Rate of Return as it Relates to Fitness
Written by Ricky Moore
Have you taken the time to think about your progress through a percentage? How about through a method in the finance realm known as the “Rate of Return”? Through a Rate of Return formula, we can better see how are goals are progressing, or in some case, degressing.
The Formula for Rate of Return is = (Current – Original)/ Original x 100.
So for instance if you hit a new PR at 135 pounds and your previous best was 130 pounds, the formula would be as follows:
(135-130)/130 x 100= 3.85%
So you improved by 3.85%!
Or let’s say your PR for pullups is 7 and then you knock out 10 one day:
(10-7)/7 x 100= 42.86%
You can now do 42.86% more pull-ups in one attempt! Wow!
You can also measure your Rate of Return for losing weight or getting faster times on a workout, you would just make the equation inversely related.
For instance, if you started at 170 pounds body weight and are now at 150 pounds, the equation would look like:
((1/150)-(1/170))/(1/170) x 100= 13.56%
Congrats! You now weigh 13.56% less than you did last time you checked!
Or you take your Fran time from 5 minutes to 3 minutes:
((⅓)-(⅕))/(⅕) x 100= 65%
You crushed that and are 65% faster than you were!
We always need to measure our progress and making sure we are staying true to ourselves that we are reaching our goals. As long as we are going positive percentage we keep ourselves honest and stay motivated to live a happier healthier life!