Help using Calipers

[kenny3478]

Hi All

Need help with taking measurements with caliper's I have done 3 readings chest, Abs, Thigh 3 times I have used different web sites entered all detail asked for and I'm getting in between 11.4% and 11.7% I do not believe this can anyone tell me where I'm going wrong ?

This is me at the the min.

[kenny3478]

I have done it with a tape measure and getting 21%

[Mitch535]

You really can't rely on calipers. There are so many different ways to take caliper measurements and they are all going to give you something different. Humans are just too variable to be able to take a 3 pinches and determine body fat from that.

[RangerDanger830]

There are much better ways to measure body fat but they're not always easily accessible. So if you must use calipers you just have to understand what they are and what they are not.

They are not meant to be definitive for us; but that doesn't mean they aren't useful. Calipers are still a good way to measure BF% trends if done precisely. The first thing you should understand is that consistency is the key with calipers.

Measure every single day at the same time with an empty stomach, as soon as you're awake preferably. This rules out variables like how much food you've eaten and your hydration level variable is minimized.

Now measuring, measure every day. You won't see much change in the numbers from one day or week to the next but if you have 60 measurements spanning 60 days and plug it into a line graph you'll see exactly how you're trending. Combine that with meal and training records and voila, find your weaknesses.

You also need to be very precise, slow, and deliberate while measuring. Three times per spot is okay but more is better. 5-10 measurements in a row for each body part will produce a more statistically significant result. Just average them together and remove any outliers that were error.

Technique must be consistent too. Find a way of remembering the precise place you pinched and how you did it and at what angle. Remember how much you tried to pinch. Consistency here is key as the pinching of fat wrongly can throw it off easily.

Record your data and while it may not give you an accurate body fat, if done consistently it can tell you whether you're losing and gaining.

Before and after pics help too.