Here are the calipers I use, this is a link to the best price I have found for these inexpensive manual calipers at Amazon.com:
Calipers <----- Link to click
It comes with instructions and illustrations. This is the only low cost caliper accurate enough to be used for professional measurements and is the most widely used professional caliper in the world. Its primary disadvantage is that it does not
look professional, high tech or sophisticated. It is easy to use with convenient pistol grip and trigger, and it is spring-loaded to insure consistent measurements. It is made of ABS plastic and is the most durable of all calipers. It has a 5 year warranty, the longest of any caliper.
Here are 2 on-line calculators that allow you to use calipers (3 or 7 point test) or tape measure to determine Body Composition:
http://www.pcis.net/gagne/fitness/Entry.htm http://www.linear-software.com/online.html The second web page has illustrations for the points to obtain caliper measurements. The Top has a simple way to estimate bodyfat using tape measure measurements.
All measurement should be taken on the right side.
Measurements should be taken from the same place on the body, always at the same time of day, with weight taken in the same cloths, on the same scale every time you do it.
With this figure you will have a starting point to
measure the changes in your body composition over time...keep track in a journal!
The methods YOU can use to test your bodyfat yourself are unreliable on a one time basis.
They are better used to track changes over time on an ongoing basis. Test
every 1-3 weeks depending on your goals. It does take a little practice to get sufficiently good at taking consistent measurements.