This detailed instruction will explain how to determine body fat percentage and how to control your progress with using a caliper – a device for measuring the thickness of the skin fold. This method is the most accurate way to measure content. body fat.
This manual should help you learn how to identify percentage of body fat with a caliper. It Includes detailed tables and charts. All arising You can ask questions in the comments to the article.
Content
- Determining the percentage of fat using a caliper
- How to make measurements
- Data collection and calculation of the percentage of body fat
- At what points to measure
- Table for calculating the percentage of fat mass
- For men:
- For women:
- What is the normal or ideal percentage of fat?
- How to determine muscle loss or growth
- How to determine weight with a certain percentage of fat
- Determining the percentage of fat using a caliper
- How to make measurements
- Data collection and calculation of the percentage of body fat
- At what points to measure
- Table for calculating the percentage of fat mass
- For men:
- For women:
- What is the normal or ideal percentage of fat?
- How to determine muscle loss or growth
- How to determine weight with a certain percentage of fat
Determining the percentage of fat using a caliper
Caliper – a device designed to measure thickness of the skin fold. After taking measurements at key locations, you can quite accurately determine the total percentage of fat in body, as well as assess the percentage of subcutaneous fat.
The figures show the places where it is necessary to take measurements. You will need to contact someone for help, as you yourself will not be able to reach all the indicated points. It is very important to take measurements as close to the place as possible. indicated in the figure.
How to make measurements
If you are right handed, gently squeeze the cutaneous fold in the place of measurement. Place handpieces with your right hand caliper as shown in the figure below. Tips should located at a distance of 7.5 millimeters from the fingers of the left hand, which you continue to compress the skin-fat fold. Let go caliper lever so that the levers squeeze the skin fold. Keep skin-fat fold with the left hand throughout all measurements.
It is important to hold a fold of skin with your hands so that the caliper measures only the thickness of this fold. You may notice that right after pinching, caliper can “crawl”, after a couple of seconds “crawl” slows down, then it is necessary to fix the measurement. Before release the caliper, it is necessary to fix the measurement on the scale.
Data collection and calculation of the percentage of body fat
Take measurements at all four points shown on pictures below, and record the data on the caliper scale. It doesn’t matter in what order, add up all four of the resulting values. The percentage of body fat you can determine from the table, located at the end of the instructions. Please note the data for women and men are different, so do not mix up.
You may also have noticed that percentages are not for each millimeter. This is due to the fact that in this case the table will exit too big. To get the exact value you need interpolate adjacent values. For example, the sum of measurements for women in the age group of sixteen -29 years old amounted to 29 millimeters. it between 28 and thirty millimeters in the table. Fat percentage at 29 mm -eighteen .6 %, with thirty – 19.5 %. Thus, for 29 mm, the percentage is 19.0 %. Another example, a man of 40 years, the total measurement of 42 mm. The table shows the values for the folds of 40 and 45 mm. 42 this 2/5 between 40 and 45. The percentage of fat for 40 is twenty .3%, for 45 it is 21.8 %. 2/5between twenty .3 and 21.8 is approximately 20.9%.
At what points to measure
Triceps (back of the shoulder):
The point is exactly in the middle between the shoulder and elbow the joint. The fold is taken in the vertical direction directly in the center of the back of the shoulder.
Biceps (front end shoulder):
It is measured in the same way as triceps, only in this case a fold is taken on the front of the shoulder.
Shovel:
Just below the shoulder blade. The fold is taken at an angle of 45 degrees, as shown in the figure.
Waist:
Just above the ilium, and the pelvic bone. The fold is taken almost horizontally as shown.
Table for calculating the percentage of fat mass
Now it remains to determine the percentage of body fat by tables.
