New Girl on the Block

Interview with Lisa Cox (May 2002)

Lisa Cox is the rising star of female crosstraining and is now a major threat to the top girls in the sport. Despite her achievements and potential, Lisa remains a quiet and mild mannered competitor, so CTUK were eager to corner her at the recent One-on-One event and test her cool and calm demeanour with some quick-fire questions.  

Having proved yourself as a talented crosstrainer with the fastest Boxfit time to date, do you think you can go on and beat the likes of Sarah Coope and Michelle Parsons?

I've started to get more confidence at last and I have to believe that I can beat them now as I want to be at the top. I'm really looking forward to racing them now, the next opportunity should be at the 'DB'.

Are you excited at the prospect of '4 lane' racing?

Yes, it should be really good to see the top four girls in the same race. The track run finish is a great idea and luckily I've started doing more running outside recently. Dave Cox, my trainer and brother in law, has been working with me on it for about six months, so that should help a lot with the finish.

How is Dave Cox a personal trainer?

Very good. The best. I train with him at least three times a week, but he writes all my programmes and plans all my sessions. Even if he doesn't train with me, he's always around and he makes sure I work hard. I really feel that my success has been a joint effort and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Dave for everything he has done for me.

Have you always been into fitness training and sport or are you new to it?

Well I used to play netball, hockey and do athletics at school, but then I left and got married and had two kids. I didn't really have any hobbies but Dave and his wife Rachel encouraged my husband and I to join the Clearwater Fitness Gym in Oxford around six years ago. I started doing Dave's circuits class on a Sunday evening and he thought my strength and endurance looked quite good. Shortly afterwards he set up the Ultra-Fit course for me to have a go at it which I found OK, so while I was on holiday he entered me in Tropicana 2000 without telling me. The competition was the day after I got back home but I managed to come 9th and after that everyone thought I had a lot of potential and should start training more seriously.

Would you say that your crosstraining goals are important to you now?

Yes, I want to win. Obviously Ultra-Fit would be nice and the X-zone when it's up and running again but any big events where I compete against the best. Boxfit 2002 was a turning point for me as up until then my confidence was always a problem. We'd always worked hard with my strength and fitness but I wasn't achieving the times we expected in competition. It was down to confidence and Dave wanted me to arrive at Boxfit free of negative thought and doubts. I managed it and performed well and won.

You seem far quieter than the other top crosstrainers and very mild mannered. Do you think that will change as you win more competitions?

No, I think I'll be like that however successful and confident I get. That's just the way I am. I do think my self confidence can still improve a lot. Dave found it amusing at Boxfit because I wouldn't believe him when he said I'd won. The girls in the last race were on the Bench-Jumps when I'd finished my race and he said it was impossible for them to beat my time as they were a minute and a half slower than I'd been at that point. I wasn't convinced though until it was all over and I saw the finish times.

Do your family and friends cheer you on and support what you're doing?

Yes. My husband always wants me to do well and Adam and Lauren, my children, get very excited about watching me race too. They're both sporty now as well. Obviously the training can be quite time consuming which isn't always ideal, but its OK if you've got the support and I get a great deal from my family and friends. I'm not sure that my husband thinks the crosstraining physique is ideal for a woman. I was a bit unsure about it myself when I began getting more muscular, but I've accepted it now.

Does diet and nutrition form part of your training?

Definitely. Dave advises me on my diet too. I used to under eat as I was reluctant to put weight on but he's stopped me doing that now. I always, always have to have a High 5 recovery drink after my workout and I get told off if I forget it.

Any negatives or anything annoy you about the sport?

Well the other competitors saying I was on drugs at Boxfit did. I wish there was a test I could do. Dave says I should take it as a compliment but it does bother me. I'm quite muscular and strong and I guess it's because of the margin I won by too. But all I take regularly is a multivitamin and mineral supplement, an antioxidant supplement and my recovery drink. I also use creatine in the final weeks before a competition and the occasional protein shake, but that's it.

But you won't let it put you off though will you? You'll be around in crosstraining for a while yet?

Definitely. I've been training hard for 5 years now, doing exactly what Dave sets out for me and turning up to every session. I do lots of specific training and work with heavier weights as well as doing tough CV sessions. I'm made to train very strictly and the times I get in competition now are always very close to what I get in training. Dave prepares me well and deserves a lot of the credit, not least for managing to make me more positive about my potential. I now feel that I can go on and achieve things in crosstraining. I also think that what DB Max are doing is great for everyone as interviewing the top crosstrainers and promoting them in CTUK will hopefully increase the profile of the sport. I like being part of the crosstraining crowd too as Michelle Parsons and the other female competitors are very friendly.

So there's plenty to keep Lisa going in crosstraining for now. Check out her vital stats below and if you want to contact Lisa for training tips or advice email enquiries@dbmax.co.uk and we'll pass your questions on.