

- #Caliper body fat calculator how to#
- #Caliper body fat calculator serial#
- #Caliper body fat calculator skin#
To see if this is accurate in your specific case, compare the results of this method to the skinfold methods listed above.Įven if this method does not give an accurate reading in the absolute sense, it may still be very valuable when used in the context of serial measurements. However, as this method is based on minimal input without regard to the significant body type variations from person to person, many people will find this method to be very inaccurate. Some people may find the YMCA Method to be accurate for them. Simply plug these numbers into the fat calculators on this page to determine your body fat percentage.
#Caliper body fat calculator how to#
Below are links describing how to use calipers to obtain measurements from the 3 sites required to determine body fat percentages in men and women. Which ever method you decide to use, it is important to continue to use the same one for serial measurements to avoid any discrepancy between methods resulting in inaccurate tracking of progress. If they are very similar, you could just use the 3 site method. If they are quite different, I would advise using the 7 site method. I would recommend trying both methods and seeing how close the results are to each other. However, many people still prefer the 3 site method as they find the results to be similar enough to the 7 site method while only having to measure 3 areas instead of 7. As there is some variability from person to person in the areas of the body where fat if preferrentially stored, the 7 site method above is more likely than the 3 site method to give the most accurate result for a larger portion of the population.

The 3 site version of the Jackson & Pollock method is another valid way to use calipers to determine your body fat percentage. The measurement is made just above this prominence, approximately where your index finger was, with the skinfold being in the same orientation that your finger was in. This measurement is made at a 45 degree angle just under the lower tip of the shoulder blade.Īnother diagonal measurement, you can make this one by putting your hands on your hips to find the bony prominence under your index finger.
#Caliper body fat calculator skin#
Pinch the skin to make a vertical skinfold for the measurement. The level that the water would be under your armpit at this point is where the measurement is made. Imagine standing in a the shallow end of a swimming pool and bending your legs until the water just reached the bottom of your "breastbone". If you follow a line down the side of the body, under the armpit, you will be in the correct location for this measurement when you get to the level that is horizontal to the bottom of the sternum (xiphoid). This vertical skinfold measurement is made in the back of the tricep, half way between the shoulder and elbow while the arm is hanging relaxed.Īlso known as a midaxillary measurement, this one is obtained on the side of the torso. This is another vertical skinfold measurement made in the front of the thigh half way between the top of the thigh and the kneecap. This is a vertical skinfold measurement just to the right (2 cm) of the navel. The skinfold calipers would contact the skin on either side of the line - not on the line - making this a diagonal measurement. If you were to draw a line from the front of the armpit to the nipple the skinfold measurement would be taken 1/2 way down this line for males (the midpoint between the armpit and nipple) and 1/3 of the way down this line for females (a little closer to the armpit than the nipple). Remembar to pinch deep enough to get the fat under the skin but not so deep that you are pinching the underlying muscle. Pinch the skin between your thumb and index finger to get the skinfold you want then use the calipers to determine the thickness of the skinfold. Skinfold measurements are usually all done on the right side of the body for each of the regions listed below.
