Estimate Your Body Fat Percentage the Easy Way

[Rowbro]

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

[Coolcicada]

Great post.

Bump

[Chris806]

dang that last guy..

[gtslmfao]

Good thread

I'm about the same as the 2nd pic.

[MirinMan]

Good post.
I learned a little bit.

I'd say I'm about 13%

Repped & should be stickied

[Rowbro]

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.

[MirinMan]

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.

I'm an athlete. I don't see any point in going lower than 8-10%

[stirb]

Im not listed, wheres the potbelly big upper body guy?

[MirinMan]

Im not listed, wheres the potbelly big upper body guy?

Above 20% without seeing you there's really no way to judge.

[Sky00123]

Glad this was posted. Last guy is scary

[Rowbro]

I'm an athlete. I don't see any point in going lower than 8-10%

Same. I wanna get to 10% this summer. I actually think anything much less than that looks a lot less aesthetic. Hoping to look something like the pics of Abdominator between 10% and 12%.

By the way what sport do you play?

[MirinMan]

Same. I wanna get to 10% this summer. I actually think anything much less than that looks a lot less aesthetic. Hoping to look something like the pics of Abdominator between 10% and 12%.

By the way what sport do you play?

Rugby and football you?

I start to feel too skinny if I cut too much

[crazdave]

great post, helps a lot.

[Rowbro]

Rugby and football you?

I start to feel too skinny if I cut too much

Nice, both very fun sports!

I played basketball in high school but now I do crew/rowing. Hence my name

[fabians94]

Really good post. Beneficial to say the least.

Repped.

[MirinMan]

Nice, both very fun sports!

I played basketball in high school but now I do crew/rowing. Hence my name

I was just thinking row like the compound lol. I wasn't sure.

[Rowbro]

I was just thinking row like the compound lol. I wasn't sure.

Yeah that's what most people think at first on here haha. But it make sense, and hey, I do love pendlay rows, so I guess it could be both

[Rowbro]

Bump, how can I ask for this thread to be stickied?

[CodRG92]

good post OP I learned alot. should definitely be stickied. (would rep if had any)

also, last guy kinda creeps me out...

[MirinMan]

Bump, how can I ask for this thread to be stickied?

Bump. I have no idea.

[gtslmfao]

This needs to be a sticky...

5+ body fat threads every hour gets old (srs)

[Rowbro]

This needs to be a sticky...

5+ body fat threads every hour gets old (srs)

I know, I am so annoyed with answering those questions, I just saw 2 in a row posted lol.

[bobbysto]

fuark....
That last guy...

[Socalchoirboy]

Bump for people who need to learn

[Rowbro]

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).

[danbradster]

The same reference style, but different photos from 35% to 3% can be found here - sportsscience.co/before-and-after/example-photos-of-different-body-fat-percentages/

[danbradster]

The same reference style, but different photos from 35% to 3% can be found here - Body Fat Percentage Photos

Did anybody try out the table? I know it works for me, I look like between the 10% guy and 15% guy, and when tested I got 13.9%. I'm interested to know if it works for other people.

[domination303]

i cant tell what mine is i can see the top 4 abs , but the bottom two i can not see and im not 12% so i don't know

[mm394006]

The last dudes skin is paper thin. His elbows and knees look nonhuman.

[dacotahd]

Guys you know fat calipers cost like $14? I just picked on up today at my fitrx