Issue 044

December 2008

Tattooed terror of the UK welterweight division, ‘Judo’ Jimmy Wallhead is one of the most intense competitors to represent Nottingham’s infamous Rough House fight team. Known as one of the best-conditioned athletes on the circuit, Wallhead brings his no-nonsense work ethic to the mat every time he trains. 

Gumshield

Alongside the essential groin-guard, one of the most important pieces of kit for any fighter is the gumshield. Wallhead believes that he has found the best one on the market. “I’ve been using the OPRO gumshields. They are pretty cheap, you get them back pretty quick and they do lots of funky designs. I find it quite small in the mouth and they last me a good six to eight months at a time.” For Wallhead, the process couldn’t be any easier. “You do the mould, send it to them and they send it out to you in five working days – it sometimes comes back the week you bought it, which is pretty cool.”  

Boxing and MMA gloves

A lot has been said of the difference between training with MMA gloves and boxing gloves – Wallhead likes to get the best of both worlds. “We do all the hard sparring in 14oz and 16oz boxing gloves, but nearer the fight we put on the Rogues and the smaller gloves to get used to the slightly different range, and then obviously there’s more holes. Just to sharpen up our defences before the fight, we spar with the MMA gloves at a lighter pace.”  

Food

Unlike many fighters who haul a family-sized picnic around in their kitbag, the Rough House fighter carries the absolute minimum. “The only thing I’ll carry, I’ll have a shake on me, which will be whey protein, a bit of isotonic powder, bit of glutamine. I’ll have a shake on me and then I always make sure I come straight home and eat a proper meal.”  

Strapping injuries

Training and competing whilst injured can have hazardous consequences but, as Wallhead showed in his fight with Jason Tan back in 2006, it can still be possible to compete with a serious injury as long as the right protective equipment is in place. “That was a recent injury, ten days before the Tan fight I snapped my posterior cruciate ligament.” Fighting with a heavily strapped knee, the Leicester fighter was able to soldier through the entire 15-minute fight, winning a split decision. “If it ever happened again, first I would get the physio to have a look at me and he would show me the best way to strap it up with crepe bandage and tape – the same as a handwrap. I’d get it done as strong as possible with the bandage and the tape to hold it in position and put on a super-brace.”  

Music

Determined to get the most out of his time in training, the Leicester warrior begins his mental preparation for the up-coming session before he even arrives in the gym by listening to ‘The Contenders’ theme tune. “I like to listen to my ring entrance music as I’m driving to the gym – ‘The Contenders’ theme tune – and when I’m training and sparring, I like something hard. Dan [Hardy] plays some Pantera or some Slipknot or whatever’s hard-core to get the adrenaline going.”