Best device/way to measure body fat?
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Best device/way to measure body fat? - 8/6/2005 7:28:44 AM
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mindfreak
Posts: 523
Joined: 3/20/2005
From: Borneo Island
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Machines?
Methods?
What are the practical ways?
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 8/10/2005 10:39:54 PM
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mindfreak
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From: Borneo Island
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are the skin pinches expensive?
not that accurate i assume...
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 8/12/2005 7:50:20 AM
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Bigmike77
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doubt it, $15 max(im guessing, they dont seem to expensive)
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FYI: A peach a day, keeps the doctor away!
(in reply to mindfreak)
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 8/13/2005 1:54:47 PM
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taniea19
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Thry are called fat calipers and you can get them online. I found a gym in my town that will do it for $5 but most places charge at least $20.
Tanya
(in reply to Bigmike77)
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 10/9/2005 4:02:45 PM
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Wooden
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i just bought one of those scales that tells your weight and bf% by sending an electrical current through your body. i bought it for about $30, but you can buy ones that tell your weight,bf%, water weight, and how many calaries you should be consuming a day for about $70. Also it seems to be pretty dead on accurate.
(in reply to mindfreak)
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 10/27/2005 12:03:05 AM
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devonly
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i'm too stupid to use the website you suggested.
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 10/27/2005 12:04:20 AM
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devonly
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i picked one up for $8 new and not on sale.
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 1/30/2006 9:56:51 AM
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veggeep
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Those of you who followed my first six-month bodybuilding extravaganza know by now that I have never fully trusted my body fat stats. I began tracking body fat last July 30, using the FatTrack II digital skin fold caliper. Though the results were consistent, even I have a hard time believing they were accurate. Let's face it, the only people who ever achieve 3% body fat are competitive bodybuilders at the height of contest season, and even then, they have to practically dehydrate themselves to pull that off. If I was really carrying only 3% body fat, I expect I would be in hypothermic shock most of the time, LOL.
The problem started with my inherent mistrust of anything claiming to be a self-contained solution. So, right off the bat, I ditched the results that the FatTracker II was calculating and just relied on it for the actual skin fold measurements, which I plugged into my own equations. Well, it turns out, there are about as many different equations for calculating body fat from skin fold measurements as there are devices to take the measurements with. I assumed that a calculation which uses more measurement sites would be more accurate, so I went with the Jackson & Pollack 7-Site formula for athletes. I won't bore you with the advanced trigonometry lesson that this formula entails; suffice to say, the result was the blatantly impossible 3% value that I have been tracking for the last 6 months.
Turns out, the FatTracker II actually uses the Jackson & Pollack 3-site equation, which (surprise, surprise) works out to something like 9% body fat with the exact same measurements used in the 7-site version. To make matters worse, the FatTracker II is a piece of crap for taking measurements in the first place, because there's no way to know how much pressure to apply.
Enter eBay -the only way I'm getting my hands on one of those medical grade ANALOG skin fold calipers you see used in the gyms -you know, the ones that are designed to manage the pressure FOR you? I scored a Lange Caliper for $100 used, and I'll let you know how it works out.
From now on, I'm going with the 3-site formula, just to eliminate the brain damage.
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Yes, that's me in my avatar, and NO, I don't look like that today. That was taken back in Jan '07, and I lost most of that progress when I slacked off last year. I'm on my way back, tho, and I'm using that photo for inspiration.
(in reply to devonly)
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 1/30/2006 12:20:59 PM
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danmirage
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Veggeep...after I rolled off my chair laughing...I had to go measure my bady fat!
I want to offer up a less expensive but nice tool that runs just over $20 and provides the tension for you.
Most places sell it for over $30, I am sharing the best price I have found to date for this caliper.
Skinfold Calipers <--- link to place on amazon where it is cheapest
On the topic of Body fat measurement...
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 at the same time of day...and use the same scale to take your weight.
Here is a calculator that allows you to use skinfold calipers (3 or 7 point test) or tape measure
http://www.linear-software.com/online.html
This web page has illustrations.
All measurement on right side is normal.
Measurements should be taken from the same place on the body, always at the same time of day...
Just a note...3 fold can be done alone and I prefer multi site tests...the other tests require an aid to take the measure from the back.
