Source: Northern_Echo
Matthew Bates' American diary
In the second of his exclusive diaries for The Northern Echo, Middlesbrough defender Matthew Bates talks about his three weeks in America, being stranded on a ski slope, and his hopes as he returns to the North-East.[LNB] I'M looking forward to landing at Heathrow.[LNB] As I write this, I'm on a six-hour flight from Boston after a threehour drive from Vermont.[LNB] For anyone who didn't read my first column two weeks ago and what were you doing if you didn't I've been in Vermont for a threeweek stint of rehab with physio Bill Knowles following my cruciate injury.[LNB] THE three weeks have been brilliant, getting away from the monotony of the same gym, the same routine, and that same old depressing state of mind you get yourself in to.[LNB] You have to do that with a long-term injury. With my last injury, I went to Capbreton, in France, for six weeks and that was really helpful. Just being in a different environment did me the world of good, and the same has happened here.[LNB] Now that I'm heading home, I'm finding that I'm rejuvenated and have a new focus. I'm actually starting to enjoy the hard work because I'm able to see the benefits of it.[LNB] I SAID in my first column that it was difficult to watch the boys going out to train while I was walking into the gym. Well over in America it was a whole lot worse.[LNB] Outside the gym in Vermont, there was nothing but ski slopes and skiers and obviously I wasn't allowed on any of them.[LNB] Bill's colleague took me to a mountain top diner for a coffee on a ski gondola, only without the skis, but when we got there we found it was closed. So we had to stand in the freezing cold for a further 20 minutes, queuing to get back down the mountain. It was minus 25, and all I had on was my Middlesbrough tracksuit.[LNB] Cheers![LNB] YOU sometimes feel like you shouldn't be moaning if you're a footballer, but when you're injured, it's like any other job you're not enjoying. You get through every day by doing exactly that just getting through it.[LNB] That's how it feels to be injured, but Bill has been working on changing my approach and my mindset.[LNB] He's given me a programme for the next six weeks, then I'm going back out again for another two or three weeks to start my running.[LNB] Bill has given me a good quote to remember Treat injury as an opportunity.[LNB] By that, he means to use the time away from playing to work on the whole of my body, not just the injured part.[LNB] That's what rehab is about. We've been doing knee-strength sessions, core sessions, upper bodystrength sessions, kneestability sessions, cardiovascular workouts and pool sessions not exactly a holiday camp![LNB] The sessions would vary from an hour-and-a-half to sometimes two-and-a-half, depending on what we were doing. Bill's colleague was constantly there recording everything with a video camera, so I have loads of DVDs to remind me of the attention to detail in every exercise.[LNB] I'll be watching it when I get home, although I probably won't subject the rest of the family to it on Christmas Day![LNB] I'VE learnt a lot from being in America. In particular, it's taught me about their country's mentality towards being an athlete compared to our country's attitude towards being a footballer.[LNB] America is miles ahead of us in terms of preparation, and recovery.[LNB] I've heard about injections, supplements, (legal ones!) creams and new operation procedures that I never even knew existed.[LNB] I know every country is going to have different opinions and views when it comes to performance, but I definitely think we are behind them when it comes to research, optimal performance and recovery.[LNB] It's opened my eyes to a few things.[LNB] AFTER three weeks though, I'm looking forward to getting back to my friends and family. I'll be back into the training ground this morning and hopefully I'll be hitting the ground running, if you excuse the pun.[LNB] It's funny how, three weeks ago, I was sick of the sight of the gym at Hurworth. Now, I'm actually looking forward to getting back in and carrying on the work I've been doing in America. I'm sure some of my new exercises will lead to a few inquisitive glances from some of the fitness guys, but I'm looking forward to talking them through it.[LNB]
