
Holding the calipers perpendicular to the site, place the pads of the calipersĪpproximately 1?4 inch from the thumb and forefinger.Īpproximately one or two seconds after the trigger has been released, read theĪ minimum of two measurements should be taken at each site, with at least 15 Grasp the skinfold firmly with the thumb and index finger of the left hand.(Optional: Mark the site with a common eyebrow pencil toĮxpedite site relocation in repeated measures.) Identify the anatomical location of the skinfold. The procedure for measuring skinfolds is as follows:
20 body fat male skin#
The transfer of fluid to the skin could result in overestimations. Measurement are the two primary sources of error when using this method.įurthermore, skinfold measurements should not be taken after exercise because Technician from one measurement to the next. Measurements must be taken properly and they should be taken by the same For results to be valid and reliable, the skinfold Skinfold measurement is based on the belief that approximately 50% of total bodyįat lies under the skin, and involves measuring the thickness of the skinfoldsĪt standardized sites. The table below provides established percent body fat norms for men and women based on various categories of health and fitness.

Thus, helping clients work toward weight loss if they are overweight or obese can have a profound positive effect on their lives. Obesity-related diseases include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and stroke. Providing clients with an estimation of their body composition is a valuable practice because a person's level of body fat is directly correlated with health outcomes. This technique is inexpensive, produces fairly accurate results (the standard error is 3.5%, depending on the equation applied, compared to 2.7% error for a hydrostatically determined measurement), and is relatively easy to administer once the trainer has mastered the skill of pinching the skin and measuring it with skinfold calipers. Of the methods used to estimate body composition in clients, the skinfold measurement technique is probably the most commonly used by personal trainers.
