As I mentioned in my previous post with the end of my 3 month Thailand adventure drawing close, and no fight on the horizon due to a couple of nagging injuries, I'd decided to relax a little and enjoy my last couple weeks in Hua Hin. I've still been training, but mostly only in the afternoon to allow myself the time and energy to do other things.
This situation was compounded by yet another injury, suffered last Wednesday. Whilst clinching with Frank, I took a body lock position (with the arms under my partners shoulders and hands clasped on his lower back) and attempted a turn and dump from that position, which Phet-tho has told me to use a lot as I am a shorter fighter. Unfortunately, due to sheer bad luck, Frank landed with his knee on my little toe. I won't lie, it hurt. But in such situations, all you can do is suck it up and get on with the session. I certainly wasn't about to be one of those guys who gets a little knock and decides that's it, no more training for the day. Injuries are an unavoidable part of muay thai, in training as well as fighting, so you gotta learn to deal with it.
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| Hua Hin beach |
I didn't really think much more about my toe that night, though in retrospect I probably should have iced it a bit I just didn't think it was overly hurt. But the next morning, I woke to find it swollen and purple. Fuck sake. Another bloody injury just as the other ones are finally getting better. I tried to push throough the next couple sessions just taping it up, including a long run that morning. However, almost everything I did hurt it more- running, jumping rope, kicking with that leg, kicking with the other leg as it involves turning on the toes, kneeing the bag. Reluctantly, I decided to take the last couple days of the week off to let it heal a bit.
Frustrating as it was to miss training, especially with my remaining time here counting down fast, I took the opportunity to spend some time on the beach and work on my tan a little. This despite the massive storm on the Friday night which left town flooded (we were ok as we are higher up). After barely getting a tan at all in a month in Phuket in 2013, I wanted to make sure I put a bit of brown on my pasty white skin this time! On Sunday I also visited Khao Takiab with Ben, home to a nice little beach and the famous Monkey Temple.
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| Khao Tabiab beach |
Determined to get some activity in, I decided to visit the gym nearby on Thursday morning to do some weights. A quick look at their website revealed that they had a weekly yoga class, on Thursday mornings! I'd been wanting t try some yoga for a while, in the hope that it wold help loosen up the tightness in my lower back, hips, hamstrings and glutes, all a result of the back injury I suffered playing rugby as a teenager. So here was my chance. The yoga instructor was very friendly and put us through a basic yet challenging session. Several of the poses she literally had to push my body into, such is my lack of mobility in some areas! The (admittedly inconsistent) practice in meditation I've done helped me to stay present, in the moment, which is key for yoga. I came back again this morning (Thursday) and absolutely intend to continue attending yoga classes back in the UK.
As I write, I'm less than 2 hours from my final training session at Sitjaopho. My toe isn't healed 100% but the few days off I had let it get back to a state I could train on. I'm certainly gonna miss this place, the trainers are awesome guys and really care about teaching muay thai. I will definitely be back here again. Afterwards, I will probably go to a local bar with a few of the guys, which we have frequented a few times, to play a few games of pool. I will likely have a beer or two, but Frank, Zac and Ben are all fighting tomorrow so it'll be water for them! I won't be drinking too much though, I will be getting the train to Bangkok around 6am tomorrow, and I don't fancy doing that with a hangover!
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