Bmi and body fat measurements are two methods you can use to assess your body weight and composition. There are also hand held devices and scales which measure body fat but these are often inaccurate.
How And Why To Measure Your Body Fat Percentage
Gym body fat measurement. Skinfold calipers measure the thickness of your subcutaneous fat the fat underneath the skin at certain body locations. While they can provide some useful baseline data they shouldnt be the main focus when it. After the measurements are taken the data are summed and applied to an equation to estimate body fat. Determine your body fat percentage with our body fat calculator. Body fat can also be estimated using cross sectional imaging methods such as magnetic resonance imaging mri nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and computerized tomography ct. For our purposes the easiest and most accurate choice is the caliper method.
Hydrostatic weighing and other high tech machines are expensive and almost impossible for a layperson to access. These scans can provide the most precise body composition measurements especially for intra abdominal fat measurement. Measurements are taken at either 3 or 7 different sites on the body. Use a tape measure to determine your waist wrist hip and forearm circumference. Then input your gender and measurements below to receive a body fat index based on average values. Using body fat calipers.
Calipers specifically designed for skinfold measurement are the only equipment needed for this method of body fat assessment and range in cost from 3 to 300. The body fat index is not an indicator of fitness level since the calculation is made with no regard to height or weight.