Measuring Progress for a Bet. Best Way?

[Zer0 Defects]

A couple of co-workers and myself want to have a competition to see who can get in the best shape in 3 months (or rather, make the most progress from where they begin). The problem is that we are all at different levels of fitness so we are having a difficult time coming up with a fair way to measure progress and determine who the winner would be.

Couple of methods:

1) Inches Lost ... problem here is some people are a bit bigger and will have an easier time shedding more inches than the leaner people who would be striving to add muscle.

2) BF % ... same problem as above, some people are leaner with low BF (and would be more toward working to put on muscle) and others would be for lowering their BF

3) Pictures ... some of them will not do pictures, so thats not even an option.


I'm guessing the best would be a hybrid with many measurements with those weighted in favor of the larger folks and those weighted for the skinny people, but I was just curious if anyone else has ideas or perhaps has done this before.

Thanks!

 

[cyrex]

a fitness test

then use a %age improvement

Pushups, situps, mile run etc.

and if no one is over 25% bf.. you can just use pure numbers on the fitness test cause 12 weeks should be enough for any of the fatter people to catch up to the people in better shape.

 

[Mr.X]

A couple of co-workers and myself want to have a competition to see who can get in the best shape in 3 months (or rather, make the most progress from where they begin). The problem is that we are all at different levels of fitness so we are having a difficult time coming up with a fair way to measure progress and determine who the winner would be.

Couple of methods:

1) Inches Lost ... problem here is some people are a bit bigger and will have an easier time shedding more inches than the leaner people who would be striving to add muscle.

2) BF % ... same problem as above, some people are leaner with low BF (and would be more toward working to put on muscle) and others would be for lowering their BF

3) Pictures ... some of them will not do pictures, so thats not even an option.


I'm guessing the best would be a hybrid with many measurements with those weighted in favor of the larger folks and those weighted for the skinny people, but I was just curious if anyone else has ideas or perhaps has done this before.

Thanks!

Use inches, bodyfat and overall measurements. Use a % method so size will not be a factor.

 

[cyrex]

But Mr. X, some want to gain, some want to lose. Those numbers will work if someone develops a clever formula to make it fair for someone who wants to gain muscle compared to someone who wants to lose fat.

 

[Mr.X]

But Mr. X, some want to gain, some want to lose.

then it's not a valid contest, for you'll be comparing apples and oranges.

 

[cyrex]

Yeah. I don't think this contest is gonna work out so well Goodluck zer0 defects . . .

 

[Zer0 Defects]

thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I think we are going to perhaps have 2 contests now, one for gainers, and one for losers (lol).

 

[Lifterforlife]

Do a bicep to waist measurement. Use this as a ratio. The biggest change for the good either way would be the winner. For example, if your bicep is 16, and waist 32, you have a ratio of 2. If your bicep goes up(trying to gain to say 17, you now have a 1.8 ratio. Or if your waist goes down to say 31, you ratio would change to 1.9. If however you gain to much fat and your waist would go up to 34, you would have a ratio fo 2.1 and this is a bad change. It is subtle, but may be one way to work things.

 

[JKurz1]

boner....how could u have a comp where some want to bulk and some cut??? lol........group those togethe and go % of muscle gained/fat loss...........ANYONE can lose weight.........anyone. BUT, the trick is can you lose fat with MINIMAL muscle loss......