Technical Climbing Tips: Coaching Dusty Betty to Master Technical Climbs With Confidence

In this episode of Hardtail Party we coach my wife, Dusty Betty, to tackle technical climbs with confidence. We had a goal for her to clean all of Ground Control, up and down, with no dabs. In this episode we tackle the technical climbs. She's working on a series on her KZbin channel about fear and how to not let it paralyze you and lead to injury. Make sure to subscribe to her channel if you or someone you know is hindered by fear when riding. Did you learn something valuable from this video? If so, show your appreciation and support this channel by becoming a Patron today: / hardtailparty
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#coach #technical #mtbtips

[@BhBraaq]

I don't even ride a hard tail but this has become my favorite mountain biking channel on KZbin.

[@hardtailparty]

This channel is for everyone, not just hardtail nerds like me. Welcome, and thanks for watching!

[@troycarpenter3675]

I haven't ridden a hardtail in waaaay too long!

[@50mtb44]

Impressed with Tess' persistence. Trait of a champion.

[@hardtailparty]

What tip did you learn from this video? Here's a list of a few tips I used in this video. 1) set up for the exit, not the entrance 2) use the whole trail 3) walk the line you're trying to ride. This will help you envision where you need to be at all times 4) be conscious of where your rear tire is at all times 5) put power down BEFORE you need it. 6) momentum is (often) your friend 7) set up visual cues like rocks, flowers, etc to spot your line 8) try one gear harder or one gear easier 9) it it's a long obstacle, work on it backwards (clean the last bit first, then move to the whole thing) 10) know exactly where each wheel is and when to lift/unweight it 11) don't worry about pedal strikes 12) don't pedal stroke 13) lean forward so your body is perpendicular to sea level. Hikes don't lean back when climbing a steep mountain, neither should we 14) session 15) have a friend watch you and tell you what you're doing wrong 16) don't let fear/emotion get the best of you 17) session it till you can clean it with no dabs 18) if you're getting too tired, take a break 19) have your friends cheer you on 20) do your best and don't be mad if you don't clean it this time 21) for some people (especially women in my experience), riding is extremely emotional as well as physical and mental. Take emotions into context too and pay attention to the emotional state of the learner. Do you want more technical climbing tips videos? Let me know.

[@scnsaracer]

Great tips! I would love to see more

[@bdaugherty03]

Yes more tech climbing videos! Your videos are the best.

[@francoisellett7298]

More tech climbing videos would be awesome!

[@arod4084]

How to be a better coach with my wife ;) Great Job Steve and Dusty Betty. Session, Session, Session,and Session again. I once heard "Don't stop practicing when you get it right, keep practicing till you can't get it wrong".

[@246Drew]

1. Momentum is king (in the MTB world). Some people get this confused with speed. 2. Could be, a higher gear is needed and not default to a lower gear Been analysing how I approach and clear technical terrain wrt those 2 points.... ...so I hit the show more after writing my 2 points... Good ones for me... 4, 5,10 (definitely working on this), 19 has been a pet peeve of mine - there's no point being around anyone where mutual learning and encouragement can't happen.

[@TimeToPolka]

Thanks Tess for be willing to put yourself out there. It is inspiring to watch you work your way through the features of the trail.

[@keepyourdayjob3077]

Nice episode! Makes me want to go out an session some techy sections. Kudos to Tess for being coached while on camera. That takes some serious concentration.

[@hardtailparty]

She's a really good sport letting me show her vulnerability. She's very reachable.

[@jenniferwatkins9294]

Thanks Dusty Betty for being willing to shoulder this! It’s super helpful for me on Ground Control!

[@lorraineaguirre9201]

Loved watching the encouragement and patience you had. She did amazing, and helped me believe in myself. Great video.

[@shannonkeller8003]

Tess is rocking it! Literally! I hope you realize how much your patience and grit shine to everyone watching you grow!

[@markthoeny1370]

This is real good information. I learn something new every time I watch one of your videos.

[@vitaflo]

The part where you cut the climb in half and did the 2nd part of it in the worst case scenario (from full stop) was brilliant. Especially because you knew she could do that particular part. Getting small wins like that on a larger technical section is such a great idea and something I wouldn't have thought of to do. Really makes the entire section seem less daunting.

[@stevencole7331]

The infamous dab . I have tried on many occasions to convince myself thats just a single foot hitting the ground still means I cleared a trail or segment especially on something very difficult . Usually my brain comes back to a no go . I had a place like that in my backyard trails with tight switchbacks ( usually I loose it on a particular one ) and a very steep technical climb at the end . I finally did it and was so happy only to realize looking at strava the segment continued after getting to the top for a 100 yards . It was a charlie brown moment to say the least . Your a good coach Steve Not many can coach their wife . Usually the husband gets frustrated and the wife gets tired of the onslaught and each goes back to their neutral corners . You dont let her give up and she is willing to keep trying . That makes for a good ,marriage .

