Author Topic: Body fat % testing  (Read 3114 times)

1-503rd_IN

  • Getbig III
  • ***
  • Posts: 337
Body fat % testing
« on: February 18, 2009, 07:30:16 PM »
OK- today at my gym i got my BF tested and it came up as 5.2%.................lowest I have ever had and i do nto buy it, I think its gotta be higher than that.  they had me get on this messed up scale and then they used that pinching thing and took 3 different measurements 3 different times and like did an average.  How accurate are those b/c I have only done the water method.  BTW I have been on 500mg of sus a week for just 1 week and I already put on 6lbs but I think that might just be water and "eating" weight not true muscle.  I def feel the energy "boost" like A-rod did though.....
First Rock

brent2741

  • Getbig IV
  • ****
  • Posts: 1619
Re: Body fat % testing
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2009, 07:32:50 PM »
short answer not very accurate

1-503rd_IN

  • Getbig III
  • ***
  • Posts: 337
Re: Body fat % testing
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2009, 08:02:35 PM »
thanks, that what i figured, I mean I have always been low even w/o extreme training, but I have been eating right for a very long time.  I think I am prolly around 7-9%
First Rock

Arnold jr

  • Getbig V
  • *****
  • Posts: 7247
  • fleshandiron.com
Re: Body fat % testing
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2009, 08:58:42 PM »
The skin fold calipers are not perfect, but depending on who does it for you, you can get a rough estimate that shouldn't be too horribly off.

In most instances the calipers even if done correctly are going to have a 2% plus or minus margin of error. So if that's the case, then you may very well be 7%.

brent2741

  • Getbig IV
  • ****
  • Posts: 1619
Re: Body fat % testing
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2009, 09:09:22 PM »
ive found a bodpod to be pretty accurate

1-503rd_IN

  • Getbig III
  • ***
  • Posts: 337
Re: Body fat % testing
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2009, 09:13:00 PM »
I will find out tomorrow for sure. they were doing it for free at the gym i goto (its a major college's rec center) and the professors were teaching the PHD students how to do it and the prof said he would let me go in the water tank tomorrow b/c he said i was the lowest he saw all day, he said the lower you are the harder it is to get an accurate measurement so I would be a good "subject" for his class tomorrow.  I am going to be shocked if I am really 7%, i don't feel like it.  
First Rock

abc123

  • Getbig III
  • ***
  • Posts: 866
  • Getbig!
Re: Body fat % testing
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2009, 03:26:00 AM »
I will find out tomorrow for sure. they were doing it for free at the gym i goto (its a major college's rec center) and the professors were teaching the PHD students how to do it and the prof said he would let me go in the water tank tomorrow b/c he said i was the lowest he saw all day, he said the lower you are the harder it is to get an accurate measurement so I would be a good "subject" for his class tomorrow.  I am going to be shocked if I am really 7%, i don't feel like it.  

I've had the hydrostatic method done before and came back at 22%!  At the time I know for a fact I was below 10% - about 5% according to the 9-point caliper method and about 7% according to Milos, who looked at my pics and was helping me diet down at the time.

He said that the hydro method can be very inaccurate as well if not done EXACTLY right.  It's possible I did not exhale enough, which would lower my sumerged weight and increase my bf reading.  He also said Ronnie Coleman once tested negative which is impossible.  Milos himself tested at 25% just before a contest.

My point is, all of these methods can be very wrong.  Now, I just use the 9-point caliper method and even though it may say 5% I don't care...

What matters is each week's relative reading as long as they are off to the same +/- % (which in my case they are).  If so, I can guage progress regardless of the reading.

1-503rd_IN

  • Getbig III
  • ***
  • Posts: 337
Re: Body fat % testing
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2009, 01:36:45 PM »
OK-
       They did it to me 6 times, he first had his students get into grouped of four and do it and then write their readings.  They had me from 2.2% all the way 18.5% BF; basically the studnets fucked up.  Then he did it and showed them the right way and i came out to 6.2%.  They hooked up this thing in my mouth that would beep when I let the air out of my lungs right, so he said that variable has been fixed with newer models.  They also had this strap thing that was water proof that was strapped around my pecks that did some weird shit to.  I was to tired to pay attention to what this doc was saying.  So I guess the calipers were pretty damn close..........also the doc told me that his personal opinion is that all BF testing is not a "precise" science, even though the medical community claims the water method is exact.  he said he thinks its +/- 1% and +/-5% for cailiper assuming the tester does it right and the subjects didn't put on preperation H to tighten the skin up
First Rock