I see a lot of threads on here almost every day asking people to help them estimate their own body fat levels, and what an ideal body fat percentage is.
There is no single perfect answer to this question; each person is different in terms of lean mass, fat mass and body fat distribution. Therefore, in most cases there's no definitive answer to your question. However, you can easily estimate body fat percentages if you know what the percentages look like (roughly) on other people.
Though you can use tools like calipers, or certain high-tech bodyfat percentage calculating machines where you sit in a "bod-pod" and it measures air or water displacement, these methods will definitely cost you some money. The easiest, fastest and, often-times if you are experienced, best way to estimate your body fat percentage is by practicing visualization.
It's really very easy, I learned from looking at this article that's been bouncing around different sites for some time now:
http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/losing-we...at-levels.html
Full house
Over or near 20% bodyfat with no visible muscle definition and only a hint of separation between major muscle groups if those groups are very large. Basically a person in this state could be confused for a football linebacker. If you're higher than this bodyfat percentage, you'd be considered overweight/obese.
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attach...5&d=1064029833
Hard
Some muscle separation appears between delts and upper arm. Abs are still not visible. Approximately 15% bodyfat.
First guy is probably in the lower teens, 13-15% approximately. Second guy is a little higher, maybe 14-17% (notice you can see his abs a bit; this is a testament to the wide variation humans have in body fat distribution).
http://thisiswhyyourejacked.com/wp-c...11/02/dave.jpg
Cut
More muscle separation appears particularly in the chest and back, outline of the abs begins to appear slightly. Approximate bodyfat level = 12%
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attach...2&d=1059941438
Defined
Muscle separations get deeper in the arms, chest, legs and back, and abs appear when flexed. Approx. bodyfat level = 10%
Ripped
Abs are clearly visible all the time, vascularity in arms is prominent, chest and back separation is obvious, and face is starting to appear more angular. Condition can be held indefinitely. Approximate bodyfat level = 7-9%
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attach...8&d=1052741270
Shredded
Striations appear in large muscle groups when they are flexed. You look small in clothes, but look fantastic when you're not. Vascularity appears in lower abdomen and in the legs. Condition can be held for several days with careful dieting. Competitive bodybuilders often aim for this state for competition day. Approximate bodyfat level = 5-7%
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attach...9&d=1063572548
Sliced
Muscles and tendons begin to appear in the face when chewing, striations appear everywhere and vascularity appears everywhere. Bodyfat levels are close to 3% and subcutaneous water levels are near 0. Condition can only be held for a few hours at a time. Not a healthy condition to stay in due to lower water level.
http://thisiswhyyourejacked.com/wp-c...sick-puppy.jpg
^most monstrously shredded guy ever
A word of advice to novice trainees:
Most of you may look at these pictures and think "wow I don't look anything like those guys". This is because your do not have a lot of muscle mass compared to the guys in the pictures. If you see yourself in the mirror and decide you have 16% bodyfat, it doesn't mean you should go on a cut. The smartest thing to do at that point is to find a good weight training program that will build strength and mass. My vote is for a full body program that utilizes compound lifts.
Proper training can be learned in many other stickies, but in general you have to eat more calories than your body burns in order to add mass to your body. If you are able to efficiently add muscle mass in your first couple of months of training, your body fat percentage will actually go down. That is because simple math dictates that if your lean mass increases faster than your fat mass, the ratio of fat to lean mass will go down (resulting in a lower bodyfat percentage and a leaner but more muscular look for you). Take this into account when deciding what to do with your diet.
So now you guys should know how to estimate your body fat! If you are ever forgetful, just check this thread from time to time and visualize what specific percentages of body fat you happen to be at. Good luck with your gains, and remember lift hard, eat big and sleep well![/b]
All credit goes to the writer of this article, without it I would never know anything about estimating bodyfat percentages. Thank you!
http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/losing-we...at-levels.html
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03-16-2012, 07:28 PM #1
Estimate Your Body Fat Percentage the Easy Way
Last edited by Rowbro; 03-16-2012 at 07:59 PM.
500+ Just say rep back
LEARN PROPER SQUAT TECHNIQUE!
http://oldschooltrainer.com/how-to-squat/
One of the BEST threads on this site: Posture Correction Information and Techniques, by Gzus
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=123812871
"i sequence the genome of every girl i meet. it has costed me millions of dollars, and i'm honestly not sure what to do with the raw data."
-BandApart
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03-16-2012, 07:32 PM #2
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03-16-2012, 07:36 PM #3
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03-16-2012, 07:39 PM #4
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03-16-2012, 07:44 PM #5
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03-16-2012, 08:01 PM #6
Glad you guys liked it.
