body composition

i’d like to know if you coaches use to measure the body fat of your athletes.

how often you do this?
wich caliper you use (lange, harpenden, lafayette)?
do you even use a bioimpedence?
have you ever done a DEXA?

thanks to all

I’m not a coach but I usually measure body fat by measuring waist and using a calculator like this one: http://home.fuse.net/clymer/bmi/

As a PT. i normally use a Tape measure as a lot of people don’t like calipers! So long as when using calipers you use the same ones consistently and use the same formula also. goodness, same measurements and different formulas = large variance’s

Your calculator is off…

Baiolo

We use bio-impedence, via a high end Tanita model. I find it very easy to do large numbers of athletes quickly, and at least the test is reliable. (If the athlete tests under the same circumstances - time, hydration status, etc. -, regardless of the tester, he’ll have an accurate record of progress)

I realize thereare more accurate assessments, but this is what we can afford!

Why are you saying that? Have you used it before?

So far for me it was always pretty reliable and on point. I know of others who use it as well and find it to be pretty accurate as well.

It’s a little off for me, also anything that measures one site can’t be that accurate because some people may be very lean in there lower body and chest area but take most of there fat around there waist area…

Along the same lines, calipers can’t accurately measure bf% of people who have a large percentage of visceral fat. DEXA, underwater weighing, or bust…or believe that you really are 3%. If you don’t have access to either of those methods, I would recommend the eyeballing method.

Agreed here - if your \FAT via the eyeballing method, the client already knows it and doenst need conformation via calipers that they have 40kg of excess fat…
Once under around 20% fat, then one could move to calipers. Above that, Bioemp. will work fine, or even just Tape a range of areas.
Im not sure how accurate Bio. is once your under around 15%, the one i got is crap under 15% - but its a bit Dated in age now. New ones might be good?