Ive been using the navy body fat calculation method for about two months in conjunction with an exercise regimen. A basic way to measure body fat percentage is by using a soft tape measure like the kind youd use for.
4 Reasons Calipers Fail To Give Accurate Body Fat Results
How accurate is tape measure body fat. Use a tape measure then enter your waist hip and neck measurements. They work by passing a harmless electric current round your body and measuring the resistance. After measuring yourself use the us navy method to calculate your body fat percentage. To compute a womans body fat percentage using this method you will need to measure 4 different factors. Summary estimating body fat percentage with skinfold calipers is. Then input your gender and measurements below to receive a body fat index based on average values.
Use a tape measure to determine your waist wrist hip and forearm circumference. Fat a08b 2c d for women 30 years old or younger fat a b 2c d for women over age 30. Here is an example of a 7 site skinfold assessment. The result is close to the true value for most people but visit a doctor if youd like a more precise measurement. Navy developed a quick way to estimate body fat percentage with a tape measure. All measurements should be taken at their widest points and should be recorded in inches.
A skin fold test is done using a tool called calipers to pinch different areas of your body and measure. They are however very dependent on body water content so follow the instructions carefully. Its done its job as far as telling me that im loosing body fat and gaining lean muscle in its place but i still wonder how accurate it is and can be. Before you measure your body fat using the us navy method measure your height waist neck and hips with a tape measure. Measurement errors can range from 355 body fat 3. The tape test was wrong every time and in nine out of 10 cases the tape method measured troops body fat percentages higher.
A hips b thigh c calf and d wrist. 6 ways to measure body fat percentage 1. Part 1 measuring guidelines for males. Combine these measurements with your gender and height and this navy calculator will estimate body fat percent lean mass fat mass and your general navy fitness category. Yes body fat scales do work and have an accuracy of around 95 depending on the model. The worst was a 66 percent difference between the scores.
The body fat index is not an indicator of fitness level since the calculation is made with no regard to height or weight. It may be helpful to have a friend help you measure yourself especially for your height. You can see the navy body fat chart by clicking the down arrow icon right under the results the water displacement test is the most accurate way to determine body fat percent but the navy body fat test or ymca formula is accurate within 1 3 for. How do you check your body fat.