Body fat calipers - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

Tatyana · 06-05-2006, 12:10 AM

Cheap calipers.

THe white plastic accumeasure ones are GREAT for most people, one site measurement.

http://www.healthmonthly.co.uk/index...index&cPath=13

These ones are a tenner.

Do not go down low enough for competitive BBers

Also cheap at 12.99
http://www.cheapuksupplements.co.uk/section.php?xSec=53

**Pscarb** · 06-05-2006, 08:15 AM

i use these T and they do go low enough they are ok but they don't nail it down exactly...i have just used mine and i am according to these 4.5%

Tatyana · 06-05-2006, 11:08 AM

On the women's chart they only go to about 13.5% at the lowest Paul I am pretty sure.

You do mean the white platic ones with the click thing.

I am going to use them again as I am NOT around 10%. ARRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH think it might be about 20% right now.

Do you have a different chart than I do?

I have the ones from the calipers and one modified out of BFFM (burn the fat feed the muscle)

x
x
x
T

Tatyana · 06-05-2006, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pscarb

i use these T and they do go low enough they are ok but they don't nail it down exactly...i have just used mine and i am according to these 4.5%

I don't think any home ones nail it down, need the immersion tanks.

x
T

pookie69 · 06-05-2006, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tatyana

Cheap calipers.
Also cheap at 12.99
http://www.cheapuksupplements.co.uk/section.php?xSec=53

Those digital ones for £26-99 look pretty cool. For those of us who don't mind spending a lil more, would you recommend them? Although i'm sure it doesn't need to be stated, i am far from being a competitive BBer!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pscarb

i am according to these 4.5%

Holy crap!

Wow

**Pscarb** · 06-05-2006, 04:52 PM

the digital ones are no more accurate than the basic ones to be honest mate...

4.5% is great but i have been dieting for nearly 15 weeks

Tatyana · 06-05-2006, 05:07 PM

I have some electronic ones, quite expensive ones actually, but I find them annoying to use.

Electronic equipment seems to go a bit 'weird' around me and sort of breaks down so I do try to keep it as basic as possible.

The accumeasure white plastic jobbies have been trialled against the gold standard method which I believe in the immersion tank.

I like them as they are just one site, just above the superilliac crest (the hip bone) and you can do it yourself.

The 3 to 7 sites you can measure with the others means you need someone else who knows what they are doing to measure you, best to have the same person everytime for less error, require more skill............................................. ............

If you like gadjets, like me, by all means go for it.

x
x
x
T

andye · 06-05-2006, 08:32 PM

ive just bought some.

im getting 17.5% of the tanita scales and 14-15 with the calipers.

which should i trust???

**Pscarb** · 06-05-2006, 09:16 PM

digital scales are way off on any body who has a decent amount of muscle as the track the speed an electrical current goes through your body they don't take in the fact that muscle can slow this down...also if you take the reading then drink a pint of water and redo the test you will find a big diffrence....

Tatyana · 06-05-2006, 09:32 PM

Age makes a difference on the skinfold calculations because the reference population for the charts were sedentary, non-exercising people who lost muscle mass as they aged. The researchers found that an older person with, say, 80mm total skinfolds would have a higher percentage of fat than a twenty-year-old with 80mm at the same bodyweight, because the older person had less lean mass, and probably more intramuscular and visceral fat. (The charts are all derived from hydrostatic weighing, a range of body measurements and some calculations.)

As far as I know there are no norm charts for people who weight train, and therefore may have gained lean mass over the years. I know I definitely have more muscle at 44 than I had at 24, but even with my current lower skinfolds the norm charts will say I've a higher percentage of fat than I had then...

At the Y we used a general rule of subtracting 7% from the chart's figure for a trained woman and 8% for a trained man, or you can just use the standard non-age-adjusted figure. It's not going to be as accurate as an MRI scan, but it's more accurate than a chart for the sedentary!

The main thing is to look at your skinfold totals week by week - if they're going down, you're shedding fat.

chrisj22 · 10-05-2006, 07:25 PM

I bought myself a pair 'T', thanks for letting us all know.

P.S. You do look rather foxy in your pic...

Tatyana · 11-05-2006, 02:15 AM

Thank you Chris

Me off season with my new breasts!

Hey, can't be ripped all year round!

I really need to stop saying off season as I am on the bloody diet even if I don't look like a BBer again YET!

x
x
x
T

chrisj22 · 11-05-2006, 01:33 PM

Lol! you ahould see me then!! If that's the case I'm constantly 'off-season!'

I ordered the calipers Sunday night and now it's thursday??? Roughly how long so they take to arrive?

Delhi · 11-05-2006, 04:47 PM

Needing help here folks,
I just bought a pair of calipers, and I am wondering how hard you squeeze while taking a measurement. At the moment I just measure the fold without squeezing it. Is this the correct method, or do I squeeze the calipers as much as I can (Without pain)?

Probs a dumb question, but when I get the answer I wont be so dumb.

Tatyana · 11-05-2006, 06:13 PM

Which ones did you get Del? Some come with instructions. If it is the accumeasure plastic ones, I think I may have additional instructions somewhere.

I ordered new plastic ones on Friday night as I gave my old pair to a friend and mine have not arrived yet either

x
x
x
T

06-05-2006, 12:10 AM	#1 (permalink)
Tatyana My name is EARL Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: On my bloody bike doing cardio Posts: 3,463	Body fat calipers Cheap calipers. THe white plastic accumeasure ones are GREAT for most people, one site measurement. http://www.healthmonthly.co.uk/index...index&cPath=13 These ones are a tenner. Do not go down low enough for competitive BBers Also cheap at 12.99 http://www.cheapuksupplements.co.uk/section.php?xSec=53 Last edited by Tatyana; 06-05-2006 at 12:14 AM.

