Accurate bodyfat measurement tool

Is the Accumeasure skin calipers still the best around providing you do it in the suprailiac ? Is the suprailiac an accurate enough point ?

Or does anyone know the best 3 points etc to measure ?

I could be a victim of innaccurate measurement tools especially when it comes to those handheld "electrical" impulse bodyfat tools !

For example, when measured on my suprailiac with the accumeasure, the measurement is 11/12mm (goal is sub 10%) which would make sense when I read up what a 190 lb guy at that % looks like but I'm confused.

DM-BM

The problem I have with accumeasure is, it's very easy to alter the reading depending on how fast or slow you close the caliper (i'm talking about the one that clicks).
I prefer Slimguide as it uses a spring, and so gives a constant pressure on the skinfold.

As for wether the suprailliac is accurate enough, I really don't think that it is.
If you want to use it just to see if you are gaining or losing fat, then it's fine, but for measuring actual bf% it can be very inaccurate. A lot will depend on where you store fat, e.g. I store a lot of fat on my legs which isn't "typical" for a guy, so my overall bf% is higher than it would appear if i were to judge my bf% based on my upper body fat levels.

The thing with Accumeasure is you're meant to be honest with yourself and use it and stop pressuring once it's in place.

I do get what you mean though.

If it's any consolation, if I do a three point test as seen here, i get what I think is accurate. I just don't know anymore though ! http://www.rustyiron.net/formmale.htm

Edit: What you think of this ? http://www.linear-software.com/online.html and http://www.linear-software.com/malesites.html

DM-BM

For me anyway the 3 site jackson-pollock method, gives me a reading lower than what I'm actually carrying.

I haven't managed to do the 7 site one on my own yet, still working on that one.

It 's all a bit rough anyway if you store more fat than average in areas not cover by the caliper, you will probably have a higher bf% then the reading you are getting despite the quality of the calipers or the person using them.
E.g. my waist can increase for awhile, without my ab or suprailliac measurements increasing, because the fat is being stored on my lower back.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !

The Guvnor

Lads not at all related to a bodyfat calipers BUT whilst flicking through the channels last night I came across Celebrity Fit Club or whatever it's called.

Anyway the had the fattest of the fat guys from the sopranos on it - Vito I think his character was called.
Real name
Joseph R. Gannascoli

Anyway he is 5ft8, 310lbs and they tell him at the start his bodyfat is only 26%. I'd love to know how they worked that one out!:D

TommyKnocker

The Guvnor wrote: »

Lads not at all related to a bodyfat calipers BUT whilst flicking through the channels last night I came across Celebrity Fit Club or whatever it's called.

Anyway the had the fattest of the fat guys from the sopranos on it - Vito I think his character was called.
Real name
Joseph R. Gannascoli

Anyway he is 5ft8, 310lbs and they tell him at the start his bodyfat is only 26%. I'd love to know how they worked that one out!:D

Heavy Boned

mloc

Deleted User wrote: »

I could be a victim of innaccurate measurement tools especially when it comes to those handheld "electrical" impulse bodyfat tools !

They are pretty awful really; the newest gold standard for measuring bf is MRI, although not really an option for most people. See if you can find somewhere that can do a weighted average of DEXA and air displacement for a more accurate measurement.

breno58

i have the accumeasure and i think its pretty decent anyways

Yeah but what points do you measure ? I don't for one second believe that skinfold of suprailiac is as accurate as they say.

I know it's just a gauge and how it's about your clothes and how you look in mirror etc

But I mean, an electrical impulse device told me I was 16% bodyfat which is total nonsense, my accumeasure consistantly tells me on my suprailiac I am 11/12% which I do believe to be accurate but I suppose a larger skinfold would be possible on my kidneys.

Bottom line is I know i'm on the right track but would love to know a more accurate way of testing with the accumeasure.

breno58

i was told to measure around the stomach and bicep then add the two figures and divide by two