# How to make the Y axis non-cumulative

**URL:** <https://forum.beeminder.com/t/how-to-make-the-y-axis-non-cumulative/2042>\
**Category:** Newbee\
**Created:** [March 20, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/how-to-make-the-y-axis-non-cumulative/2042 "2016-03-20T15:43:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pocket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ea5d25/32.png) [@pocket](https://forum.beeminder.com/u/pocket)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/how-to-make-the-y-axis-non-cumulative/2042/1 "2016-03-20T15:43:40Z")

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Hello!

I hope this isn’t a silly question. I’m trying to make a goal to get me to do x amount of squats per week, starting with about 40 a week and working my way up to a bigger number.

Whenever I use the ‘Do More’ option to make my graph it only gives me a cumulative y axis. How do I change this? The settings don’t appear to have an option for this

Thank you.

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**Author:** ![drtall](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.beeminder.com/drtall/32/1341_2.png) [@drtall](https://forum.beeminder.com/u/drtall)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/how-to-make-the-y-axis-non-cumulative/2042/2 "2016-03-20T17:19:29Z")

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The short answer is that it isn’t possible. The long answer is probably [Why Beeminder likes cumulative graphs](http://forum.beeminder.com/t/why-beeminder-likes-cumulative-graphs/498)

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**Author:** ![pocket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ea5d25/32.png) [@pocket](https://forum.beeminder.com/u/pocket)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/how-to-make-the-y-axis-non-cumulative/2042/3 "2016-03-20T18:28:33Z")

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Thank you drtall, it’s good to know I wasn’t missing anything. I guess I’ll fiddle around with my graph so that I’m still achieving my goal but with a cumulative measurement.

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**Author:** ![peppertoni](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.beeminder.com/peppertoni/32/913_2.png) [@peppertoni](https://forum.beeminder.com/u/peppertoni)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 8:13am UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/how-to-make-the-y-axis-non-cumulative/2042/4 "2016-03-21T08:13:10Z")

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You can use the odometer goal type for your goal and it will be non-cumulative and the rate will be your actual improvement. It works best if you are intending to make steady progress to a goal number. It doesn’t work so well for committing to do a specific stable amount of squats per week - the do more type is better for that.

> I’ve used odometer type goals to enforce progression on fitness goals. Just set the rate to your desired improvement rate. [Here](https://www.beeminder.com/peppertoni/goals/pressups), I improved my consecutive press ups by 2.8 per week to reach the goal of being able to do 20 by the end of 2014.

Compare my goal above with @dreev’s [cumulative push ups goal](https://www.beeminder.com/d/goals/push). You might also want to note that his is still going and mine stopped over a year ago when I reached the goal.😅 So choose carefully and respond appropriately once you reach your goal!

You will have to set up a new goal for this or get support to switch it over if you want the odometer type.