Working out Bodyfat %

[Laino]

Hey Guys,

Im trying to figure out the best way of calculating my bodyfat. My PT is currently using calipers to work out the mm's (Dividing this figure by 8 to get BF%) but the figure doesnt seem right to me. My current figures are

Bicep - 4mm
Tricep - 10mm
Subscapular - 20mm
Chest - 15mm
Suprailiac - 20mm
Abdominals - 20mm
Thigh - 13mm
Calf - 10mm

Total - 112mm
Bodyfat - 14%


I highly doubt that im at 14% BF and thought i would be closer to high teens. So what is the best way to calculate BF manually without a stupid online calculator? What do the pro's use to get their figures?

Cheers,

[ejthomp]

A hydrostatic test is the only guaranteed way to get an accurate result. The other methods are just guesstimates that will vary a few percentage points. What's the difference? Is there a prize or award for making 10% or 14% or 16% or 18%?

My suggestion..... call it about 15%..... and look in the mirror. Let the mirror be your guide. Get over the whole..... I'm 14.695 % body fat.

[cheeseandrice]

can you see your abs at all?

[Laino]

Im not really concerned with "OMG im at x% Bodyfat", i have been measuring my BF this way for the past 7months (Started at 25.5%) and its more of a monitoring tool each month to see where i am at.

I just wanted to see if i was measuring correctly with calipers purely because now at 14%, i could see my original goal of Some Ab Definition closing in (8-12% BF). However, this is not realistic.

I can feel seperation under the fat and can see the outline on the sides but thats about it.

I understand that the caliper method is not 100% accurate but it is a tool that i have been using to monitor my fat loss similar to scales and body measuring.

Cheers,

[DJohnson]

Originally Posted by Laino

Suprailiac - 20mm

This would be 18.5% bodyfat by Accu-Measure. Although personally I add +3% to that because that's what I find to be true with my body. Another person could be -3%, all depends on you. Only thing you can do is cut until you like the way you look.