Munzer's body was so crazy! But really you can't get leaner than probably 5 or 6 percent body fat naturally. That level of dryness combined with such muscle mass retention is usually due to a combination of weight loss drugs and AAS. In fact that last guy died from a lifetime of steroid abuse.500+ Just say rep back
LEARN PROPER SQUAT TECHNIQUE!
http://oldschooltrainer.com/how-to-squat/
One of the BEST threads on this site: Posture Correction Information and Techniques, by Gzus
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=123812871
"i sequence the genome of every girl i meet. it has costed me millions of dollars, and i'm honestly not sure what to do with the raw data."
-BandApart
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03-16-2012, 08:05 PM #7
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03-16-2012, 08:06 PM #8
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03-16-2012, 08:11 PM #9
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03-16-2012, 08:12 PM #10
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03-16-2012, 08:31 PM #11
Last edited by Rowbro; 03-16-2012 at 08:37 PM.
500+ Just say rep back
LEARN PROPER SQUAT TECHNIQUE!
http://oldschooltrainer.com/how-to-squat/
One of the BEST threads on this site: Posture Correction Information and Techniques, by Gzus
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=123812871
"i sequence the genome of every girl i meet. it has costed me millions of dollars, and i'm honestly not sure what to do with the raw data."
-BandApart
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03-16-2012, 08:55 PM #12
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03-16-2012, 09:10 PM #13
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03-16-2012, 10:07 PM #14500+ Just say rep back
LEARN PROPER SQUAT TECHNIQUE!
http://oldschooltrainer.com/how-to-squat/
One of the BEST threads on this site: Posture Correction Information and Techniques, by Gzus
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=123812871
"i sequence the genome of every girl i meet. it has costed me millions of dollars, and i'm honestly not sure what to do with the raw data."
-BandApart
-
03-16-2012, 10:58 PM #15
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03-16-2012, 11:42 PM #16
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03-17-2012, 01:30 AM #17500+ Just say rep back
LEARN PROPER SQUAT TECHNIQUE!
http://oldschooltrainer.com/how-to-squat/
One of the BEST threads on this site: Posture Correction Information and Techniques, by Gzus
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=123812871
"i sequence the genome of every girl i meet. it has costed me millions of dollars, and i'm honestly not sure what to do with the raw data."
-BandApart
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03-17-2012, 03:23 PM #18
Bump, how can I ask for this thread to be stickied?
500+ Just say rep back
LEARN PROPER SQUAT TECHNIQUE!
http://oldschooltrainer.com/how-to-squat/
One of the BEST threads on this site: Posture Correction Information and Techniques, by Gzus
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=123812871
"i sequence the genome of every girl i meet. it has costed me millions of dollars, and i'm honestly not sure what to do with the raw data."
-BandApart
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03-17-2012, 03:32 PM #19
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03-17-2012, 05:19 PM #20
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03-17-2012, 05:20 PM #21
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03-17-2012, 05:33 PM #22500+ Just say rep back
LEARN PROPER SQUAT TECHNIQUE!
http://oldschooltrainer.com/how-to-squat/
One of the BEST threads on this site: Posture Correction Information and Techniques, by Gzus
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=123812871
"i sequence the genome of every girl i meet. it has costed me millions of dollars, and i'm honestly not sure what to do with the raw data."
-BandApart
-
03-17-2012, 07:44 PM #23
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06-01-2012, 09:27 PM #24
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06-01-2012, 09:42 PM #25
At first I talked to Alan Aragon asking if he could sticky it, then he said no it was basically the "least important thing kids need to worry about" so I was like "ah nvm, I'll take it out of my sig". Well I went offline for like 2 weeks b/c of a new job, then came back and STILL saw the same ****ing threads. So I think it's somewhat necessary for people to learn to estimate bf percentages just by visualizing. It's really not hard at all. Yes I did realize there is the critical mistake of not including pics of girls, but come on this isn't the female misc (not being sexist, just saying). So read up guys, this is pretty informative (especially since they have pics of the same guy at different bf % levels, that is very good).
500+ Just say rep back
LEARN PROPER SQUAT TECHNIQUE!
http://oldschooltrainer.com/how-to-squat/
One of the BEST threads on this site: Posture Correction Information and Techniques, by Gzus
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=123812871
"i sequence the genome of every girl i meet. it has costed me millions of dollars, and i'm honestly not sure what to do with the raw data."
-BandApart
-
11-20-2012, 09:27 PM #26
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11-25-2012, 12:59 AM #27
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01-10-2013, 10:33 AM #28
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03-07-2013, 12:03 PM #29
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03-07-2013, 12:07 PM #30
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