I compared many BF testing methods to see how they work with my body.
You can see there is a variance between methods.
I can take any of the tests over and over and I get the same result.
I have been taking BF measuremnts for decades, so I am quite use to it.
Here are those test results ...
16.34% -Tape measure 3 location
14.5% - Tape measure 2 location
13.2% - Skin Fold 1 Location
19.4% - Skin Fold 2 Location
9.4% - Skin Fold 3 Location
15.1% - Skin Fold 4 Location
15.9% - Skin Fold 4 Location (actually an aggragate of multiple tests of: 4 folds-15.1%, 1 fold-13.2%, 2 folds-19.4%)
11.27% - Skin Fold 7 Location
16.6% - Bio-electrical Impedance
Wild isn't it. But they are all based on various assumptions...so that is why it is better as a tool for tracking over time. Pick a method, get good at it, and stick with it.
< Message edited by danmirage -- 6/19/2006 8:29:52 PM >
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(in reply to veggeep)
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 1/31/2006 12:33:52 PM
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veggeep
Posts: 3043
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From: Reston, VA
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quote:
Here is a calculator that allows you to use skinfold calipers (3 or 7 point test) or tape measure
http://www.linear-software.com/online.html
As always, Dan, much grass! This is one of the best-organized sites I've seen yet!
I actually used to have that exact caliper about four years ago, but it spent most of its dejected life banished to the bottom of my sock drawer, while I languished in procrastination. The last time I moved, it ended up in the trash  Guess I thought I was never going to get serious about bodybuilding again, he he he...
_____________________________
Yes, that's me in my avatar, and NO, I don't look like that today. That was taken back in Jan '07, and I lost most of that progress when I slacked off last year. I'm on my way back, tho, and I'm using that photo for inspiration.
(in reply to danmirage)
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 12/25/2006 6:23:18 AM
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logicbdj
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Joined: 12/17/2006
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DEXA Imaging (a type of x-ray) $50,000
BodPod $20,000
BioAnalogics Impedance $1500
With the above technology, you can determine not only fat and lean, but body water. A person can increase 3 pounds of lean without it being muscle (e.g., water and glycogen)... something fat calipers never can do. And if a person carries a bit too much water subcutaneously, fat calipers will pick it up and suggest it is fat because of a greater mm thickness.
(in reply to David1991)
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 1/22/2007 5:22:20 PM
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DaemonCain
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Joined: 10/26/2005
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I know their really called Body Fat Calipers but I'm much more partial to "Fat Grabometer".
I picked these up at GNC for about 10 bucks. It's easy to get readings once you practice and get consistent.
http://www.accumeasurefitness.com/
(in reply to mindfreak)
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 1/22/2007 5:34:22 PM
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David1991
Posts: 8779
Joined: 11/3/2006
From: New Jersey
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how many different points do u have to measure?
(in reply to DaemonCain)
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 1/25/2007 4:38:09 PM
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DaemonCain
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Joined: 10/26/2005
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Just one. It comes with a chart and does all of the calculations for you.
I've used to do to 3 skin folds as well and a different calculation and it came out very similar.
The accuracy of the product isn't as important as the measurement change is over time. Doesn't matter if it's 1-3% off so long as you use it consistently you'll get an idea on which direction you're moving.
(in reply to David1991)
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 1/25/2007 4:42:29 PM
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David1991
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quote:
ORIGINAL: DaemonCain
The accuracy of the product isn't as important as the measurement change is over time. Doesn't matter if it's 1-3% off so long as you use it consistently you'll get an idea on which direction you're moving.
yea thats very true, so ur saying the one with just the one point gave u good precision(not accuracy but gave good consistent measures and wasnt always different and showed ur progress)?
(in reply to DaemonCain)
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RE: Best device/way to measure body fat? - 1/26/2007 4:26:16 PM
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DaemonCain
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Joined: 10/26/2005
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Yes, it's very consistent and easy to use. It clicks when you're done and it's very easy to use.
Started using it when I was at 22% BF and got myself down to 14.5% (current).
Also though, I find you have to do it at the same time of day. I do it in the morning after my coffee and before eating. It takes some good practice to get consistent with it (but that's mostly making sure you're measuring the right part).
(in reply to David1991)
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