I got weighed and had my body fat % calculated at the gym today, I try to do so every few months just to track my lifting progress and such. I was once again reminded of what an absolute joke the BMI calculation is, and have no idea why any credible physician would use such a thing. I currently stand at 6'2", 230lbs, and therefore have a BMI just under 30. According to their guidelines, a BMI that high means that I am teetering on being obese.

Here's the kicker: I have 12.8% body fat, which is on the low side. 200lbs of my weight is bones, muscles, organs, etc. How in the hell can anyone take BMI calculations seriously?

Can you beat up YZF?

My arms are probably a lot longer.

You have 30 pounds of fat.

LOL!!!

I prefer bioelectrical impedence to test. Most accurate way IMHO.

You have 30 pounds of fat.

LOL!!!

I know! The funny thing is that I've been doing two a days at the gym for a while now, hour of cardio in the morning and then lifting at night. I've actually put on 5lbs of weight in the past 2 months but dropped body fat. I would like to be at 10%, I've been to 9% before but it is freaking difficult to stay that low. I eat a very healthy diet and my bench is up to 315, so I am in pretty good physical shape. I'm just wondering what to do from here.

I prefer bioelectrical impedence to test. Most accurate way IMHO.

I don't even know what that is.

probably how they measured your body fat % at the gym.. did they have a handheld device that you hold onto w/ both hands and it tells you the % after a few seconds?

They have one of those BMI charts at my doctors office. According to them I'm on the edge of being obese as well. In fact if you take a look at some major athletes they have a BMI that would make them obese simply from the extra weight of the mussel they have.

probably how they measured your body fat % at the gym.. did they have a handheld device that you hold onto w/ both hands and it tells you the % after a few seconds?

Yeah, I held some thing with both hands out in front of me.

I would honestly not pay much attention to the BMI counter.... If you look closely it *should* mention a caveat about how the numbers may be off for atheletes and people on a strict weight routine. I've always been on the edge.

If you think that's bad you should check out the military's way of checking body fat... Height (in) minus neck, minus waist. There's a little scale and based off those three magic numbers they will determine your body fat %... I've always measured at 20% +/-, even when I was calipered at 4.5%...

In fact, I *just* got taped at 21% on Tuesday.. did my 6 month PT test this morning and went over the upper cap on both situps (106) and pushups (92), finished my swim in the mid range with a couple minutes to spare (500m @ 9.25)


The whole BMI/Body fat thing reminds me of dyno numbers... they are fine for talking shit and all, but *actual* performance is what really matters.. I wouldn't stress it unless your work requires you to maintain a certain BMI, which (unless you've swung 180 degrees in your career path) yours doesn't =P

Yeah, I held some thing with both hands out in front of me.

That would be bioelectrical impedence. I find it to be fairly accurate, but nothing beats the ole rope and choke.

I would honestly not pay much attention to the BMI counter.... If you look closely it *should* mention a caveat about how the numbers may be off for atheletes and people on a strict weight routine. I've always been on the edge.

If you think that's bad you should check out the military's way of checking body fat... Height (in) minus neck, minus waist. There's a little scale and based off those three magic numbers they will determine your body fat %... I've always measured at 20% +/-, even when I was calipered at 4.5%...

In fact, I *just* got taped at 21% on Tuesday.. did my 6 month PT test this morning and went over the upper cap on both situps (106) and pushups (92), finished my swim in the mid range with a couple minutes to spare (500m @ 9.25)



The whole BMI/Body fat thing reminds me of dyno numbers... they are fine for talking shit and all, but *actual* performance is what really matters.. I wouldn't stress it unless your work requires you to maintain a certain BMI, which (unless you've swung 180 degrees in your career path) yours doesn't =P

That sounds pretty ridiculous. The BMI number really doesn't mean anything to me, but I know that I've gone in for physicals and such where they have calculated BMI, and told me that I'm on the high side. I've heard the athlete thing before, and I've told doctors that I lift weights frequently. I was curious because I am going in for a physical in a month, and now will be armed with that information so I can tell them to shove BMI up their ass. I've always been as healthy as can be, I think that doctors just assume I am hiding a bunch of fat somewhere.

The Army has this problem too. Most people don't pass the BMI chart but clearly are in shape. Then it goes to the tape test. I think the chart only works for toothpick body people.

http://usmilitary.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.usapa.army.mil/pdffiles/r600%5F9.pdf

http://www.hooah4health.com/4You/bmi.htm