Hydrostatic weighing – Hydrostatic weighing estimates body fat by measuring your weight on land and in the water.This could include callouses or how you hold or stand on the device. Bioelectric impedance measurements can be inaccurate because lots of factors may impact the signal as it travels through the body. Fat will slow down this electrical signal, while muscle, being a depot for water, will speed it up. These send out a low level electrical signal into a foot or hand and measure how long it takes the signal to travel to the other foot or hand. Bioelectric impedance – There are two main types of bioelectrical impedance analysis devices: one that you hold in your hands and the body fat scales that you’re probably most familiar with.However good ones are several hundred dollars, so the skinfold method can be cost prohibitive. There are more accurate skinfold calipers like Skyndex, which I use myself. In fact, it’s common to get a different body fat percentage when two different ‘testers’ take the same skinfold measurements on the same body. Unfortunately, cheap skin calipers can get varied results on the skinfold measurements based on user error. Skin calipers – Known as a skinfold method, skinfold calipers estimate your body fat by having you pinch your fat in a couple of different places on the body.

They don’t account for many different factors, including how much lean muscle mass you’ve got on your frame. Ignore these, because they’re very inaccurate. Online body fat calculator – Body fat calculators try to calculate your body fat based on age, height in inches, body weight and activity level using a statistical estimation method.If we don’t have a clear idea of where we want to go with our fitness goals, it’s tough to set a plan for success and even tougher to stay motivated.įor those guys that know they want to get as strong and lean as possible, body fat percentage can be a key measurement of success. If “I want to be ripped” is your goal, that’s great, but how do you measure that? One of the biggest problems men face when they’re trying to start or stick to a fitness plan is that their goals are too big, or are just not clearly defined. Otherwise you’re just going through the motions and getting nowhere! After all, having a goal is a prerequisite to actually getting somewhere… In my opinion, body fat percentage is the best, most accurate way for people to measure their progress on a strength training plan.īy now you probably know that I’m all about setting goals, and more importantly, having concrete ways to measure those goals.

Male body fat