Is MX coaching worth it....

Rovalova
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Rovalova
Edited Date/Time 11/3/2013 7:12pm
Have a couple of young blokes between 10 and 12, they dont race competitive class yet, just practice days and the likes, the local club is holding a coaching weekend, question is...are they worth it for play racers, or wait till their older and more serious?
Thanks
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FIREfish148
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FIREfish148 11/3/2013 1:24am
11/3/2013 1:24am Edited Date/Time 11/3/2013 1:26am
I went to a school coached by Larry Morton up here when I was 14. Honestly it was a really great experience. I remember being so excited to ride the main motocross track (Hannagen) that I really had a hard time paying attention tho. Lucky for me my pops had a voice recorder that I later would take with me to my own track and listen to. The guy was a superb teacher. Although I do remember him saying that "This sport is full of pros w/ numbers on their backs that are looking for a quick buck.... So be careful who you're giving your money to."

The main thing I learned from his class is that the fundamentals are the most important thing to remember. You can always fall back on knowing the fundamentals. Just like any other sport.

So yea... If they are young and you know the teacher is worth the money then make sure you bring a voice recorder. Kids at that age have ADD up the ass.
MX690
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MX690 11/3/2013 1:05am
11/3/2013 1:05am
I think coaching schools are good for the basics, but I think 1 on 1 coaching is a lot better and they learn a lot more.
RobKacp
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RobKacp 11/3/2013 8:27am
11/3/2013 8:27am
I think its worth it. My guy is 7 - although he theoretically listens to me, he learned more in a couple hours of 1 on 1 with our local guy than I imagined. I do agree with MX690 - 1 on 1 is probably more effective.

It was all about the fundamentals. He still scares me when he rides occasionally, but he absolutely is a safer rider and safer/fundamentally sound translates to faster and more fun over time.
Bytor
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Bytor 11/3/2013 8:30am
11/3/2013 8:30am
With a good teacher it's well worth it. Some guys can teach and some can't. How much does this class cost?

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vanillaice782 11/3/2013 8:31am
11/3/2013 8:31am
I went to one that David Bailey put on years and years ago and loved it. He was awesome. I'm not fast but it was just a great experience to meet him. I learned a lot and had tons of fun.
kzizok
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kzizok 11/3/2013 10:40am
11/3/2013 10:40am
They are great to teach young/ new riders good habits from the start. However, in order for them to really work I think that you have to get with a coach and do it on a regular basis. The one time sessions tend to fade away without follow up reinforcement.
Frodad78
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Frodad78 11/3/2013 10:55am
11/3/2013 10:55am
There are still days when I'm out riding and I remember some of the lessons I learned from Gary Bailey, and that was 17 years ago. So Yes, totally worth it.
Tim507
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Tim507 11/3/2013 11:25am
11/3/2013 11:25am
I had my fist lesson at a GB school in 1969.........learned a lot and I still think about those basics all the time. Since then I have been to:

Russ Darnell
Tony D
Dick Burelson

These are just a few that I have been to.........learning is funSmile
disbanded
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disbanded 11/3/2013 11:47am
11/3/2013 11:47am
I took a 1-day Steve Wise class at Tornado Alley outside of Blossom, Texas, back in like 1989 or 90. I don't remember much, but I do remember he taught us how to 'practice'.

He had us do sections over and over until we had them perfect and then we would string them all together and do a whole lap.

A buddy of mine went to the week-long Gary Bailey school and when he came back he thought he was Damon Bradshaw, but he was absolutely no faster than before and I took extra pride in beating him after that.
APLMAN99
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APLMAN99 11/3/2013 11:58am
11/3/2013 11:58am
The best "upgrade" money I ever spent on my son's riding was for a trip to Eric Waunch's riding school. He became so much safer in an amazingly short period of time. Faster too, but the safety from the increased bike handling skills was the best benefit from the class. I'd recommend Waunch's classes to anyone up here in the Northwest.

http://www.ewmxschools.com/index.html
Rovalova
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Rovalova 11/3/2013 12:08pm
11/3/2013 12:08pm
Bytor wrote:
With a good teacher it's well worth it. Some guys can teach and some can't. How much does this class cost?
I think the guy is an ex mutli Aust mx/sx champ, the school is a two day event and cost for both is $600, they are both getting faster and when hitting double jumps and whoops are starting to scare me.Shocked although they are in good body position and are not having sketchy moments just dad freaking out. They are at the point were they are starting to push. Might find out the cost of private lessons for less time, that does sound like a good idea.
TripleFive 11/3/2013 12:23pm
11/3/2013 12:23pm
I did a DHMA camp when I was a beginner; fantastic for my progression.

It was a tremendous learning experience for both my father and I. My dad was as much of a student I was; having him paying attention to instruction allowed us to utilize the lessons long after the camp had ended.
acr798
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acr798 11/3/2013 12:59pm
11/3/2013 12:59pm
My son took a week long MX school (at 8 years old) with Mike Leavitt and it was well worth the money. He learned a lot of strategies and drills from Mike and and In my opinion, got just as much from some of the other students. Of course he had Barcia, Nicoletti and other really fast kids as classmates.
bobby397
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bobby397 11/3/2013 1:09pm
11/3/2013 1:09pm
Taken several, bailey would slap my hand with a stick if my fingers were not on the clutch and brake. Believe it was tony d ( can't remember ) but he took of my seat and made me stand entire 20 minute motos and each time I sat I have to do 10 push ups for each time. When I get time to ride these days I mostly stand and keep fingers on the levers so I'd say it worked for me
Tim507
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Tim507 11/3/2013 1:31pm
11/3/2013 1:31pm
bobby397 wrote:
Taken several, bailey would slap my hand with a stick if my fingers were not on the clutch and brake. Believe it was tony d (...
Taken several, bailey would slap my hand with a stick if my fingers were not on the clutch and brake. Believe it was tony d ( can't remember ) but he took of my seat and made me stand entire 20 minute motos and each time I sat I have to do 10 push ups for each time. When I get time to ride these days I mostly stand and keep fingers on the levers so I'd say it worked for me
Another good drill is to disconect your rear brake.....then ride laps. Yes the rear brake is important....LOLOLLOL........it is not about learning to ride with out the rear brake....as much as it learning to appreciate the front brake and what it can do for your riding.

