Training with "weaker" partner

[straatvark]

Noooo, dont do that. My hubs tried to push me up a hill once and I moaned at him, that I can do it by myself in my own sweet time. If your girlfriend half as stubborn as me, she will be miffed!

 

This sound so familiar - I tried it once, but "ek sal self".

 

On the road we use a tandem. Brilliant for levelling the playing field and giving both a killer workout. I really enjoy the 'team sport' aspect.

 

Unfortunately on the MTB it is impossible even though I have carte blance to go ahead on climbs etc whenever I want. (She know I will always wait somewhere).

 

I don't have the head for a SS session and think MTB tandem is crazy.

[Kranky]

I am as happy as punch to ride with my girlfriend. This is how I approach it (and I guess it applies better to places with actual mountains, I neglected to check where the OP is located):

 

Step 1: Ride a single speed.

Step 2: Attack all climbs hard.

Step 3: Ride back down to weaker partner and grind up slowly with them.

 

I've never been stronger, even when riding with my manly man friends. And weaker riders don't stay weak for long. Watching a rider, especially someone close to you, improve each ride is really fun.

Edited April 29, 2014 by Nick.

[The Guy in Pink]

I am not sure how relevant to MTB training this is, but on the road with my wife and others I simply selected lower and lower gears until I found the one they could stay with. That way you have to spin like mad so you end up getting a proper work out, whilst they too get to work to their maximum.

[igknot]

Single speed Unicycle

[RocknRolla]

Just as a note:

 

It irritates the crap out of me when my wife indeed does the hill intervals as i mentioned earlier, makes me feel really useless.

 

but on the other hand it does motivate my training, and attacking hills much harder.

[fabs]

Hi guys,

 

My girlfriend and I ride together. We are both new to MTBing. She is a lot smaller and weaker than I am. I don't want to leave her behind, and let any stranger dangers or lions eat her up... so I tend to go slow and never really ride hard.

 

When I go riding with my friends they go ham and I can't keep up.

 

How can I train with my girlfriend, stick close to her, but still build some strength and endurance?

 

push girlfriend up every hill

pull your brakes on downhills and pedal fast

take brakes off girlfriends bike and pour honey into your wheel bearings

wake up 1 hour before girlfriend and scout out the whole course for any dangers

take water out of your camelback and pour in liquid concrete

practise summersaults every now and again so you lag behind, and then catch up

 

although some of these are tongue in cheek, you get the message

[JohanC]

I was in the same boat as you. Bought mtb's for me and my GF early Jan 2014. We started riding together. We had a lot of arguments in the beginning as I made the mental shift to push myself harder to get fit, and she just could not do the same. She, for example, would stop 3/4 way up an uphill and this irritated me!

I eventually got fit much quicker and decided now to ride more serious.

 

We eventually got to an agreement that I will ride with her max 2 times per week. The rest of the week I train with other cycling groups and friends.

 

So in a nutshell, decide together where you would like to go with this sport. And from there make a decision about riding together..

Hi guys,

 

 

My girlfriend and I ride together. We are both new to MTBing. She is a lot smaller and weaker than I am. I don't want to leave her behind, and let any stranger dangers or lions eat her up... so I tend to go slow and never really ride hard.

 

When I go riding with my friends they go ham and I can't keep up.

 

How can I train with my girlfriend, stick close to her, but still build some strength and endurance?

[Cellar]

We eventually got to an agreement that I will ride with her max 2 times per week. The rest of the week I train with other cycling groups and friends.

 

So in a nutshell, decide together where you would like to go with this sport. And from there make a decision about riding together..

 

You're shitting me. You mean actually discuss this with your partner? Surely you jest. You just ask a random collection of internets for advice.

 

Note to OP, if you do try this outlandish advice, I suggest you not use the word weaker...

Edited April 29, 2014 by Cellar

[BLACKvoodoo]

You should train harder then you won't be so weak.

['Dale]

Push her up the hills or attach an elastic strap or rope to her bike and pull her up the hills.

 

Kinky...

[Stretch]

ride up the hill in a much harder gear that involves some serious leg strain...but keeps you slow enough to ride at her pace

[Cellar]

ride up the hill in a much harder gear that involves some serious leg strain...but keeps you slow enough to ride at her pace

 

Yeah. Stick it in the 53x11 (or whatever the dirty equivalent is) and spend the day there.

[manbearpig]

I am experienced in this situation, wherever possible let her learn to hang onto your pocket. You will both get stronger.

[manbearpig]

I am experienced in this situation, wherever possible let her learn to hang onto your pocket. You will both get stronger. If there are single track climbs, race to the top and come down to fetch her. Win/Win

[jaxtun]

I am experienced in this situation, wherever possible let her learn to hang onto your pocket. You will both get stronger. If there are single track climbs, race to the top and come down to fetch her. Win/Win

Yip I am with you .... just because you are hanging onto your partner's pocket doesn't mean you ain't doing any work - you just getting to the top a whole lot quicker!

[Ramrod]

I am experienced in this situation, wherever possible let her learn to hang onto your pocket. You will both get stronger.

Doesnt that upset her? I am trying to convince my wife to do that when we race but when we train she must do it herself!