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My wife and I are quite competitive, however being of the opposite sex it's hard for us to compete with things like push-ups etc.

I'm looking to find some other exercises that we can do together that have a competitive edge, but where we can be on an even playing field.

Note my wife is around the same fitness level, but not the same in terms of strength.

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  • try planks for time
    – J. Win.
    Jul 2, 2012 at 21:48

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Do something that doesn't require strength in the traditional sense (i.e. moving large weights). For example, with yoga, I often found myself shaking and occasionally falling flat on my face, even though the exercise didn't seem hard or difficult at first. Try holding the posture for 10+ seconds and it's a different story. I also found that on average, in my class, women were doing better than men, so this is probably a good thing for what you're looking for.

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You guys should do relay races together!

In the states, my husband and I do the Muddy Buddy. He is 10" taller than me so sharing a bike has been daunting. He looks like those clowns that ride tiny bikes (less the make-up). I see you are in Australia, here's a site for some Adventure Races. You guys can work on improving times together. Adventure races are so much fun with a partner and it's always a great community.

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Try picking up a new sport...I recommend Tennis for both you and your wife. If you are both new to the sport, you will be on the same level. Also, Tennis has a very large competitive edge to it.

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  • Any reason why this is a good idea?
    – Ivo Flipse
    Mar 24, 2011 at 11:46
  • ...Yeah, tennis is a game where physical strength is usually negated by control or technique. Which makes it excellent for both men and women to play together competitively.
    – Michael
    Mar 24, 2011 at 14:23
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    I was just trying to tempt you into making your answer more complete and elaborate. Because currently it is more like a comment ;-)
    – Ivo Flipse
    Mar 24, 2011 at 14:49
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Here is an example of one that we currently use:

Both people sit upright opposite each other with each person's legs lifted and feet facing the other persons feet.

Arms off the ground.

Using just your feet try and knock the other person off balance.

Try not to knock the person flat on their back. Play competitively not aggressively.

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Have you ever tried Indoor climbing? For a competitive couple I couldn't think of any better sport to do. It's becoming popular so there might be an indoor climbing hall in your town as well. The ones I've been to are safe, inexpensive and beginner friendly.

Since ones body mass does affect the amount of physical exertion while climbing up the wall, men and women should be even.

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  • Generally, men will start out better (since they're stronger), but be surpassed sometime after ~1 year of climbing, when technique becomes increasingly important and the guy just never learned it (and the girl had to). That said, even among people who climb at the same levels, there are always problems which will be easier or harder for you, so it's always possible to "compete".
    – VPeric
    Dec 25, 2013 at 12:04

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