For men:
| Men | |||
| % fat of the total measurements in all 4 points | |||
| Amount in mm | Age 16-29 | Age 30-49 | Age fifty + |
| 20 | 8.1 | 12.1 | 12.5 |
| 22 | 9.2 | 13.2 | 13.9 |
| 24 | 10.2 | 14 .2 | 15.1 |
| 26 | 11.2 | 15.2 | 16.3 |
| 28 | 12.1 | 16.1 | 17.4 |
| 30 | 12.9 | 16.9 | 18.5 |
| 35 | 14.7 | 18.7 | 20.8 |
| 40 | 16.3 | 20.3 | 22.8 |
| 45 | 17.7 | 21.8 | 24.7 |
| fifty | 19.0 | 23.0 | 26.3 |
| 55 | 20.2 | 24.2 | 27.8 |
| 60 | 21.2 | 25.3 | 29.1 |
| 65 | 22.2 | 26.3 | 30.4 |
| 70 | 23.2 | 27.2 | 31.5 |
| 75 | 24.0 | 28.0 | 32.6 |
| 80 | 24.8 | 28.8 | 33.7 |
| 85 | 25.6 | 29.6 | 34.6 |
| 90 | 26.3 | 30.3 | 35.5 |
| 95 | 27.0 | 31.0 | 36.5 |
| 100 | 27.6 | 31.7 | 37.3 |
| 110 | 28.8 | 32.9 | 38.8 |
| 120 | 29.9 | 34.0 | 40.2 |
| 130 | 31.0 | 35.0 | 41.5 |
| 140 | 31.9 | 36.0 | 42.8 |
| 150 | 32.8 | 36.8 | 43.9 |
| 160 | 33.6 | 37.7 | 45.0 |
| 170 | 34.4 | 38.5 | 46.0 |
| 180 | 35.2 | 39.2 | 47.0 |
| 190 | 35.9 | 39.9 | 47.9 |
| 200 | 36.5 | 40.6 | 48.8 |
For women:
| Women | |||
| % fat of the total measurements in all 4 points | |||
| Amount in mm | Age 16-29 | Age 30-49 | Age 50+ |
| 14 | 9.4 | 14.1 | 17.0 |
| 16 | 11.2 | 15.7 | 18.6 |
| 18 | 12.7 | 17.1 | 20.1 |
| 20 | 14.1 | 18.4 | 21.4 |
| 22 | 15.4 | 19.5 | 22.6 |
| 24 | 16.5 | 20.6 | 23.7 |
| 26 | 17.6 | 21.5 | 24.8 |
| 28 | 18.6 | 22.4 | 25.7 |
| 30 | 19.5 | 23.3 | 26.6 |
| 35 | 21.6 | 25.2 | 28.6 |
| 40 | 23.4 | 26.8 | 30.3 |
| 45 | 25.0 | 28.3 | 31.9 |
| 50 | 26.5 | 29.6 | 33.2 |
| 55 | 27.8 | 30.8 | 34.6 |
| 60 | 29.1 | 31.9 | 35.7 |
| 65 | 30.2 | 32.9 | 36.7 |
| 70 | 31.2 | 33.9 | 37.7 |
| 75 | 32.2 | 34.7 | 38.6 |
| 80 | 33.1 | 35.6 | 39.5 |
| 85 | 34.0 | 36.3 | 40.4 |
| 90 | 34.8 | 37.1 | 41.1 |
| 95 | 35.6 | 37.8 | 41.9 |
| 100 | 36.3 | 38.5 | 42.6 |
| 110 | 37.7 | 39.7 | 43.9 |
| 120 | 39.0 | 40.8 | 45.1 |
| 130 | 40.2 | 41.9 | 46.2 |
| 140 | 41.3 | 42.9 | 47.3 |
| 150 | 42.3 | 43.8 | 48.2 |
| 160 | 43.2 | 44.7 | 49.1 |
| 170 | 44.6 | 45.5 | 50.0 |
| 180 | 45.0 | 46.2 | 50.8 |
| 190 | 45.8 | 46.9 | 51.6 |
| 200 | 46.6 | 47.6 | 52.3 |
What is the normal or ideal percentage of fat?
What is the normal or ideal percentage of fat? This is probably the most difficult question. Each person has his own ideal percentage. it Depends on age, gender and heredity. Also desired body fat percentage for athletes varies from the sport. For example, swimmers perform better at higher the percentage of fat in the body than runners. But some generalized data, true for each person, is still there.
For men:
For men under the age of 30, the normal proportion of fat is 9-15%, in ages from 30 to 50 – 11-17%, older than 50 – 12-19%. Necessary stay within or below the upper limit.
For women:
For women under the age of 30, the normal proportion of fat is 14-21%, ages from 30 to 50 – 15-23%, older than 50 – 16-25%. Necessary stay within or below the upper limit.
It should be noted that the ranges presented are not average and desirable rates for US residents and Great Britain. The true average fat content in the body is much higher than normal, as recently significantly the number of overweight people has increased.
How to determine muscle loss or growth
Measuring muscle loss or gain is one of the most important areas where fatty data can be used interlayer. Knowing the percentage of fat and weight can be easily determine the weight of “lean body mass.” Since muscle tissue is component of muscle mass, a change in “lean mass” is caused change in muscle mass.
In order to determine lean mass, it is necessary to accurately measure body fat and body weight. After diet or workout measurements need to be repeated. Any a change in muscle mass reflects how much muscle you have lost or scored.
Example for men:
For example, a man weighing 95 kilograms, the percentage of fat is 30%. We multiply 95 kg by 30%, we get 28.5 kg – the weight of fat contained in the body. Subtract 28.5 from 95 and get 66.5 – lean mass. After a month regular training and proper nutrition, his weight dropped to 88 kilogram, and the percentage of fat is up to 25% (22 kg). So now his the lean mass is 66, that is, in a month he lost 500 grams muscle and 6.5 kilograms of fat. Excellent result testifying to that he chose the right training and nutrition program.
