how can u test for body fat percentage? is this something u can do yourself? and what is an optimal range of Body fat percentage for males? females?
We had this conversation back a while ago if i can recall. The most accurate body fat measuremtn is called hydrostatic weighing. In that method you get into a giant tub of water and its pretty mcuh water displacement… Other methods include body fat testers with electrical currents as well as the most popular Body Fat Callipers. Callipers have the accuracy of zilch depending on who is administering it. However it will give you a ballpark figure where you are around and if you plan on doing it periodically make sure the same person is administering it.
as far as optimal range for elite sprinters i think for men it was 4-5 and females was 10-12.
anyone else?
If you can find it (physician’s office) the DEXA (sp?) is the best.
Here is what me and dlive where both tryng to say…
DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry)
This test is used to measure bone density, but it also measures body fat percentage as well as where most of your fat is (as if you didn’t know). The facts about DEXA:
DEXA uses a whole body scanner and two different low-dose x-rays to read bone mass and soft tissue mass.
It takes about 10-20 minutes to do a body scan
It provides a high degree of precision with a 2-3 % margin of error.
This is considered a gold standard for measuring body fat and bone density
It’s painless
Check with your doctor to see if this is right for you and call your insurance company as they may cover it. The cost is usually about $100.
Hydrostatic Weighing
This is just a fancy way of saying underwater weighing. Like DEXA, this test is one of the more accurate ones. How it works:
You sit on a scale inside a tank of water and blow out as much air as you can
You are dunked underwater, where you blow out even more air
Since fat is lighter than water, the more fat you have, the more you’ll float. The scale measures underwater weight to figure out body density.
The margin of error is around 2-3%, but the accuracy depends on the amount of air you expel. You have to blow it ALL out or it won’t be as accurate.
This is a difficult way to measure body fat since it can be uncomfortable and even scary to be dunked underwater with no air in the old lungs.
Many universities offer this test for around $25-$50. Call your local university and ask if they offer this. Fitness Wave offers mobile hydrostatic weighing in Southern California, Nevada and Arizona for $49.95.
Calipers (aka, the Pinch Test)
This method uses calipers to measure skinfold thickness at several areas of your body. How it works:
An expert pinches your skin at different areas and measures them with calipers.
The results are plugged into a formula to determine your body fat.
The result is based on the idea that thickness of fat under the skin reflects total body fat.
It CAN be as accurate as the methods mentioned about, but usually isn’t. It depends on the skill of the tester at separating your fat from your muscle and finding the right spots to pinch.
The results can also be skewed if you’re older (since fat moves inward with age) or if you are nonwhite, since formulas are based on white subjects.
This is one of the more accessible ways to check body fat and is generally painless.
You can get tested at most health clubs and universities for little or no cost. You can also buy your own calipers, but I wouldn’t get too excited about the results you get. If you’re not skilled at it, the results can be way off. Always make sure you get the same person to test your body fat since results can vary from tester to tester.
Bioelectrical Impedance
This is one of the quickest methods of testing body fat using a BIA scale.
Either using a handheld scale or standing on a BIA scale, a signal passes either from hand to hand or foot to foot.
The faster the signal travels, the more muscle you have.
The results are based on the fact that water conducts electricity. Fat contains almost no water while muscle is about 70% water.
This method CAN be accurate (4% margin of error) but the results are affected by hydration, food intake and skin temperature. If you’re dehydrated, you’re body fat percentage will read higher than it is.
This is an easy way to test your body fat. Be sure you test at the same time of day, preferably first thing in the morning before breakfast, but after a glass of water.
there ya go! all you need to know about bodyfat % methods!
Just out of curiosity, how does a sprinter stay so LEAN? I mean, the principal training components (speed training and other forms of CNS work) do virtually nothing to burn calories or elevate metabolism. A tempo workout burns calories, but the session is short. I can see how a sprinter who does tons intermediate intervals or SE work will stay lean, but…
ESPN3 hit it on the head…
kevinG,
workload & genetics (metabolism).
I always thought of elite sprinters as being born with neuromuscular and musckoskeletal characteristics that make them fast… but metabolsim? What does that have to do with speed?
genetics plays a role is leaness but there are sprinters out there who are not so lucky.hard work and a strict diet can match any genetically lean person.