Concept2 Forum

(There is someting weird going on with this website. When I tried to log on a few minutes I got some strange site that said something about Zend, so I gave up and sent this message to the British Forum instead. Then I tried this one again, and now it seems to be working properly.)<br /><br />I am curious about how others feel about the value of coxing during a 2k competition. In an eight, the coxswain was a key member of the crew. At least that’s the way it used to be until they started making these ridiculous shells that have the cox up in the bow where there is no view of the rowers. Sixty years ago, I was fortunate to have rowed with one of the best. He had served as a platoon leader in the south Pacific and knew how to get us to do our best. It was almost like having our coach in the boat with us. If there had been a vote for most valuable crew member, he would have won it with no question.<br /><br />On the erg, I have raced both with and without coxing. The first few times, I didn’t think much about it and didn’t feel that it made any difference. Then I was coxed by Rob Perrot at both the last two Beach Sprints and by Xeno for a time trial. In all three of these, I felt that the coxing was a major factor in my results. At Boston, I was disappointed with a very lackluster performance and I wonder now if it would have helped if I had been coxed during the race. Obviously, it was a mental lapse, but that is the very thing that a good cox can help to overcome.<br /><br />Any comments? What experience have you had with coxed and non-coxed races?<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Bob S.<br />

Bob, if I had to go to war on an erg I'd want Veronika Platzer or Dennis Hastings or Libby Peters or Gail Lahm from my boat club behind it. <br /><br />My personal experience is that a cox that you trust, and who knows both you and your race plan, is a HUGE asset. <br /><br />I'd be honoured to cox you if/when we meet again at a regatta, if you'll have me and I'm not stuck warming up for my own event..... <br />

if i had to have one coxswain for a race i would chose......no one. I find it anoying and distracting. In the boat is fine, you need someone to steer her.

<!--quoteo(post=58143:date=Mar 2 2006, 01:16 PM:name=Ben Rea)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Ben Rea @ Mar 2 2006, 01:16 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>if i had to have one coxswain for a race i would chose......no one. I find it anoying and distracting. In the boat is fine, you need someone to steer her. <br /> </td></tr></table><br />exactly. i hate it when people talk to me when i'm erging... (sometimes even being near me is bad also) example. yesterday, 2k erg test a whole knot of people were standing behind me and chatting it up. i kept telling them to shut up and go away but they did not... (it actually might have helped me a little bit cause i was PISSED off... that being said i still hate it) (i pr'd yesterday 6:51.0)

<!--quoteo(post=58137:date=Mar 2 2006, 09:25 AM:name=NavigationHazard)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(NavigationHazard @ Mar 2 2006, 09:25 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>I'd be honoured to cox you if/when we meet again at a regatta, if you'll have me and I'm not stuck warming up for my own event.....<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Thanks, Jonathon. I really appreciate that. The warmup time was a problem at the C-B. We were all in early races, so everyone was either warming up, racing, or being interviewed for the first hour and a half. I just barely caught that great final comeback in your race. I missed the start and the previous races because I was tied up with the P.R. team.<br /><br />I should have mentioned in that initial message that I had coaching at the European Open. John Mills came over on his own volition and I am grateful for his help. It certainly showed up in the result. At both EIRC and LB I was late getting to the assigned erg and had a few logistics problems. In both cases the coxswains helped me to get squared away.<br /><br />I should also mention that, at the C-B, while I was running over 11 seconds slower than my time of 3 weeks before, the fellow next to me, coxed by one of his club members, was knocking 25 seconds off his previous best time.<br /><br />regards,<br /><br />Bob S.<br /><br />

<!--quoteo(post=58149:date=Mar 2 2006, 07:31 PM:name=eyespliced)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(eyespliced @ Mar 2 2006, 07:31 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--quoteo(post=58143:date=Mar 2 2006, 01:16 PM:name=Ben Rea)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Ben Rea @ Mar 2 2006, 01:16 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>if i had to have one coxswain for a race i would chose......no one. I find it anoying and distracting. In the boat is fine, you need someone to steer her. <br /> </td></tr></table><br />exactly. i hate it when people talk to me when i'm erging... (sometimes even being near me is bad also) example. yesterday, 2k erg test a whole knot of people were standing behind me and chatting it up. i kept telling them to shut up and go away but they did not... (it actually might have helped me a little bit cause i was PISSED off... that being said i still hate it) (i pr'd yesterday 6:51.0)<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />For me it depends on the day. Sometimes you just need someone pushing, others you prefer being alone. <br />I think if you feel ok, the best thing is to plan your racing sequence, and then stick to your planning!<br />Anyway and in any case, better being quiet than saying nonsense.<br />Best with someone racing aon your side.<br />Rowpro is also great (online or with pace boat)

As a general rule I like being coxed. The exception to this is when you have a bad cox. My race in Boston where he kept talking to the girl rowing next to me is a prime example of this, although I don't know how much better my time would have been with a different cox to be honest. <br />I have found that a really good cox can make a huge difference during an erg test. I can definitely think of a piece or two where the cox was probably responsible for more than a few seconds off the time. They can help keep you motivated to keep going when you just really want to quit. I find this valuable beyond words.<br />Keep in mind tho that a bad cox can definitely be detrimental to your performance. It's all a matter of personal preference. One of the people that I used to love have cox me during erg pieces was someone on the team back at PSU that I didn't get along with at all, he used to piss me off so much that I'd do much better.<br />I've also had great experiences with coxn's that were just calm, motivational, and knew the right thing to say to keep me going. You just have to find what you like and seek it out.<br />The only ones that I've found I really don't like (and this has been through trial and error) are people who just don't understand what you're going after or why(eg, you want to pull a 7:30 but it seems so fast to them that they just can't understand why you'd be unhappy with 7:35. I find I can't stand having the master's women at my club around for this reason), and the afore mentioned negligent cox that doesn't really say much of anything.<br /><br />Heather

A <b>BIG </b> help for me ... support more than "technical" help ...

Leave me alone for the first 1500 and then only say something if I am starting to fall off pace. Make it positive and encouraging. It has to get my mind to ignore the body telling me to slow down.

<!--quoteo(post=58149:date=Mar 2 2006, 01:31 PM:name=eyespliced)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(eyespliced @ Mar 2 2006, 01:31 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--quoteo(post=58143:date=Mar 2 2006, 01:16 PM:name=Ben Rea)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Ben Rea @ Mar 2 2006, 01:16 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>if i had to have one coxswain for a race i would chose......no one. I find it anoying and distracting. In the boat is fine, you need someone to steer her. <br /> </td></tr></table><br />exactly. i hate it when people talk to me when i'm erging... (sometimes even being near me is bad also) example. yesterday, 2k erg test a whole knot of people were standing behind me and chatting it up. i kept telling them to shut up and go away but they did not... (it actually might have helped me a little bit cause i was PISSED off... that being said i still hate it) (i pr'd yesterday 6:51.0)<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />HAHA, the same thing happened to me!!!!!!!!!!!! i was doing a 1k for the CTC challenge, my mom came down stairs and asked me if i could stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this just made me ANGRY!!!!!!!!!!!! I ended up pr'ing on the 1k!!!!!!!!!! it was soooo great, although afterwords she wasnt too happy with some of the things i said to her.........i dont regret it <br />

I went by myself to my first race and feel I would have done better with some support. There was so much happening that was unfamiliar. I could have used someone to keep an eye on the race and to offer encouragement. I did notice in other races the cox was more shouting and urging that could be distracting and annoying so there is a line over which it becomes a detriment, in my humble opinion.