BF% Scale

[JKurz1]

I know these are junk, but I've had one for years and am curious if anyone else does. My reads about 10%-11% every morning, but in fact, I'm about 7%......curious to what it reads for you guys and what your % truly is.......

 

[2Thick]

I know these are junk, but I've had one for years and am curious if anyone else does. My reads about 10%-11% every morning, but in fact, I'm about 7%......curious to what it reads for you guys and what your % truly is.......

Well considering that people like us (who train legs) have a higher percentage of LBM, that is what probably sets off the average reading.

 

[sawastea]

Measurements normally run around 15% on my Tanita, when in actuallity I'm around 11%

 

[tiger88]

those suck so bad, if u are serious about it try the water tank measurement(Msbeverlyhills here on EF has done this many times)

 

[Boulder257]

My Tanita reads anyone between 12% to 28% depending on the weather, and Mars alignment with Jupiter. I stick to a hand held for more accurate measurements. Although, Tiger is right about the tank measurements. That is the most accurate.

 

[rvd_brock]

So, generally, if a scale says around 13-14% it's actually like 9-10%? I got it done at a Jenny Craig on one of their wave-emitted scales.

Why was I at Jenny Craig, you ask? It's right next door to GNC, and I asked the GNC guy if they had bf% scales or calipers, and he told me to try next door, at the Jenny Craig.

It did come up as like 13.8%, but that was back like 4 months ago, and when I had since used calipers I showed about 10% bf. I doubt I have the resources to do the tank method, but I don't need it THAT accurate.

 

[zoom]

My Tanita usually reads between 21 and 28%. According to my great-niece, that has worked for Emory doing bf testing dunking patients in tanks so I trust her guess, she thinks I'm about 14%. The only thing the bodyfat scales are good for is looking for long-term trends. If you record the measurements over a long period of time while trying to test every time under the same conditions, you can average-out to find trends that are somewhat accurate. The absolute measurement, as shown by the 100% error for myself, is garbage, but you can measure your progress. Just measuring a few times is almost as bad as flipping a coin. After a month with the Tanita, it shows an almost 1% fat loss when you fit a line to the measurements. Since I'm cutting, that agrees with my expectations. Again, don't take a few measurements and think you have something useful. Record the measurements on graph paper and look at trends that are a month long or longer.

 

[variation]

I've used a tanita scale at the local health store, it's a modern one that considers muscle/water/fat, how exactly it determines these I am not sure, I haven't read a lot on them; However, it does seem to read me fairly accurately,(by guess) and similar results between it and calipers.

 

[ace6921]

Most universities can do a body fat reading underwater. If you are in Texas call the athletic dept. at Texas A&M. This is a very accurate test. I would assume most universities can offer the same.

--Ace

 

[JuicePimp]

If you want an easy, fairly accurate bf% measurement you can do at home without calipers try www.mybodycomp.com. It has you insert a bunch of measurements and then makes calculations based on them. It is within 1-2% of the calipers everytime. I had a trainer check me at the gym and then came home to compare with the info on that site. .08 of a difference for that rating. Definately worth checking out.

 

[Fast Twitch Fiber]

My tanita scale usually reads between 21-23%. However, the Bod Pod puts me at about 15%. Handheld BIA scales read about 11%. However, my tanita scale says it doesn't work with athletes. They have a different model that supposedly works for athletes.

 

[variation]

ya.. the one I used has the 'athlete' function.