[@hardtailparty]

We're a good team, thanks to her. It's taken a while to get where we are, and I don't recommend most spouses coach each other. We had a few years where it was best if I didn't coach her. Now she wants my coaching and responds to it really well

[@summerjohnson2780]

My biggest block is mental for sure. Working on it with every ride. Great job, Tess!! And great teaching, Steve!

[@lostman65]

this is an excellent list steve! i accidentally do a lot of these things but i think i associate it with specific features, so i don't transfer many tips from feature to feature. you, having enumerated all these things into a generic list, is SO helpful! i think i am going to print this out and laminate it into somethig i can carry with me on ride! thanks again for hte awesome video! P.S. Tess cracks me up, she just wanted to move on at first. Also she;s a trooper for sticking it out! awesome job.

[@drojim184]

Awesome awesome awesome video GUYS!! The tips are great as always but this video also shows life goals for some of us. You guys are a great team!

[@shaunroach7829]

Another great video!!! Showing patience, break down the lines and seeing Tess determination and not quitting was great!!!! Great wins for the both of you. Seeing Tess get past the fear, and mental roadblocks is huge!! Being there and helping her improve and being a part of her accomplishments is awesome!! Good job coach!!! 👍👍👍👍👏👏👏

[@Benxl-bn3cr]

I’ve been trying to learn how to look through or to the end of features and let the bike work it’s magic. When I get it right I definitely surprise myself. Kudos to Tess. Love her resilience. On film and in public isn’t easy either. She killed it.

[@kevinbiddle5444]

Good video, I picked up some nice tips. And can I just give props to Tess for letting you pick her apart on camera and sticking to it? She's awesome.

[@hardtailparty]

Good to hear from you buddy. She is awesome indeed. I'll be up on Utah in a few weeks. We should get together.

[@RideAlongside]

So fun to see her conquer it at 11:44 Good coaching.

[@danielrgusa]

Way to motivate Steve! Tess, excellent riding. Way to not give up and keep pushing forward.

[@reallybigphilly]

Great video! Good tips! Managing fear is one of the hardest things to do; Tess is lucky to have your help with that.

[@hardtailparty]

I feel like the lucky one. It's really fun riding with her.

[@chameleonpogono]

I really like the sentence, set up for the the exit and not the entrance. You're very good at explaining things. That is why I suck at teaching anything. I'm American, but only speak English well enough to get by.

[@dr.tylergrembanptdpt2321]

This video was incredible and a huge help. Recently started tackling single track in the SW coming from WI and found myself in some similar situations but no idea why I wasn’t getting it. I wish I had half the perseverance she has. Inspired to hit the trail with some new techniques!

[@mikepatingo1888]

I’m proud of her too... new to your channel and loving all your tips! Thank you!

[@christopherdavies2980]

loved it one of the best mountain bike videos ive watched Tess was amazing no moods just commitment and smiles loved it

[@hardtailparty]

She's a good sport.

[@niteryder50]

Great video, so good when you clean whole track or get that feature you never done. We have this track and it right hand corner then massive root to get up and today so wet just put me off but then saw my friend behind almost get it so was totally doable. Will get it one day.

[@cameronlesley2428]

Sessions on any obstacle is great, I do this as often as I can , it definitely helps

[@gabrielgarcia367]

Dude! Your other videos are great but you are the best at explaining the little things. The details. #sweatthesmallstuff

[@gabrielgarcia367]

That was AWESOME Tess!!! Inspiring!

[@dajushiro]

Awesome to see her progress!

[@dundundata7603]

The dab is why I ride platforms ;) Great coaching!

[@zemog1025]

Nice to take the time and effort to learn how to ride the trail as is versus modifying to make it easier, which too many people do these days.

[@hardtailparty]

Agreed!

[@kathardt-holoch4361]

You are a great coach. I don't know why, but I was less afraid years ago than now. I need to break through that somehow.

[@hardtailparty]

Tess recently went through something similar. She's got a series on fear on her channel that's really great.

[@ojaisherpa]

Great lesson!

[@AN71H3RO]

Awesome how much progress Tessa made in such a short time. Won't have an excuse to not try again till I make it, next time I'll put my foot on the ground

[@hardmtnbiker]

Great video! Your a great instructor and really put everything in perspective. BTW those are some intimidating trails.

[@peterides9568]

Oh man, there's a little feature on a local trail I need to be coached through. I'll grab a video next week.

[@timmedcalf4596]

so many great mental tips in the video, I find a lot of riders miss out that part as they're concentrated on body positions

[@neilt7490]

Loved this video, very helpful. Tess is awesome!

[@SheGotHelicopters]

super satisfying to watch!

[@DenisZ2023]

"everyone can ride 98%of the trail..." 😢Guess I don't even qualify to be included in the "everyone" category. Lol. Time to get on my bike and get more practice in. Gotta go ride. Will come back finish the video after the ride.

[@mellissanash7517]

This was very useful & great, thank you!

[@MrCjrodriguez]

Great job to you both! 🙌🏽

[@barbbrazes869]

Hooray for Tess!

[@alexw3246]

Great video! I wish i could find an instructor like you.

[@hardtailparty]

Thanks so much. I wish I could travel the US coaching, that would be so much fun.

