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The easiest way to manipulate these variables is to take your measurements on the right side of your body and in a fasted state (at the same time) upon waking in the morning. Thus, the harder you pinch, the more biased the outcome will be.įinally, for the best results, you’ll want to take the measurements on the same side of your body and under the same circumstances for each subsequent test. The thickness of the skinfold represents the amount of fat (in millimeters) at that particular location on your body. The caliper is used to determine the skinfold in millimeters. It’s important not to pinch too hard as this could disrupt the accuracy of the test. Prior to taking the 3 measurements, you should mark the location with a “t”, pinching the cross with the caliper to obtain a consistent reading each time. At each location, you’ll want to take 3 measurements to average out and ultimately plug into the body fat percentage calculation. This will be a 7-fold caliper test and there’ll be 7 locations that you’ll want to measure. We’ll delve into the specific measuring locations momentarily, but first, let’s discuss a few pointers to get a clear and accurate body fat reading. A basic calculator to determine the medians of each measurement.Īfter you’ve gathered all the necessary items listed, you’ll be ready to pinch and pull.Something to write down and track results (paper, smartphone, etc.).A friend to help perform the measurements (preferred).

Now that you’re familiar with why you should use a skinfold caliper, let’s move on to how you can measure your body fat using one.

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How to Measure Your Body Fat with Skinfold Calipers So, how do you find out what your body fat percentage is? While several different tools that can be used to determine body fat, the most readily available one that you can use at home is the skinfold caliper. On the flip side of that statement, an individual falling into the normal classification of the BMI scale may have an excessively high body fat percentage putting them at greater risk for chronic disease. An individual who falls into the overweight (or even obese) classification under the BMI scale may have more lean muscle mass and less body fat than a person falling into the normal classification.

However, the BMI scale isn’t always reliable as it is greatly influenced by the weight of an individual.Īs I’m sure you’re well aware of at this point, muscle weighs more than fat. 1 As mentioned in the introductory portion of this guide, health experts once used BMI to assess an individual’s susceptibility to developing diseases. Why Should You Use Skinfold Calipers?Įveryone has different goals, so the reasons for using a skinfold caliper will vary from person to person with the exception of one universal health component.Įxcessive body fat can put you at risk for chronic diseases. This expert guide will give you an in-depth outlook on why you should use skinfold calipers, where and how to take measurements, and what your percentage means for your overall health. Later, healthcare professionals started using the body mass index (BMI) as a measurement to assess the risk of chronic illnesses a person may develop depending upon their height and weight.įinally, after realizing that lean muscle mass can negatively influence the outcomes of all of these tools, skinfold calipers were introduced as a way to measure success. Then, fitness enthusiasts began using a measuring tape to assess inches lost after realizing the scale didn’t tell the whole truth. At the dawn of the health club, the scale was introduced as the primary means of tracking progress.