[Samurai]

I have been working out since 1984 and have never measured the fat percentage. Since the calipers method won't work for me, let me at least see if the Omron device works. Anyway, it is being delivered today.

[rajushank84]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I have been working out since 1984 and have never measured the fat percentage. Since the calipers method won't work for me, let me at least see if the Omron device works. Anyway, it is being delivered today.

Ok, please share if you think it's correct. Maybe mine has gone bad? (Or weak batteries lol). But definitely correlate with the navy method, I'm curious if there's a huge difference between both.

[mallumowgli]

What exactly is the fat percentage from a medical point of view? What does it signify? Does it refer to the accumulated fat deposits in muscles? (No-please do not refer me back to wiki!!)

Even then how does any instrument measure it indirectly?

Omron as a company is quite well know in the instrumentation field - on of our regular vendors. So product is not a fake - but the underlying methodology is what I am doubtful aboout

[rajushank84]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I have been working out since 1984 and have never measured the fat percentage. Since the calipers method won't work for me, let me at least see if the Omron device works. Anyway, it is being delivered today.

Wait - I missed the part where you said you've been working out for 32 years! Whoa. Respect, man. You probably know 1000x more about this than I do, I have no business suggesting to you what to use . Just let us know what you conclude. Still, I was just sharing my experience, it's reading seems to be WAY optimistic.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

What exactly is the fat percentage from a medical point of view? What does it signify? Does it refer to the accumulated fat deposits in muscles? (No-please do not refer me back to wiki!!)

Even then how does any instrument measure it indirectly?

Omron as a company is quite well know in the instrumentation field - on of our regular vendors. So product is not a fake - but the underlying methodology is what I am doubtful aboout

I agree. As far as I've learned so far - there is no accurate way to measure body fat get. Bodpod, immersion method, dexa scan (I got one sometime back), calipers, navy method, handheld thing, eveything is HIGHLY approximate and give different reading at different times. The "pros" just use calipers as far as I can tell. I haven't tried bodpod yet, I might get one.

Yes, Omron is a solid company, it's not the product that's fake or anything. Just seems to be way off, and from what I get from others (a coworkers trainer is a professional bodybuilder, he says the same thing), I just don't trust it. At least, I don't take it as the only source of truth, I try to correlate with other methods and go with the median. I mean why not correlate, it doesn't hurt does it?

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by rajushank84

Wait - I missed the part where you said you've been working out for 32 years! Whoa. Respect, man. You probably know 1000x more about this than I do, I have no business suggesting to you what to use . Just let us know what you conclude.

Well, even donkeys get old. What I was pointing out was, I started off at a time when there was very little knowledge about measurements, nutrition and the science available to an average person. We measured progress by subjective methods than objective methods. And that has become a habit. I measure my fitness by how I feel, rather than scientific measurement.

So I am trying to break that habit. The Omron device just landed on my table.

Another thing about age, I have tried all kind of stuff and know what works and what doesn't work for me. I guess that's useful.

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by rajushank84

I agree. As far as I've learned so far - there is no accurate way to measure body fat get. Bodpod, immersion method, dexa scan (I got one sometime back), calipers, navy method, handheld thing, eveything is HIGHLY approximate and give different reading at different times. The "pros" just use calipers as far as I can tell. I haven't tried bodpod yet, I might get one.

My question was not 'how', but rather 'what' is being measured, when you say my 'fat percentage' is 13 or 19%

[rajushank84]

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

My question was not 'how', but rather 'what' is being measured, when you say my 'fat percentage' is 13 or 19%

It means what percentage of your body is fat.

For example if my body weight is 150 pounds and my fat percentage is 20% then I have 30 pounds of fat, and the rest 120 pounds are lean mass (consist of everything other than fat: muscle, bones, skin, organs, blood, water etc).

[Piyadassi]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Does the limb movement really matter? It is quite involuntary.

You see, I am little stickler of form. And in an ideal pull/chin up legs literally should be hanging dead. Even otherwise, you would notice in the video that leg movement gets pronounced in the last reps.

[amitoj]

I didn't know about the navy method! But it seems to be way off for me. It puts me at 11% whereas my machine puts me at 17.5% And going by various comparison photos on the net, including one below, my machine seems to be more accurate. I am closer to 15 than to 11, which the navy method has calculated for me.



I guess YMMV big time with these things.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

My question was not 'how', but rather 'what' is being measured, when you say my 'fat percentage' is 13 or 19%

It also indicates whether you are "skinny fat", wherein you look ok, your measurements (including BMI) are also normal but underneath you are more fat than muscle.

[sinhead]

Hi, Guys.

1. Can one get hernia by body-weight exercises (- lower body exercises)?

2. By improper stretching - while warming up? (- side lunges/ stretch)

[My father was operated for hernia recently, and I have been paranoid ever since.]

