DanishDJ
Don Juan
How do I do that? Was reading some article that sugested doing it every week to track the progress.
Measuring bodyfat percentage
- Thread starter DanishDJ
- Start date
diablo
Master Don Juan
You can use a caliper, or have it done via a machine at your gym. Once a week is extreme, I'd say do it every other month if not quarterly thoughout the year. For the same reason, you shouldn't weigh yourself once a week... Although like with everything else, practice makes perfect - having no experience doing it don't expect that you'll be able to accurately determine your BF on your own. Best bet is to go to your gym and ask them to hook you up to the machine and pulse that current through your body!
I dont know how it's done, but i heard it's from some electrical charged sent through your body.
i had one done for free in the street. it was a small machine, about the size of a cd player with 2 handles on it where i clench my hands around. I inputted my weight, height, and age into it. took about a second or 2 and got a result.
the person took the # that the machine gave her and compared it with a statistics chart of the average population with % of body fat.
of course im underweight, and all muscle. of course my body fat % was so low that it wasnt even on the chart, which surprised me.
i had one done for free in the street. it was a small machine, about the size of a cd player with 2 handles on it where i clench my hands around. I inputted my weight, height, and age into it. took about a second or 2 and got a result.
the person took the # that the machine gave her and compared it with a statistics chart of the average population with % of body fat.
of course im underweight, and all muscle. of course my body fat % was so low that it wasnt even on the chart, which surprised me.
those machines aren't very good at all... like +/- 5% or something, which is completely unacceptable.
The caliper's a little better, but still not quite.
Body fat % is just a gauge, and when they say to take it every week or so... they want you to use a consistent method of taking it, just to measure the progress that your method generates.
For example, if you use the little scale thingy, and it gives you 15%, and in 4 weeks you're at 13%, you'll be excited, and the fact that it's a little off is kind of offset by the consistency of using the same machine or caliper.
Your best way of measuring progress is with a mirror and images. Take pictures of yourself every week on the same day in front of a mirror, in the same outfit... and keep them together. Then you can check out your progress.
The caliper's a little better, but still not quite.
Body fat % is just a gauge, and when they say to take it every week or so... they want you to use a consistent method of taking it, just to measure the progress that your method generates.
For example, if you use the little scale thingy, and it gives you 15%, and in 4 weeks you're at 13%, you'll be excited, and the fact that it's a little off is kind of offset by the consistency of using the same machine or caliper.
Your best way of measuring progress is with a mirror and images. Take pictures of yourself every week on the same day in front of a mirror, in the same outfit... and keep them together. Then you can check out your progress.
BootsOfEscaping
Don Juan
I agree with most of above, except for weighing yourself. Cause it doesn't matter what you weigh. You're doing this to look good, right? So go by looks. Your weight could go up/down, depending on muscle gain or fat loss or whatever. But look for the visual results. Not your weight or BMI cause those aren't the greatest indicators of it working or not.
Nightwing
Master Don Juan
There are tools such as skinfold caliphers and there are also digital scales out there that show your weight and bodyfat percentage. If you look in catalogs that sell wrestling gear, you'll find some. Cheaper versions of these type of scales can be found in drug stores such as walgreens. Other things you may try are going to your gym--usually they also have machines that measure bodyfat, or even try hydrostatic weighing if it is accessable to you.
BootsOfEscaping
Don Juan
Yes your best bet is to just go by how you look. I don't bother with the scale at all. My trainer (Swolecat in case any of you have heard of him) does the same. He is about 245, 6-7%bf but says he only really gets tested about twice a year.