Years ago I was working in a moto shop n Renton WA...and the owner and myself built a chrome moly frame for my 71 Montesa. While riding in the Cle elum Teanaway area the rear brake rod tab broke. Ended up riding single trak and fast two trak with only the front brake and still managed to waste my buddies.......
wow123
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wow123 11/3/2013 1:32pm
11/3/2013 1:32pm
I guess as we are relating stories. I did one, a mx camp over the weekend. I was already racing, riding and training all the time. I felt it helped quite a lot. It gave me focus and helped with my weaknesses.
I gained confidence as i was able to stick with the coaches,, ron dinsdale and grant cramer for lap or so and i won the practice races we had. They said i was the most likely to succeed. Some what regretfully I turned to rocknroll before reaching my potential.
Bytor
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Bytor 11/3/2013 1:42pm
11/3/2013 1:42pm
Rovalova wrote:
I think the guy is an ex mutli Aust mx/sx champ, the school is a two day event and cost for both is $600, they are...
I think the guy is an ex mutli Aust mx/sx champ, the school is a two day event and cost for both is $600, they are both getting faster and when hitting double jumps and whoops are starting to scare me.Shocked although they are in good body position and are not having sketchy moments just dad freaking out. They are at the point were they are starting to push. Might find out the cost of private lessons for less time, that does sound like a good idea.
$600 is what I paid for my daughter and I to do the DHMA back in 2001 like 555 says it was good for us to do it together so I could help my kid with techniques after the fact. She improved enough in the next couple years along with some private lessons with a couple local pros that she was getting top 5's in supermini against all the boys. Won a nice amount of Honda contingency for a few years.
Harry Backmon 11/3/2013 1:46pm
11/3/2013 1:46pm
Coaching definitely helps. Recently, I asked a retired pro how to take a real sandy corner (think Lommel). The advice he gave me helped immediately. By the end of today's practice, I was taking that corner at least twice as fast as I was before.

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haydos25
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haydos25 11/3/2013 2:17pm
11/3/2013 2:17pm
Rovalova wrote:
I think the guy is an ex mutli Aust mx/sx champ, the school is a two day event and cost for both is $600, they are...
I think the guy is an ex mutli Aust mx/sx champ, the school is a two day event and cost for both is $600, they are both getting faster and when hitting double jumps and whoops are starting to scare me.Shocked although they are in good body position and are not having sketchy moments just dad freaking out. They are at the point were they are starting to push. Might find out the cost of private lessons for less time, that does sound like a good idea.
What club is it? There are a lot of good coaches going around OZ, just make sure its a basic school you are signing up for not an advanced race skills school full of fast kids looking to show off to an ex pro.

I've done a couple of Mossy schools of varying skill levels myself along with a few others and Greg has a good way of explaining basic technique and bike control so it's easy to understand and never pushes you past your ability as he sees it, always leave feeling like im much more in control and much faster.

I have had an experience with a riding school where one of the pre pubescent excuse for an instructors version of coaching was just telling me to pin it and quad into the section, no instruction whatsoever on how to carry enough speed through the corner before, or what to do when it all went wrong, just a quick demonstration that it was possible and a few encouraging words on how easy it was for him, i stuck to tripling in and arrived at work with all my limbs pointing in the right direction on monday.
TL_36
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TL_36 11/3/2013 6:55pm
11/3/2013 6:55pm
Definitely worth it. It seems more likely that the young boys will listen to an older experienced rider, as long as its not dad! At least I know how it was when I was ten. BUT, you can't just take the boys to get coached and let that be the end of it. There has to be someone there making sure they are using the techniques that they learned every time they get on the bike, otherwise they will go back to their bad habits.
Cashmore
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Cashmore 11/3/2013 7:12pm
11/3/2013 7:12pm Edited Date/Time 11/3/2013 7:14pm
FIREfish148 wrote:
I went to a school coached by Larry Morton up here when I was 14. Honestly it was a really great experience. I remember being so...
I went to a school coached by Larry Morton up here when I was 14. Honestly it was a really great experience. I remember being so excited to ride the main motocross track (Hannagen) that I really had a hard time paying attention tho. Lucky for me my pops had a voice recorder that I later would take with me to my own track and listen to. The guy was a superb teacher. Although I do remember him saying that "This sport is full of pros w/ numbers on their backs that are looking for a quick buck.... So be careful who you're giving your money to."

The main thing I learned from his class is that the fundamentals are the most important thing to remember. You can always fall back on knowing the fundamentals. Just like any other sport.

So yea... If they are young and you know the teacher is worth the money then make sure you bring a voice recorder. Kids at that age have ADD up the ass.
I have used Larry a few times when he was down here in texas. He trained kyle cunningham for the longest time. I honestly learned 100x more from Larry than Donnie Hansen.. Donnie seemed more worried about his riders (hahns, chisholm, jonon, fulton) than the actual class. Don't get me wrong he did an ok job but wasn't really focused on the people that paid good money to be there. And I did go through his class when he came to texas 3 years in a row so it wasn't just a one time thing.

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