[@alexw3246]

@@hardtailparty how much fun it would be to travel to Germany? 😁 If I was rich.. But I wan't you to know that one day of watching your yt videos had already a big effect on my way of working with my feedback machine. I'm going to have a lot of parties in the mountains now. Keep on making these great videos! Hardtail party is gold on KZbin! 👍👍👍

[@douglawrence4066]

Since over half of the ride is spent going uphill, you might as well enjoy that time as well as the down ....... well done !

[@WussyCatMTB]

I really feel for Tess... my husband makes me do this all the time - trying to get me to clean obstacles. Thankfully he can normally tell when I've got a bad day :)

[@hardtailparty]

I've learned not to coach he unless she asks to be coached. In this case she asked me to, I just was a stickler and didn't let dabs count. You shoulda seen her face at the end when she realized she cleaned it all. She worked hard for this one. :)

[@WussyCatMTB]

@@hardtailparty - I know the exact face / expression! I always have the most amazed look on my face, when I manage to clean a feature :)

[@scottm.5573]

Your brain leans left. 🤪. Maybe that’s my problem? Great video- thanks

[@CasperRc81]

Wow I’m scared for her IDK that’s something. Keep safe guys..happy trailing!

[@richardseppings4409]

Tess already has pretty good skills, great teamwork in the video

[@johnnydoe66]

I need to do sessions on difficult trail features more often. I ride solo and it's easy to just say to myself, " I will try it again next time" and I end up either getting lucky and not really knowing what I did to make it or screw it up again.

[@mikelopez8694]

seriously good content..

[@scnsaracer]

Great video! Does it count as clearing the entire trail if I have to take rest breaks LOL.

[@hardtailparty]

Sure.

[@ked2466]

ill be heading to sedona soon, and would just want to get your opinon on what bike to take. of course its a hartail, im debating if i should take my chameleon or my fatbike, which bike do you think its best.? also im thinking of doing the west sedona 21 mile ccw loop, ive been riding for about 4 years not so much of an advance rider, but i do a lot of blue trail as im from las vegas, with loose over hard trail,

[@hardtailparty]

Actually, I recommend a full suspension here. A chameleon would do ok too, but it's so different here. Keep in mind that 8 miles here feel like 20 anywhere else. I'm not exaggerating.

[@marcalmazan5825]

Nice hardtrail mtb my dream frame

[@themiddleagemasher8108]

Great coaching Steve. You should offer a girls class in Shredona

[@hardtailparty]

I'd love to, but it's impossible to get permits.

[@themiddleagemasher8108]

hardtail party I hear you. Lol. But man you’re good

[@vijayanchomatil8413]

10:28 - do you need to manual or do a wheelie?

[@hardtailparty]

Either works. It depends on how much speed you're coming in at and how good you are at timing your pedals for a wheelie.

[@vijayanchomatil8413]

@@hardtailparty Also, i'm trying to get my GF into mtb. Should i get her an FS or like myself is an HT fine.

[@hardtailparty]

fs

[@josephnubile1970]

I have a good question for you. How do you feel about OVAL chainrings on a hardtail, are they worth the expense or is it just HYPE....

[@hardtailparty]

See my video on this very topic

[@josephnubile1970]

​@@hardtailparty I watched your video and really enjoyed it. on my banshee paradox v3 build I will be running a shimano 11-42 cassette 11 speed , currently I have Eagle on my other 2 bikes and I like it but shifting sometimes gets hung up and on a previous bike the shimano set up worked flawlessly, so should I go for the 30 Absolute black or 32 .Thanks for the help

[@andrewj4752]

If my local trails looked like that I think I'd probably go back to flat pedals.

[@nemesis256]

What's with the hoodie and long sleeves? Isn't it hot down there?

[@hardtailparty]

Nope, but the sun is fierce on the skin. It's a thin fishing hoody to protect from the sun. I don't want skin cancer.

[@marcalmazan5825]

More more videos

[@billrose2339]

Steve - Which bike are you riding here? Is that the Banshee?

[@hardtailparty]

Marin pine mountain 2

[@rossimessi1]

What is your wifes channel? Thanks.

[@hardtailparty]

Dusty betty

[@mattcoalter1769]

Do either of you get frustrated when doing things like this? Has there ever been a point where one of you is just done and just wants to continue having fun?

[@hardtailparty]

We work well together. There was a time that I didn't coach her because it was frustrating for both of us, but now we know how hard we can push each other. What you don't see in this video is how she's been on cloud nine for weeks after this, knowing she cleaned every inch. It's work, and we set out on these rides with a goal in mind. The goal isn't dun on these days, it's improvement. 99% of our rides are for fun though.

[@mattcoalter1769]

@@hardtailparty that is awesome! I hear a lot of people trying to coach and the only one that seems into it is the coach.

[@hardtailparty]

She requested it for this ride. She asked if I'd join and coach her on this trail.

[@ems0001]

I learned that Dusty Betty needs a lighter bike.. get on dude! :P

[@cellphonenut]

Great coaching Steve👏And hats of to Tess nothing easy to clean in Sedona while on a MTB for sure. 💪