Measuring bodyfat

[Bulldog_10]

For testing on what your actual BF % is ? Absolutely not.

But if you know your (actual) BF %, a trained eye can tell if your % is going up or down (ever so slightly).

I am always at 11.4 to 11.6 % (hydrostatic). I can look in the mirror and judging by the sharpness on the outside of my abs and also on my quads, I can tell if I am going up or down % point or so.

Would it be an actual reliable figure ? No. and that was simply my contention with calipers. As stated in my original response I did use the word actual in parenthesis. If your happy with a range of +/- 2 - 5 % than its all good and this debate/discussion is moot. I (personally) would not be sastisfied
with +/- 2 to 5 % if done 100% correctly.

Pump on .....

If done 100% correctly, it correlates with hydrostatic 70-90%...however, if you're going by your method, and just want to see whether it is fluctuating, caliper testing is much better than looking in the mirror. If it's done by the same person every time, it is about 100% reliable in indicating changes in BF%.

 

[Dave949]

If it's done by the same person every time, it is about 100% reliable in indicating changes in BF%.

I Agree.

And I mentioned in my initial response to this thread they are OK to use to see if your BF is going up or down (aka changes) but not for (actual) %.

Pump on .....

 

[Generic MALE]

"Uh..thanks...you have been mos' hepful" - Eddie Murphy, from TRADING PLACES

 

[Judo Tom]

a six point reading is a much better way to track progress than a mirror imo

gotta agree with bulldog here

 

[majutsu]

Accu-Measure calipers are very reproducible. It's plastic, idiot proof, and very reproducible. How reliable is it? A study looking at commercial calipers showed to be closest to underwater weighing in about 60 college age fit people. It was reliable, and accurate within 3% or so of BF%. This is considered good for skinfold testing. Here's the study:
http://www.bodytrends.com/accustudy.pdf

You won't get better skinfold results with multiple measurements; you'll likely just mess up.

Actually, underwater weighing is not the gold standard, as marrow, and other elements change with training, but are not reflective of BF% changes per se. DEXA actually was shown in female rowers to change with training, somehow from potassium shifts. So, the real standard is MRI with volumetric and densiometry analysis. Unless, you have the MRI in your closet, just buy some accu-measures and do it once every six months (long enough that you don't make too much of change of 2% that could just be measurement variance). And use a mirror. I remember a story Arnold tells where in Mike M. was confident of victory before a contest because of body fat testing showing he was the most shredded competitor. Arnold jokes that apparently the judges didn't know Mike was supposed to win, and gave the title in question to Arnold. Nobody has an MRI when you compete or walk on the beach . . .

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Nobody has an MRI when you compete or walk on the beach . . .

You know, that is such a good point. Basically, what is the point of trying to get to a certain BF%? Does that mean anything.....really? A certain percentage is going to look different on any person - 10% on one person is going to look different than 10% on another - depending on where your fat is distributed and your genetics. And just because you are a certain percent, does not mean you will win a competition.

I can see wanting to get as lean as possible as a GOAL, but getting to a certain percentage? I guess to just see if you can do it, I can understand that. But really, if the overall LOOK is what you are going for, the mirror is a better test. If a certain look is the goal, then who really cares what the numbers are?

Interesting.

 

[Bulldog_10]

You know, that is such a good point. Basically, what is the point of trying to get to a certain BF%? Does that mean anything.....really? A certain percentage is going to look different on any person - 10% on one person is going to look different than 10% on another - depending on where your fat is distributed and your genetics. And just because you are a certain percent, does not mean you will win a competition.

I can see wanting to get as lean as possible as a GOAL, but getting to a certain percentage? I guess to just see if you can do it, I can understand that. But really, if the overall LOOK is what you are going for, the mirror is a better test. If a certain look is the goal, then who really cares what the numbers are?

Interesting.

I can't even tell you how many time I have to explain that to women in my gym. They all want to get down to a particular weight, and I have to tell them a million times that the number doesn't matter. It's how you look! And even though alot of them understand that they might not lose weight, but will still look better, they STILL want to get to that desired weight. It really pisses me off sometimes.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

I can't even tell you how many time I have to explain that to women in my gym. They all want to get down to a particular weight, and I have to tell them a million times that the number doesn't matter. It's how you look! And even though alot of them understand that they might not lose weight, but will still look better, they STILL want to get to that desired weight. It really pisses me off sometimes.

WHY are women like that? It is so funny. I get like that sometimes, and I know better! It annoys the hell outta me when I fall into that line of thinking, but I can't help it for some reason. Dumb, I know, especially since I know better. It is SO stupid to worry about weight - which is just gravity's pull on you - but still, it is a hard thing for women to get past.

 

[Bulldog_10]

WHY are women like that? It is so funny. I get like that sometimes, and I know better! It annoys the hell outta me when I fall into that line of thinking, but I can't help it for some reason. Dumb, I know, especially since I know better. It is SO stupid to worry about weight - which is just gravity's pull on you - but still, it is a hard thing for women to get past.

Tell me about it...sometimes women make me want to drive off a cliff when they do things like this. Especially when they say they know better, like SOMEONE i know

 

[Fonz]

You know, that is such a good point. Basically, what is the point of trying to get to a certain BF%? Does that mean anything.....really? A certain percentage is going to look different on any person - 10% on one person is going to look different than 10% on another - depending on where your fat is distributed and your genetics. And just because you are a certain percent, does not mean you will win a competition.

I can see wanting to get as lean as possible as a GOAL, but getting to a certain percentage? I guess to just see if you can do it, I can understand that. But really, if the overall LOOK is what you are going for, the mirror is a better test. If a certain look is the goal, then who really cares what the numbers are?

Interesting.

I use my BF%, as an indicator of how many calories I need to eat. I can drop 1-1.5% BF in a week if I don'y consume in excess of 3000Kcal. I have to watch my diet and BF% like a hawk or else I either get to lean and then end up getting joint problems, easy bruising, etc... the things that accompany low BF%. Not exactly the best thing to have happen to you in sports like soccer and track, which are very taxing on joints, ligaments, and tendons.

Fonz