To calculate the difference you simply subtract his height from his wingspan: Method #2: Difference Between Wingspan & HeightĮxample: Daniel Woods is 5′ 8″ (68 in or 172.7 cm) with a 72-inch (182.9 cm) wingspan. The advantage of expressing your ape index as a ratio is that it will stay the same regardless of whether you calculate it using inches or centimeters. A number greater than one means your wingspan is greater than your height, and a number less than one means your height is greater than your wingspan. When expressed as a ratio, Woods has an ape index of 1.06.īottom line: The typical ape index ratio is 1. To calculate his ape index as a ratio you divide his wingspan by his height: Method #1: Wingspan to Height RatioĮxample: Daniel Woods, arguably the greatest boulderer of all time, is 5′ 8″ (68 in) with a 72-inch wingspan. There are two ways to calculate your ape index: divide your wingspan by your height or subtract your height from your wingspan. The ape index is measured because in sports like rock climbing, swimming, boxing, and basketball it’s considered an advantage to have long arms for your height. It’s believed that most people’s wingspan is equivalent to their height, meaning most people have a neutral ape index or, put another way, an ape index ratio of 1. The ape index is a measurement of how your wingspan (aka arm span) compares to your height.