I started basic exercises this month after a gap of 7 months, which includes

1. Surya-namaskar - 4 to 6 reps

2. a Long walk - 15 mins

3. Some regular warmup exercises, basic movements of the all joints, mild stretching.

4. On the spot jog for 2 mins

5. Slow jog+ walk combination for another 15 mins.


Since I try to keep my core tight while jogging, sometimes I feel a tingling, pinch inside the stomach. And 2 days ago, while doing side lunges, (inadequate warm-up was the reason - I felt a pull under my groin.
On googling I found it is called the Abductor muscle. And on googling Hernia - I see no lumps anywhere and no pain or discomfort while walking, jogging etc.

I get really worried about hernia. Any slight pain takes me straight to the mirror. .

So I seek advice from you guys, especially Samurai who has been doing body-weight exercises since so long, on -

a) how to prevent it

b) what precautions to take

c) how to make the muscles or the insides of the stomach stronger to prevent Hernia.

Thanks.

[rajushank84]

Originally Posted by amitoj

I didn't know about the navy method! But it seems to be way off for me. It puts me at 11% whereas my machine puts me at 17.5% And going by various comparison photos on the net, including one below, my machine seems to be more accurate. I am closer to 15 than to 11, which the navy method has calculated for me.

Attachment 1519476

I guess YMMV big time with these things.



It also indicates whether you are "skinny fat", wherein you look ok, your measurements (including BMI) are also normal but underneath you are more fat than muscle.

That's interesting! I guess the takeaway is, use more than one method and go with the one that matches a "typical" pic for what you look like.

The problem with that infographic is, all the guys in that chart have muscle and fat distributed fairly evenly. Even the "fat" guys in that pic have significant chest and arms. This is rarely the case for Indians (not to generalize, but this is what I've observed so far). Many of us are skinny fat (skinny limbs, no muscle, a lot of fat in the midsection) . I am an example of extreme skinny fat. I am not sure if anything in that chart matches my body. So its difficult to correlate with that pic.

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by rajushank84

The problem with that infographic is, all the guys in that chart have muscle and fat distributed fairly evenly. Even the "fat" guys in that pic have significant chest and arms. This is rarely the case for Indians (not to generalize, but this is what I've observed so far). Many of us are skinny fat (skinny limbs, no muscle, a lot of fat in the midsection) . I am an example of extreme skinny fat. I am not sure if anything in that chart matches my body. So its difficult to correlate with that pic.

Yeah and just look at the guy with 20% body fat. That's just not right. He probably has less than 20%

I think the key is to use these numbers not as absolute but relative to different readings over a period of time to judge the direction of your progress. You also mentioned this earlier.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by sinhead

1. Can one get hernia by body-weight exercises (- lower body exercises)?

If you overdo things, it is possible. Don't ramp up the intensity too fast. Listen very closely to your body. Learn to clearly differentiate between soreness and pain.

Originally Posted by sinhead

2. By improper stretching - while warming up? (- side lunges/ stretch)

Don't lunge before warming up, and stretch while cooling down.

Originally Posted by sinhead

I started basic exercises this month after a gap of 7 months, which includes

1. Surya-namaskar - 4 to 6 reps

2. a Long walk - 15 mins

3. Some regular warmup exercises, basic movements of the all joints, mild stretching.

4. On the spot jog for 2 mins

5. Slow jog+ walk combination for another 15 mins.

This is very low intensity. What is your goal?

Originally Posted by sinhead

Since I try to keep my core tight while jogging, sometimes I feel a tingling, pinch inside the stomach.

To strengthen the core using bodyweight, you need to do pushups, pullup/chinups and breathing workout by farmer burns. Google for farmer burns stomach flattener and reverse stomach flattener.

Originally Posted by amitoj

Yeah and just look at the guy with 20% body fat. That's just not right. He probably has less than 20%

I can't make out where I will fall in that scale. Here is my pic from last year.

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I can't make out where I will fall in that scale.

What does Omron say? Have you tried the Navy calculator?
http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculat...=Body-Fat-Navy

[rajushank84]

Curious what do you guys think my fat percentage is?
(The first pic is relaxed and in the morning.
Second pic is pumped and flexed after a workout)

Omron says I'm 15, navy method says 19, the people over at bodybuilding.com say 18-19. Nothing in that chart matches my body (Skinnyfat).

I definitely hope that's NOT 15 because that doesn't look good! I hope I can look half-decent when I reach 15. I don't want to have to cut down to 10 (heard it's very difficult) to look flat.

And this is me from back when I was 37% (well according to Omron anyway)

Also in that chart pic some of the guys are flexing whereas some of them seem to be relaxed. That makes it difficult to guess because the same guy will look very different when he's relaxed vs when he has a pump and a flex going on.