Electric BF Calculator

**forrest0330** · 11-09-2010, 10:00 AM

I have a question, I didn't know where to exactly to post this question so I will try here.

How acurate are the electric hand held bf calculators? I am in the Army and had trouble dropping my bf%. By Army measurements I am around 18% but the digital says 13% Which is better. I am like 99% of most men and carry my bf around my waist and the army measures around the waist and neck.

34yr
5-7
160
13-18% bf

**SergeantCarbs** · 11-09-2010, 10:03 AM

Both methods are inaccurate but I find the tape measure to be more consistent. Ya cant argue with a tape measure too much if your waist size is changing....

**charcold** · 11-09-2010, 10:47 AM

If u look around at pics in the members section, you should be able to get a good "feel" of BF estimates.

Those things arent accurate, but I would think they could be precise if used right and consistantly

**forrest0330** · 11-09-2010, 12:04 PM

I kinda thought the tape measure system was a little off for total body fat. Not sure how the waist and neck measure the overall bf%. I will have to check out the pics and see where I am at in that catagory. Whats the most accurate way to measure?

**bigslick7878** · 11-09-2010, 12:07 PM

You can't use a tape measure to get bodyfat, it just gives you a reference point for progress..........like all the cheap devices out there that claim to measure bodyfat.

**SergeantCarbs** · 11-09-2010, 12:21 PM

Agreed with bigslick. I don't know how off the tape measuring is from an accurate bf% but it does give me the ability too consistently judge progress weekly, where-as my damn scale percentage hasnt changed in the last 20 or so pounds that ive lost.

**forrest0330** · 11-09-2010, 12:32 PM

Thats interesting. I guess the Army is using the wrong method to measure bf on it soldiers! Yes I do tape about every 3 or 4 days. Waist will drop some but not much and my neck stays the same but weight will vary 2-3 pounds daily in either direction.

**SergeantCarbs** · 11-09-2010, 12:52 PM

Not sure I'm following your comment Forrest. I did not say the Army's test overall is wrong only that the result could off to a certain degree (Army states it has a 3% margin of error). Whether its 3% / more or less I don't know. Gonna get one of those bodpod tests this week and compare it to the tape test to see the difference. Yes the point of comparing to your neck size is that the neck is not supposed to contain much fat and change much, so more like a point of reference. Although I have seem variations of my neck size as my water retention changes.

**scotty51312** · 11-09-2010, 08:48 PM

The Army's sytem of BMI is definitley not accurate within 3 percent. Its a stupd algorithm using a waste and a neck measurement with your height and weight. The electronic impedance measurements are just about as inaccurate. Find a trainer with calipers thats the 2nd most accurate assesment of bodyfat.

**forrest0330** · 11-10-2010, 05:40 AM

Yes I understand the army method is inaccurate. I have been in a while I know the regs but never understood why they used a method that was like that. They use it to chapter or flag their soldiers. Don't get me wrong I am not for fat boddies in the army but they should have a better method. I lloked at some of the member pics and it seemed to me that everyone was just guessing. Iam sure the guys have a better understanding of bf than I do but there was some major differences on opinion. I lloked up the bodpod it seems kinda high speed I might try that. What about usig a caliper on myself?