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Bad news for Badnews
12 Apr 2010 6:22PM
Some years ago I was branded with the moniker ‘Badnews’ by a friend. I’d love to be able to tell you that it was due to my ‘badness’ and general all round roughty toughty-ness... but it was actually ‘cos he knew every time the phone rang it was me asking him if he wanted to go for a drink and a curry, thereby spending a lot of money. At the time I couldn’t really see the ‘badness’ in this at all, but now I’ve a fresh perspective and doubtless have matured... a little. 13 weeks holiday a year and living in a brewery town are not great combinations, unless you’re chasing a hangover. Add a rugby club social life to that and you can see how he may have foreseen bad things as a consequence of that ringing phone. So ‘Badnews’ Bownds was born.
Fortunately at some point after the name was born I decided to take the rugby a little more seriously and hit the gym. Our team did well, winning 2 league titles back to back and a county cup also (the clubs first in about 30 years). In 2005 I reached a rugby saturation point. Too much rugby, both watching and playing. Though following the British Lions around New Zealand was great fun. For some reason in the September of 2005 I decided that I’d run marathon, but then decided as I was 31 I’d run 31 miles instead of the normal 26. As I began training I also decided I would do this in sub 8 minute miles (which is the equivalent of a 3hr 30min marathon). Whatever possessed me at the time to continue weight training is anyone’s guess, but by July 2006 I was running 6 and a half miles in 42 minutes and could bench press 110kg for 10+ reps (the exact figures are lost in a scrupulously kept notebook somewhere). I’d also managed an 18 mile training run quite comfortably at the target pace. Then one afternoon after school I decided to do the beep test, not so much as a test but for a bit of training.
Now up to this point I had been struggling with what seemed like a sciatic nerve problem for months, but foolishly ignored it and ran on... and on and on. Come the beep test I did something I hadn’t done for months and months, change direction... repeatedly for about 15 minutes or however long it takes to get to level 14:4 (I was quite pleased). I was however not so pleased the next morning when I couldn’t get out of bed as my back had frozen. Two days of lying on the floor in agony gobbling anti-inflammatories saw it ease enough for me to stand without squealing. But (and this is the reason why I mention all this in an MMA blog) that injury is what has haunted me till today. In the September of 2006 I discovered MMA and my training induced self harming continued until October 2009 when my back (amongst othe body parts) gave up the ghost.
I had physio again this morning and Nasty Pete gave me something of a diagnosis. My back is knackered. The lower part of my back is ‘locked’ and the cure? A long time. Basically the last 4 years of physical stress and constant training have come home to roost. Fighters get used to ignoring niggles and training through them, but I feel now I set a new standard in pig-headedness by carrying on and on when my body was telling me to stop. Yes fighters train through injuries, till the fight. Then they rest and sort out the injury. Clearly my recovery time was never enough and my body never got the chance to fully repair. Lesson for the day - look after your injuries people. If it bothers you for more than a week or two get it checked out and rest, rest, rest!!!
So as it stands this morning I am exceptionally limited in what I can do for the next ‘X’ amount of time. I have to increase the flexibility and mobility in my lower back/core and avoid putting it under to much pressure. Competitive rolling and wrestling will be dicey as will chucking sandbags about in my Friday classes. Also cycling and rowing are out the window for the foreseeable. Oh, and running and walking any great distances. Looks like I’m stuck on the cross trainer next to the old dears and using the 3kg dumbbells is my alternative.
Boxing however seems to be the one thing I can do without aggravating it too much... ironically the stand up class is on a Tuesday... the one day I struggle to get to training.
I should also take time to thank Naitiro Fightwear again. They sent me some shorts and a t shirt last month, but until recently I hadn’t managed to wear them for training. The t shirt is good quality, quite heavyweight and the print is solid and isn’t likely to peel or fade anytime soon, we are looking into getting these as team t-shirts in fact. The shorts are good also. The material is thinner than other brands I have but seems thus far to be pretty tough. The waist is elasticated, has a drawstring and a triple (read that – TRIPLE) Velcro fastening. There is no way... nooooo way these shorts are going to come down once they’re on. The back of the shorts is slightly higher than normal too, so that combined with the elastic; Velcro and drawstring mean that you are never going to have that exposed groin guard thong/builders bum thing that you see every now and again mid fight. The legs have a split seam which isn’t something I favour for grappling, but they suit boxing/kickboxing well and there’s plenty of room for movement (like when I throw my devastating head kicks). They are slightly shorter than other brands too, which again I like - they sit just above the knee. They sell for £24 and are worth the price. I have a pair of Sprawl shorts that cost me £40 years ago, they may be virtually indestructible, but for that price I could’ve just about afforded 2 pairs of these. It certainly would’ve avoided those ‘still damp from the dryer’ moments which I’m sure we’ve all had! Check them out at www.naitiro.co.uk
 
 
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