In the form of formulas, all calculations will look as follows way:
Before:
Fat mass = 30% and Body weight = 95 kg.
95 x 0.30 = 28.5 kg. 95 – 28.5 = 66.5 kg. lean mass
After:
Fat mass = 25% and Body weight = 88 lbs
88 x 0.25 = 22 kg. 88 – 22 = 66 kg. lean mass
Difference:
66.5 – 66 = 0.5 kg. muscle loss
28.5 – 22 = 6.5 kg. fat loss
Example for women:
A woman weighing 68 kilograms, the percentage of fat is 30%. Fat mass will be 20.4 kg. Subtract the resulting number from its 68 kilogram weight and we get 47.6 kg of lean mass. After a month of a low calorie diet she lost 10 kilograms and now her weight is 58, and the percentage of fat is 27% (15.6 kg.). The lean mass is 42.4 kg. Thus, muscle loss masses amounted to 5.2 kg, and fat – 4.8 kg. It follows that she lost almost equal amounts of muscle tissue and fat, which indicates an incorrectly selected reduction program weight.
In the form of formulas, all calculations will look as follows way:
Before:
Fat mass = 30% and Body weight = 68 kg.
68 x 0.30 = 20.4 kg. 68 – 20.4 = 47.6 kg. lean mass
After:
Fat mass = 27% and Body weight = 58 kg.
58 x 0.27 = 15.6 kg. 58 – 15.6 = 42.4 kg. lean mass
Difference:
47.6 – 42.4 = 5.2 kg. muscle loss
20.4 – 15.6 = 4.8 kg. fat loss
People who have lost a lot of muscle and gained a lot of fat due to low activities can actually return lost at the same time muscle and burn fat. For example, a man of 68 years, weight 70 kg. Amount measurements made with a caliper indicate 28% fat. This is 19.6 kilograms of fat and 50.4 kg of lean mass. For 4 months active strength training and the right month, his weight decreased up to 68 kg, and the percentage of fat up to 18%. Thus fat mass amounted to 12.2 kg, and a lean mass of 55.8 kg. That is, for 4 months he threw 7.4 kg of fat and gained 5.4 kg of muscle.
Schematically:
Before:
Fat mass = 28% and Body weight = 70 kg.
70 x 0.28 = 19.6 kg. 70 – 19.6 = 50.4 kg. lean mass
After:
Fat mass = 18% and Body weight = 68 kg.
68 x, 18 = 12.2 kg. 68 – 12.2 = 55.8 kg. lean mass
Difference:
55.8 – 50.4 = 5.4 kg. muscle gain
19.6 – 12.2 = 7.4 kg. fat loss
How to determine weight with a certain percentage of fat
If you know your current weight and percentage of fat in body, then you can determine how much weight you will have or another percentage of body fat. This is pretty easy to calculate. First, subtract your current fat percentage from 100 and divide it 100 minus the desired percentage of fat. Multiply the resulting number by your current weight, and you will know your weight at a certain percentage body fat. For example, a woman is 66 kg, the percentage of fat is 32%. Her the target is 21% fat percentage and she wants to know what will be her weight. Subtract 32 from 100 and get 68. 21 from 100 equals 79. 68 divide by 79, we get 0.86. Multiply 66 by 0.86 and get the desired weight – 56.8 kg.
So she found out that in order for the body fat amounted to 21% she needs to lose about 10 kg. But this formula It works provided that the person does not lose muscle mass. This can be avoided with proper exercise and diet. If weight loss occurs due to a low-calorie diet, there will be muscle mass and weight also decline for a certain percentage fat will be even lower.
Schematically:
Fat percentage = 32% ~ Desired fat percentage = 21% ~ Current weight = 66 kg.
100 – 32 = 68
100 – 21 = 79
68 ÷ 79 = 0.86
Possible weight = 66 x 0.86 = 56.8 kg.
Another example, a person involved in power sports, current weight 91 kg, fat percentage 21%, desired fat percentage 5%. How much does he need to weigh in order to achieve this goal?
Fat percentage = 21% ~ Desired fat percentage = 5% ~ Current weight 91 kg
100 – 21 = 79
100 – 5 = 95
79 ÷ 95 = 0.83
91 x 0.83 = 75.5
91–75.5 = 15.5 kg.
Thus, in order to have a fat percentage of 5%, he needs get rid of 15.5 kg of fat, and lean mass should be 75.5 kg Checking the subcutaneous fat content will allow him to check is the loss of hard-won muscle mass on the way to set goal or not.
This is information on how to measure and control the percentage fat and lean mass ends. If you want to discuss one of submitted items or do not agree with something, then we are waiting for your questions and comments in the comments.