06-05-2006, 08:15 AM	#2 (permalink)
Pscarb UK-Muscle Moderator and NABBA Champion Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 10,511	i use these T and they do go low enough they are ok but they don't nail it down exactly...i have just used mine and i am according to these 4.5% __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Admin at To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Sponsored by Extreme Nutrition - Almost an unfair advantage

06-05-2006, 04:52 PM	#6 (permalink)
Pscarb UK-Muscle Moderator and NABBA Champion Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 10,511	the digital ones are no more accurate than the basic ones to be honest mate... 4.5% is great but i have been dieting for nearly 15 weeks __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Admin at To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Sponsored by Extreme Nutrition - Almost an unfair advantage

06-05-2006, 09:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
Pscarb UK-Muscle Moderator and NABBA Champion Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 10,511	digital scales are way off on any body who has a decent amount of muscle as the track the speed an electrical current goes through your body they don't take in the fact that muscle can slow this down...also if you take the reading then drink a pint of water and redo the test you will find a big diffrence.... __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Admin at To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Sponsored by Extreme Nutrition - Almost an unfair advantage

06-05-2006, 09:32 PM	#10 (permalink)
Tatyana My name is EARL Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: On my bloody bike doing cardio Posts: 3,463	Post from Crow on Jon Harris Natty Forum Age makes a difference on the skinfold calculations because the reference population for the charts were sedentary, non-exercising people who lost muscle mass as they aged. The researchers found that an older person with, say, 80mm total skinfolds would have a higher percentage of fat than a twenty-year-old with 80mm at the same bodyweight, because the older person had less lean mass, and probably more intramuscular and visceral fat. (The charts are all derived from hydrostatic weighing, a range of body measurements and some calculations.) As far as I know there are no norm charts for people who weight train, and therefore may have gained lean mass over the years. I know I definitely have more muscle at 44 than I had at 24, but even with my current lower skinfolds the norm charts will say I've a higher percentage of fat than I had then... At the Y we used a general rule of subtracting 7% from the chart's figure for a trained woman and 8% for a trained man, or you can just use the standard non-age-adjusted figure. It's not going to be as accurate as an MRI scan, but it's more accurate than a chart for the sedentary! The main thing is to look at your skinfold totals week by week - if they're going down, you're shedding fat.

06-05-2006, 11:08 AM	#3 (permalink)
Tatyana My name is EARL Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: On my bloody bike doing cardio Posts: 3,463	On the women's chart they only go to about 13.5% at the lowest Paul I am pretty sure. You do mean the white platic ones with the click thing. I am going to use them again as I am NOT around 10%. ARRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH think it might be about 20% right now. Do you have a different chart than I do? I have the ones from the calipers and one modified out of BFFM (burn the fat feed the muscle) x x x T

06-05-2006, 05:07 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tatyana My name is EARL Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: On my bloody bike doing cardio Posts: 3,463	I have some electronic ones, quite expensive ones actually, but I find them annoying to use. Electronic equipment seems to go a bit 'weird' around me and sort of breaks down so I do try to keep it as basic as possible. The accumeasure white plastic jobbies have been trialled against the gold standard method which I believe in the immersion tank. I like them as they are just one site, just above the superilliac crest (the hip bone) and you can do it yourself. The 3 to 7 sites you can measure with the others means you need someone else who knows what they are doing to measure you, best to have the same person everytime for less error, require more skill............................................. ............ If you like gadjets, like me, by all means go for it. x x x T

06-05-2006, 08:32 PM	#8 (permalink)
andye 15 stone 10lb Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: hartlepool, north east england Posts: 657	ive just bought some. im getting 17.5% of the tanita scales and 14-15 with the calipers. which should i trust???

10-05-2006, 07:25 PM	#11 (permalink)
chrisj22 An absolute fat bastard Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: T'up North Posts: 3,246	I bought myself a pair 'T', thanks for letting us all know. P.S. You do look rather foxy in your pic...

11-05-2006, 02:15 AM	#12 (permalink)
Tatyana My name is EARL Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: On my bloody bike doing cardio Posts: 3,463	Thank you Chris Me off season with my new breasts! Hey, can't be ripped all year round! I really need to stop saying off season as I am on the bloody diet even if I don't look like a BBer again YET! x x x T

11-05-2006, 01:33 PM	#13 (permalink)
chrisj22 An absolute fat bastard Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: T'up North Posts: 3,246	Lol! you ahould see me then!! If that's the case I'm constantly 'off-season!' I ordered the calipers Sunday night and now it's thursday??? Roughly how long so they take to arrive?

11-05-2006, 04:47 PM	#14 (permalink)
Delhi Bigger, Better, Stronger Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: North Posts: 1,935	Needing help here folks, I just bought a pair of calipers, and I am wondering how hard you squeeze while taking a measurement. At the moment I just measure the fold without squeezing it. Is this the correct method, or do I squeeze the calipers as much as I can (Without pain)? Probs a dumb question, but when I get the answer I wont be so dumb.

11-05-2006, 06:13 PM	#15 (permalink)
Tatyana My name is EARL Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: On my bloody bike doing cardio Posts: 3,463	Which ones did you get Del? Some come with instructions. If it is the accumeasure plastic ones, I think I may have additional instructions somewhere. I ordered new plastic ones on Friday night as I gave my old pair to a friend and mine have not arrived yet either x x x T