Body Fat Caliper Testing - Weird Result

[Kid Blast]

Got my body fat tested with calipers this morning. Result was 23% fat.

Seems pretty high. I'm 6'2", 185 lbs and look relatively lean. (Got some mid section fat, but not much else.) My wife tested last time at 22%. No way she's leaner than me.

These were digital calipers. Looked like all the trainer did was check bi, tri, lat and ab skinfold measurements. The resulting digital readout appeared to be the sum of each measurement. I had him do it twice.

I wonder if he did something wrong, like forgot to multiply the result by something.

Anybody know how these digital calipers work? (Or am I just in denial and I'm a fattie?)

 

[genarr3]

At 6'2" 185 lbs I sure hope you're not 23% bf.

 

[nautica]

fat caliber accuracy is always within 5-35%. Yep, I said it right. They suck, especially if the person using it doesn't know what he is doing.

Nautica

Fat calipers should only be used as a guage in your progress not as a device to accurate measure your progress. Also, it should be measured in the same spots by the same person.

The mirror works better.

 

[Rebelrocker]

Exactly nautica.

 

[gwl9dta4]

aslo the methods and formulas used in the testing of BF using the calipers work under certain assumptions. One of them is that you have an equal BF distribution. But if you are like me, where my thighs, back, obliques, and biceps have very thin skin but very thick skin on my abs, chest and triceps, then you will get a skeved reading. I have gotten results showing me with close to 45 lbs of fat on me. Whatever.



sincerely

 

[Kakarot]

exactly what nautica said

 

[Kid Blast]

fat caliber accuracy is always within 5-35%. Yep, I said it right. They suck...


Thanks Guys! I was freaking out. The mirror says 12%.

 

[the_only_sepe]

I have both a digital, (fat track) and the regular calipers, to my surprise they both are both insync with eachother.

 

[Kid Blast]

At 6'2" 185 lbs I sure hope you're not 23% bf.

Let's see ... that would mean that a new york steak would have more lean body mass than me ...

Good point, Genarr.

I am a major genetic ectomorph. Before I started working out, I weighed in at a mere 115 lbs (at 6'2".) I was the proverbial 92-pound-weakling. (I actually think I was undernourished as a child.)

A decade of lifting and a couple cycles took me to 195. (With 6 1/4" wrists - I actually look big at that.) Took a couple years off cuz of work and family. Funny thing is my set point appeared to have moved to about 180 lbs. Now I'm back in the gym. Lost some fat, gained some muscle and almost ready to cycle once more.

Thanks again for the feedback guys!

 

[HDUDE]

BODY FAT TESTING

I MEASURE BODY FAT ALMOST EVERY DAY, ON MY CLIENTS,AND YOUR RIGHT,THEY ARE NOT TOTALLEY ACURATE,ESPECALLY WITH WOMEN(BREAST TISSUE& ASS) he he anyways Yes it is a guide and more than enough are they acurate enough to see if you have healthy, or unhealthy body fat,and that is what im looking at as a Trainer, the best and most acurate is the Underwater test,they do those in college and so,but other wise not necasary,
its funny they say for a man over 22% is unhealthy,wich they classifey as obeise, yeah right! I get these skinney dudes all the time and they have unheathy bdy fat big time,,he he they allways go away schocked, teh funniest are the Vegatariens, they are allways fat<