's chap he's being tested before and after every fight so it does seem unlikely> i will stop watching mma forever

cowzerp

filament wrote:

i understand why people would think this alright, was considering it myself not too long ago, all ill say is, if he ever does test positive <and seen as he's chap he's being tested before and after every fight so it does seem unlikely> i will stop watching mma forever

Stop now then because at the top level mma is riddled with drug cheats.
the thing is are the tests going to start catching people out and put a stop to it..