Beat Your Best: The Power of Personal Bests

Imagine you can jump 80 cm today. Last week you could only jump 75 cm. Have you beaten anyone else? Maybe not — but have you beaten someone important? Yes — you have beaten yourself! That gap of 5 cm is something to be really proud of. In PE, we have a special name for your best-ever score. Can you guess what it might be called?

A personal best — often written as PB — is the greatest result YOU have ever achieved in a specific activity. It could be your fastest time in a sprint, your longest jump, your highest score in target throwing, or the most skips in 30 seconds without stopping. The key word is personal. Your PB belongs only to you. It does not matter what your classmates score. What matters is whether today's result beats your own previous best. Why do we use personal bests in PE? First, everyone starts from a different place. One child might naturally run faster than another. That does not mean the slower child is failing. If the slower child shaves two seconds off their time, that is real progress — and a new PB. Second, PBs are honest. You cannot fake a PB. You measure carefully, record the number, and then try to beat it next time. Third, PBs keep you motivated. Every time you get a new PB, you have evidence that your practice is working. How to measure a PB fairly: 1. Always use the same conditions — same distance, same rules, same equipment. 2. Measure accurately — use a stopwatch, a tape measure, or a clear counting method. 3. Record your result straight away so you do not forget. 4. Repeat the activity next time and compare the two numbers. For example: if you are timing a 25-metre sprint, start the clock at exactly the same point each time and stop it at exactly the same finish line. That way, your results are fair to compare.