Bodyfat % confusion

[littlejohn]

Okay, here goes.
I'm 29 years old, 5'-11", 260lbs.

Online calculators say I'm at 36-37% bodyfat. I've never taken any stock in those things anyway, so scratch those results.
I met with the personal trainer at the gym a couple weeks ago. I had her take her measurements three times and give me an average. She told me I was at 33.8%.
I got my Accu-Measure caliper in the mail today. It says to take the measurement from the suprailliac. I have taken six measurements so far. Each and every time, it clicks at 28-28.5mm. According to the chart that came with it, I'm only 24.2%.

Personal trainer lady said I was at 178lbs lean mass, 80lbs fat (258lbs total).
According to the formula in the caliper instructions, I'm 197.08lbs lean mass and 62.92lbs fat.

Personal trainer lady took a measurement just to the right of my right shoulder on the breast, one at the suprailliac, and one on my outer right thigh. I'm taking the measurement exactly where the Accu-Measure instructions say to. What am I supposed to believe?

[taseal]

I thought the thigh (or was it the breast) was a place for females?

[nvhladek]

Well, dude, I would say trust the calipers that you use yourself. There's no way that you could weigh 260 lbs and have a 38" waist and be 33% bodyfat. I am 5' 11.75", 203lbs, 38.5in waist, 16.5" neck and according to the calculator, I'm about 22% BF. If I weighed 260 lbs (my max was 240 lbs, BTW), I would have something like a 46" waist. So the very fact that you are 260 and 38" waist means you're carrying around some nice muscle on your legs and arms.

I ran your numbers in my calc (which, I know, you don't like, trust, etc.), and if you have a 16.5" neck, you're about 22% BF. If you've got a 17.5" neck, it estimates around 20%.

Anyway, check it out for yourself.
http://www.he.net/~zone/prothd2.html

Question about the lady at the gym with you BF%: was she trying to sell you something? Because it just sounds like comparing with me, you're numbers sound right.

[littlejohn]

Interesting! I'll check that out. When I press in the skin around my waist, I hit bone. And BTW, my neck is 18".
Most of my weight is gut. That'll throw your calc off a little, I think.
Oh, personal trainer lady was my first "complimentary" trainer session. She, of course, was trying to get me to sign up for training sessions. I'm starting to think she calculated me a little too high in order to get me to sign up.

[adoniscomplex]

i doubt she would of done that , as a trainer we dont really get clients based on how fat a number reads its more based on how much they think they need help

25% bodyfat is pretty much a normal looking bigger guy , belly but nothing that people would be taken back by
34% is really up there
so ..you can prolly get an idea that way , just judging your look in the mirror
i presonally take measurements and use the navy calculator which i find to read me about the same as everything else

dont get to hung up on a number
just keep pushing to get better and you;ll get where you want to be

[adoniscomplex]

are you are 38 inch waist pant size or did you tape measure around your belly button to be 38 inches around

if its the tape measure you def are not more then 25% body fat

[littlejohn]

Okay, belly button is 48, pant size is 38. Little bit of an overhang there...gross.
I read the chart wrong, but it's only one space off from what I was supposed to be reading. The caliper clicks at 28mm which according to my age means I'm 25.2%, not 24.2% as I stated before.
Recalculating...
total weight = 260
bf = 25.2
(axb) / 100 = 65.52lbs fat
260-65.52 = 194.48lbs lean

[littlejohn]

Update:
I found a 7 point pinch test over at ABCBodybuilding.com along with an Excel file they have where you just plug in all seven measurements, your age, and weight and it does all the calculations for you.
I've read that 7 point measurements are a lot more exact than 3 point measurements. I can't wait to see what the difference is between this one and the one point measurement that the caliper instructions say to use.

[mc-fine]

I ran your numbers in my calc (which, I know, you don't like, trust, etc.), and if you have a 16.5" neck, you're about 22% BF. If you've got a 17.5" neck, it estimates around 20%.

Anyway, check it out for yourself.
http://www.he.net/~zone/prothd2.html

Tried the Navy calculator and it says I am at 17% BF. I know my scale at home is useless as in a span of 4 hrs I can go from 27% to 32%. Just going to buy the calipers from the BB store and call it a day.